Public is welcome to come and view the activity
HOUSTON, May 6, 2024 – Everyone’s favorite ruminants, the goats from Rent-a-Ruminant® Texas, return to the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center on Monday, May 20 for an encore performance to clear out the dense thicket of both native and invasive vegetation in the three-acre area just south of the Meadow between the South Meadow Trail and the Muscadine Trail along the Outer Loop.
The popular animals last made an appearance in May 2023 when they grazed on the vegetation and invasive species around the Wildflower Trail near the administration building. This will be the fifth visit by the goats, with the first being in 2020.
The public is welcome to view the goats at work during the week that they are here, although the Arboretum staff asks that guests do not touch, engage with, or feed the animals, for the safety of the animals and people. The area where the goats will congregate is accessible from either entrance but be prepared for a walk.
The grazing area is between a ¼ and ½ mile walk depending on which trails you take to get there. Approximately 120 goats will be chewing away under the direction of Rent-a-Ruminant® owners Kyle and Carolyn Carr.
“In the absence of woodland browsers (animals that eat leaves from woody vegetation such as deer), the understory of these areas has become very overgrown,” says Stephen Benigno, Ph.D., Conservation Director for the Houston Arboretum. “Over time, this will negatively impact tree diversity by preventing saplings from growing through this dense vegetation layer. The goats will create space in the understory for more diverse vegetation to thrive.”
“This eco-friendly alternative to commercial mowing and herbicides is working,” says Debbie Markey, Executive Director. “We have had great success with Rent A Ruminant’s goats in the last several years. And it doesn’t hurt that they are a big draw for the public, especially families with young children. We are always happy to introduce more people to the wonders of the Arboretum.”
Rent-A-Ruminant Texas provides a workable alternative to traditional land clearing, chemicals or commercial mowing. The goats are effective at reducing brush overgrowth, green briars, poison ivy, ragweed and other undesirable plant species. The Carrs operate out of a ranch in Brownwood, Texas and have nearly 250 goats in their herd, about half of which travel with them throughout the state to provide natural mowing services. The goats even have names.
The Houston Arboretum is open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk. Parking is $6, and it is free on Thursdays and free every day for Arboretum Members. Guests can enter at 4501 Woodway Dr. or at 120 West Loop North off of Interstate 610.
To learn more about the Arboretum, please visit https://houstonarboretum.org/. You can also get more information by calling the Houston Arboretum at 713-681-8433.
Link to photos here.
Photo credits: Kyle Carr and Anthony Rathbun.
ABOUT:
The mission of the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is to provide education about the natural environment to people of all ages and to protect and enhance the Arboretum as a haven and as a sanctuary for native plants and animals. The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, one of the first nature education facilities for children in the state of Texas serves more than 600,000 visitors annually. The Arboretum also provides nature education for more than 10,000 children annually. For more information about the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center and levels of membership visit houstonarboretum.org.
