Prescribed Goat Grazing for Savanna Restoration

On Monday, June 24 from 4:00-7:30 p.m., graziers, land managers, and interested members of the public are invited to Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan to take a look at the techniques and considerations for using goats to control buckthorn.

“For those of you thinking about bringing small ruminants into your vegetation management work, this should be a very informative opportunity to learn from the experts,” says Tyler Carlson, the Silvopasture & Agroforestry Project Lead for SFA.

Carlson will co-present this field day with Brad Gordon and Alex Bahr of Great River Greening, park staff, and Kyle Johnson with Diversity Landworks. Diversity Landworks is currently managing the working herd at Lebanon Hills.

Johnson will demonstrate the fencing and watering systems that they use to care for the herd, including tips and tricks for using portable electric net fencing in hilly, brushy terrain. Attendees will have the opportunity to see the work that the goats have done over the past couple of years, and particularly the work done this spring and early summer.

Park staff and Great River Greening restoration professionals will share their plans for restoration, as well as some of the other tools they’re using to achieve their goals. Additional discussion ranging from general buckthorn control considerations, to native understory seedings, to prescribed fire will follow.

Advance registration for this event is required. It is free to attend. Please register by clicking here.

Notes on parking, walking, and food:

• We’ll meet at the Lebanon Hills Regional Park visitor center. Ample parking around it on the east side of the park.
• We’ll need to walk on unpaved trails for a stretch. It could be a total of 1 mile walking round trip (10-15 minute walk each way).
• Boxed lunches and beverages will be provided.

Address: Lebanon Hills Regional Park Visitor Center, 860 Cliff Road Eagan, MN 55123
Info: Tyler Carlson, tyler@sfa-mn.org

Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).