NEWS RELEASE

June 20, 2018

For Immediate Release

Goats Arrive in Savannah to Clear Vegetation

SAVANNAH, GA (June 20, 2018) — Today the City of Savannah welcomed a herd of 53 goats to Laurel Grove North Cemetery to help clear overgrown vegetation. 

The herd is currently munching vegetation along a three-acre ravine at cemetery located on West Anderson Street. The goats are being monitored by two livestock guardian dogs and a herder and are kept inside secure fencing. 

The goats will benefit the City in several ways.  Goats are able to clear vegetation in areas that are difficult for workers to clear or to access with machinery.  Goats thrive on poison ivy, poison oak, Kudzu, blackberries, nasty vines, and briers. Second, the City also expects to see a cost-savings using the goats instead of City staff.  Third, goats are better for the environment.

“We know for the cemetery ravine that we will save money using goats compared to using contractors,” said Project Manager Laura Walker. “Using goats is also much more environmentally sensitive because we’re not having to run big diesel machines or use herbicides on the vegetation.”

The City estimates it will take three weeks for the goats to clear the vegetation at the cemetery.  After that they will be relocated to the Clinch Street Pond.

The steep slopes and low areas make the selected areas difficult and costly to maintain with mowing machines. Many public works departments across the world use ruminants successfully to maintain areas equipment has difficulty accessing.  

Get Your Goat Rentals was selected through the City’s competitive bid process. They have experience with a number of Georgia municipalities and nonprofits.

The public is encouraged to visit the goats while they are working at the cemetery. Laurel Grove North Cemetery is open to the public from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM.