Overview:
Boulder will partner with grazing animals this summer as part of its wildfire prevention and invasive weed mitigation plans.
On July 2, nearly 200 square miles of Colorado was on fire. As wildfire season grows longer and invasive weeds threaten local ecosystems, Boulder is skipping the heavy machinery and opting for a traditional four-legged workforce.
“This is really one piece of a much larger focus on wildfire resilience within the city,” said Jamie Barker, Wildland Fire and Boulder Fire Rescue Public Information Officer.
Boulder is inviting ranchers and their cattle back to open space and mountain parks property for the second official year of its pilot program. They also welcomed around 300 goats to Harlow Platts Community Park to help manage invasive and noxious plants.
Boulder has used cattle and goat grazing programs for invasive weeds since 2014, but this will be the second year of its Targeted Grazing Program. The program was specifically started for cattle to graze in Wildland and Urban Interface (WUI) areas, located within 100 to 300 feet from residential areas, which are high-risk zones for wildfires.
“The cattle grazing is specific to very large areas where not only grazing on the grass but trampling the ground will benefit us in terms of fire not moving as quickly,” said Barker.
The cattle are part of a broader wildfire resilience and risk reduction effort, which will include projects like forest thinning, grassland fuels management, and cross-boundary fuels management. These projects are becoming increasingly important as Colorado’s drought drags on.
“The goal is to not only remove the vegetation, but to lessen the height of the vegetation,” said Barker. “With lower vegetation comes lower flames.”
The project will cost $200 to $1,000 per acre, depending on access, terrain, fencing and other characteristics. The cattle will cover 65 acres during their six-week stay in wildland and urban interface areas. Funding for the program will come from the climate tax fund, collected on electricity and natural gas bills until 2040.
“It’s a really fun way to engage with the natural space we have,” said Barker. “Folks are really enjoying engaging and taking photos.”
Boulder Parks and Recreation also invited goats back to Harlow Platts Community Park on June 13 for their annual Meet and Bleat event.
“There are some areas in different parks that have rocky parts, hard-to-get-to areas with weed management,” said Kate Hernandez, communications program manager. “So that’s where we bring the goats in.”
Goats are one of many tools the city uses in its Integrative Pest Management program, aimed at addressing pest issues while staying committed to environmental stewardship.
“The goats can eat more toxic plants than other livestock,” said Jordan Sarazen, owner of Goat Bros Grazing Services. “They have four stomachs. By the time the seeds go through their dietary system and come out in their manure, there’s a less than 1% chance the seed is still viable.”
The goats graze all year long on private and municipal land. Their diets change with the seasons.
“It’s a really unique way to bring the community together, get them out in the open spaces that are there for them to enjoy,” said Sarazen. “It’s also a way for municipalities to show the people that they’re taking care of the areas that are there for them.”
In Boulder, the goats targeted invasive and noxious weeds, which can become highly detrimental to the ecosystem. Along with vegetation control, they also aid in fire mitigation and soil stabilization. Their waste fertilizes soil while their hooves break it up, allowing air and water to move through it.
“It’s important to show our community what we’re doing,” said Hernandez. “It shows there’s a why behind everything we do and opportunities like this can really start conversations between city staff and community members.”
