By rdnewsNOW staff

RETURN OF THE GOATS

Welcoming the goats ba-a-a-a-a-ack to Red Deer

Sep 25, 2019 | 7:14 AM

RED DEER- Residents are invited to meet the goats and chat with City staff about weed control and the management of ecologically sensitive areas in parks and green spaces within the city.

The goats’ herder, from BAAH’D Plant Management & Reclamation, will be on site as well to answer any questions about the goats and their work.

The event takes place on Sunday, September 29 from 9:30 a.m. till noon at Piper Creek Gardens (1709 40 Avenue – south of the landfill)

Children are welcome to pet the goats.

To keep the goats safe and comfortable it is requested that pets be kept on a leash, or left at home.

mayor hopes to meet housing minister this month

Alberta demands Ottawa back off on housing funding stripped from Red Deer

22h ago

Last seen Jan. 15

Missing: Courtney Cattleman, 17, of Maskwacis

Apr 02, 2026

eyes up

Air Spray training around Red Deer Regional Airport

Apr 02, 2026

“The goats are weed eating machines,” said Ken Lehman, Ecological Services Operations Coordinator for The City. “They are trained to eat the target weed species and, with the aid of herders and working dogs, leave other native vegetation alone. Using the goats to manage weeds helps us achieve our goal set out in the Environmental Master Plan to reduce the amount of pesticides used to manage our landscapes.”

The goats are ideal to work in the Piper Creek area because of the ecologically sensitive and challenging terrain.

There are areas that people and machines can’t safely reach, however, the goats can climb the steep slopes and cross unstable ground swiftly and safely. This is the final year of a three-year pilot project using the goats at Piper Creek Gardens.

Over the last two years, there has been a good reduction of Canada Thistle in the area.

The goats work quickly to defoliate the weeds in order to allow room for healthy growth of other native grasses and plants.