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Goats to continue grazing at Calgary park as part of weed control pilot project

Click to play video: 'Goats graze on Calgary weeds again this summer'
Goats graze on Calgary weeds again this summer
WATCH: The City of Calgary is giving weed control using goats another go. Doug Vaessen has more details on the pilot project which initially launched in 2016. – Apr 18, 2017

Hundreds of goats will continue to graze at a northeast Calgary park this summer as part of a pilot project initially launched in 2016.

About 200 goats will visit West Nose Creek Park (also known as Confluence Park) in June for an unspecified amount of time.

During their stay, the goats will graze, helping to regulate the park’s noxious weeds without the use of herbicides; the City of Calgary estimates there are about 20 noxious weed species in the park.

“It has proven to be a real success for us,” Chris Manderson with the City of Calgary said. “We tried it last year really just to see the logistics of can we bring grazing animals in to do some weed control. It worked really well.”

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Data from the pilot program will be collected and analyzed to determine just how effective the goats were.

“If it works out to be better or a little cheaper than the conventional [method] then that’s a good thing as far as we’re concerned.”

The goats won’t be alone and will be joined by a professional shepherd and a sheep dog.

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WATCH: Global photographer Dani Lantela caught footage of goats munching on grass as part of the City of Calgary’s pilot project in 2016 

Click to play video: 'RAW: Goats chow down in Calgary park'
RAW: Goats chow down in Calgary park

With files from Doug Vaessen

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