Sands Point Preserve Conservancy uses green goats for invasive species control
Invasive plants – they are strange and, in fact, do not look good for the environmental health of your neighborhood. So, who you gunna call? GoatBusters. Yes, goats are answering the call to action made by New York State’s native plant population. This is something worth celebrating.
Nassau County’s Sands Point Preserve celebrates the return of Green Goats Rhinebeck to help clear invasive species on their 216-acre park and preserve. The preserve is home to large native oaks trees looking for help to outcompete the invasive mugwort, English ivy and poison ivy creeping throughout Nassau County. Sands Point Preserve is one of many recreational spaces that consult Green Goats Rhinebeck for their grazing service. The goat’s contribution to the issue that invasive plant growth has on biodiversity has generated the attraction needed to spark similar projects and more volunteers.
The strategy of the company – let the goats do what they do best, graze. Goats are able to eat 1-3% of their body weight, an asset proving effective for the company’s mission of sustainability. The efficiency of this type of system intervention is making waves in bringing communities together again – touchdown!
The Sands Point non-profit has signed the goats to their roster of volunteers needed to keep up with the invasive species rate of growth when temperatures increase during late August. The removal project’s clever name “GoatBusters” says it all – Sands Point Preserve made the right call. The creative solution peaked the interest throughout the community as it has now become a week long event attracting large crowds to gather and cheer on the team of goats. Teamwork makes the habitat work; sometimes it’s just a matter of becoming aware.
Invasive species comes with its own territory, one with large costs to all the living organisms participating in any given eco-system. 2023 reportings from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), estimate $423 billion annually for costs associated with mismanaging solutions around invasive species growth.
Sands Point’s 127 acre ‘slice-of-earth’ was acquired in 1971 by Nassau County after the death of the estate owner, Henry Guggenheim. The property was deeded to Nassau County to be used as a museum site. In accordance with his will, the estate has transformed to be an active space for public recreational usage.
The large size of the Estate seems small in comparison to the impact of its contribution. The legacy of what Henry Guggenheim isn’t necessarily what he gave back, but the impact it would leave, too, to be used for future generations. So whether its a small moment of pause or a large gathering around grazing goats – celebrate. This is how we liberate ourselves and the world around us to sustain.
