July 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 40

Got Weeds? Get Goats!
By Richard J. Dolesh

D

o you have any park areas that are choked with noxious weeds, climbing
vines and invasive plants? Do you ever think, " Wouldn't it be great if
there was a safe, sustainable, long-term solution that not only controlled
ALL the weeds, but that also returned the park areas to productive use? "
Well, if you can find one of the small but growing businesses near you that provide a
herd of hungry goats, your toughest weed control problems may be solved.
First, let us all agree that there are
lots of definitions of " weeds. " A weed
has been defined as a plant that is not
growing where it is wanted, a plant that
competes with cultivated plants, and,
as Ralph Waldo Emerson famously
said, " a plant whose virtues have not
yet been discovered. " Many " weeds "
are actually beneficial wildflowers with
value to pollinators. However, no matter how we define a weed, we can all
likely agree with Penn State University's extension service that weeds are
" plants whose undesirable qualities
outweigh their good points. "

38	 Parks & Recreation

In public-use areas of parks, the
control of weeds and invasive plants
presents a larger problem. The goals
of managing for people, as well as for
nature and other environmental benefits, may come into conflict when
aggressive unwanted vegetation takes
over public-use areas or otherwise
diminishes opportunities to utilize
parks in multiple ways.
Many park and recreation systems have park areas that have become so infested with weeds, vines
and invasive plants that such areas
are all but lost to public use. De-

| J U LY 2 0 1 5 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

pending on the plant species growing in these parks, such areas may
not even provide good habitat for
wildlife and birds.
In park areas where the weeds are
virtually impossible to eradicate,
spraying with herbicides is usually
the last resort because it is the only
means of controlling such vegetation.
Many park and recreation agencies
do spray with herbicides, although
there is increasing reluctance to do
so, especially in public-use areas.
Agencies want to employ more sustainable practices and maintenance
superintendents have become much
more sensitive to the public's wishes
to reduce herbicide use. Parents and
families would rather not have their
kids and pets playing in areas that
have been treated, even if all possible
precautions have been taken.



July 2015 - Parks & Recreation

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