Arroyo Seco Group Calls for Halt to Goat Grazing Program Over Environmental Concerns

A local environmental organization is calling on city officials to halt a goat grazing program in the Arroyo Seco, warning the effort could cause long-term damage to sensitive habitat if not properly managed.

In a letter dated April 24 to Interim City Manager Matthew Hawkesworth, Timothy F. Brick, executive director of the Stewards of the Arroyo Seco, said the group supports fire prevention efforts but raised concerns about how the program is being implemented.

“The program must be stopped until a plan is put in place that includes guidelines, daily monitoring, and a detailed program review,” Brick wrote.

City officials have promoted the use of goats as a way to reduce fire risk by clearing vegetation in the Arroyo Seco, a natural corridor that runs through Pasadena. However, Brick said the program is being conducted in an “unprofessional manner” and lacks adequate oversight to protect the area’s ecological resources.

The letter cites complaints and photographs allegedly showing damage caused by the goats, and questions whether the city has secured proper permitting or established sufficient environmental safeguards.

Brick warned that the scale of the effort — involving hundreds of goats over a two-month period — could lead to “immense, long-lasting environmental damage” if not carefully controlled.

The Arroyo Seco is protected under local regulations, including provisions in the Pasadena Municipal Code intended to preserve it as a natural, cultural and recreational resource. The letter argues that the current program may be inconsistent with those protections.

Concerns also were raised about the timing of the grazing, which coincides with bird-nesting season, when additional safeguards are typically required to protect wildlife and habitat.

Brick called for the city to implement a comprehensive habitat management plan overseen by a certified environmental professional, including continuous monitoring, protective fencing around sensitive areas and daily documentation of impacts.

He also said an independent, third-party biological monitor should be given authority to halt operations if damage occurs.

“Please inform me immediately of the steps you are taking to ensure that the City of Pasadena has implemented measures to protect the long-term ecosystem health of the Arroyo Seco,” Brick wrote.