Council Bluffs Park Department hires goats to help clear vegetation near riverfront

NOT KIDDING AROUND THESE GOATS. TAKE THE PLACE OF MOWERS ALONG COUNCIL BLUFFS RIVERFRONT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FOR THE PARTNERSHIP AND HIS KETV, NEWSWATCH 7 WAVERLY. REPORTS THESE GOATS ARE STAR EMPLEEOYS. ABOUT 60 OF TSEHE HUNGRY GOATS ARE HERE ON THIS FOUR-ACRE PATCH AT TOM HANNIFIN PARK NOW. THE OWNER TELLS ME THAT THEY WILL CLEAR ABOUT AN ACRE IN A WEEK. THEY’RE NOT YOUR USUAL CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT THEY ARE DETERMINED AND HUNGRY TO GET THE JOB DONE. ALREADY THAT VEGETATION UP ON THE HILL AND FRONT OF US IS IS DOWN. SO THIS WAS ABOUT 18 INCHES TO TWO FEET TALL RIGHT IN FRONT OF US COUNCIL BLUFFS PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR VINCENT. MORTORELLO SAYS THESE OVERGROWN AREAS ARE NOT ON THE CITY’S REGULAR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE IN ISTH PARTICULAR AREA. THE GROUND IS ON EVEN AND THERE’S A LOT OF FALLEN LOGS AND UNDERBRUSH WHICH MAKES IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. SO IN LOOKING FOR COST-EFFECTIVE WAYS TO TAKE CARE OF TSHI THE CONVERSATION NATURALLY LED TO GO SO GOATS REALLY LOVE. WOODY BRUSH SO LIKE THEYOVE L REALLY KIND OF JUNK TREES LIKE, YOU KNOW KIND OF HACKBERRY TREES. THIS IS MEANTER VMEER. SHE’S HEARD HE HE WORKS UNDER THE UMBRELLA COMPANY GOATS. ON THE PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE WAYS TO CLEAR BRUSH VERMEER SAYS THE GOATS CAN GO WHERE MACHINERY CANNOT IT TAKES OUT. PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THIS ASPTEC AND MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE LAST YEAR THE CITY GOT A HEFTY GRANT FROM THE DNR TO CLEAR UP ANOTHER AREA. BUT MORTARELLO SAYS THE GOATS HELP KEEP THE OPERATIONS BUDGET DOWN. PIECE OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS AND THAT WAS UPWARDS $90,000 FMRO 16 ACRES. THIS IS COST COMPARISON PER ACRE. THIS IS GOING TO BABOUE T MAYBE THREE TO FOUR THOUSAND SINCE THIS IS SUCH A SIGHT TO SEE YOU’RE ACTUALLY ENCOURAGED TO COME DOWN AND TAKE A PEEK THOUGH. JUST BE CAREFUL. THE FEN

A crew of four-legged seasonal employees recently reported to work for the city of Council Bluffs Parks and Recreation Department."Already, the vegetation up on the hill and in front of us is down so this was about 18 inches to two feet tall," Vincent Martorello, Council Bluffs Parks and Recreation Department director, said.The parks department hired goats to "help clear unwanted vegetation" at Tom Hanafan River's Edge Park. According to the parks department, on Monday, 55 goats started grazing on weeds and brush at the park."In this particular area, the ground is uneven and there's a lot of fallen logs and underbrush that makes it even more difficult," Martorello said. "In looking for cost-effective ways to take care of this the conversation naturally led to goats." According to the parks department, the goats will need 15-20 days to finish the four-acre section under the Interstate 480 bridge and will eliminate the need for the department to spray herbicides or mow the area."Goats really love the woody brush. They love kind of junk trees and hackberry trees," Goats on the Go Loess Hills owners, Matt Vermeersch said. Vermeersch and his wife, Jocelyn, will monitor the goats to ensure the availability of drinking water and access to minerals, according to authorities.Vermeersch said the goats go where machinery cannot. "It takes out probably the most difficult part of this aspect and makes it accessible," Vermeersch said. In 2021, the city of Council Bluffs received a hefty grant from the Iowa DNR to clear up another area. Martorello said the goats help keep the operations budget down. "A couple of pieces of heavy equipment and the number of contractors and that was upwards of $90,000 for 16 acres," Martorello said. "This is cost comparison per acre, this is going to be maybe $3,000 to $4,000." The parks department said people can come to see the goats in action but ask that you don't approach the fenced area.Matt Vermeersch told KETV NewsWatch 7 that the goats are available to hire for private properties. You can contact them at mattvermee@gmail.com.More headlines

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa —

A crew of four-legged seasonal employees recently reported to work for the city of Council Bluffs Parks and Recreation Department.

"Already, the vegetation up on the hill and in front of us is down so this was about 18 inches to two feet tall," Vincent Martorello, Council Bluffs Parks and Recreation Department director, said.

The parks department hired goats to "help clear unwanted vegetation" at Tom Hanafan River's Edge Park. According to the parks department, on Monday, 55 goats started grazing on weeds and brush at the park.

"In this particular area, the ground is uneven and there's a lot of fallen logs and underbrush that makes it even more difficult," Martorello said. "In looking for cost-effective ways to take care of this the conversation naturally led to goats."

City of Council Bluffs Parks and Recreation Department

On Monday, 55 goats started grazing on weeds and brush at River’s Edge Park, according to the Council Bluffs Parks Department.

According to the parks department, the goats will need 15-20 days to finish the four-acre section under the Interstate 480 bridge and will eliminate the need for the department to spray herbicides or mow the area.

"Goats really love the woody brush. They love kind of junk trees and hackberry trees," Goats on the Go Loess Hills owners, Matt Vermeersch said.

Vermeersch and his wife, Jocelyn, will monitor the goats to ensure the availability of drinking water and access to minerals, according to authorities.

Vermeersch said the goats go where machinery cannot.

"It takes out probably the most difficult part of this aspect and makes it accessible," Vermeersch said.

In 2021, the city of Council Bluffs received a hefty grant from the Iowa DNR to clear up another area. Martorello said the goats help keep the operations budget down.

"A couple of pieces of heavy equipment and the number of contractors and that was upwards of $90,000 for 16 acres," Martorello said. "This is cost comparison per acre, this is going to be maybe $3,000 to $4,000."

The parks department said people can come to see the goats in action but ask that you don't approach the fenced area.

Matt Vermeersch told KETV NewsWatch 7 that the goats are available to hire for private properties. You can contact them at mattvermee@gmail.com.

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Council Bluffs Park Department hires goats to help clear vegetation near riverfront

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