A herd of roughly 600 goats brought in to clear fire-prone brush in the Arroyo Seco finished the job ahead of schedule, prompting an early end to Pasadena’s pilot grazing program.
The goats were deployed last month across about 100 acres of the Arroyo as part of a vegetation management effort aimed at reducing wildfire risk during the dry season. Officials originally expected the project to take about six weeks, but the animals cleared the targeted areas in less than a month.
“They originally planned for six weeks, but they’ve been such efficient eaters that they’ve covered the 100 acres in less time than expected,” said Candy Renick of the One Arroyo Foundation in a statement to NBC News.
The nonprofit organization partnered with the City of Pasadena on the pilot project, which relied on the goats’ ability to consume dry grass, weeds and brush in areas that can be difficult for crews and machinery to access.
“There is a herder who brings the goats out,” Renick said. “They set up fencing and the goats are put in the fenced-in area to graze over a certain period of time and once that area is cleared, they move on to the next spot.”
Over the past four weeks, the herd moved through multiple sections of the Arroyo Seco, grazing through dense vegetation that could otherwise serve as wildfire fuel during periods of extreme heat and dry conditions.
With the work completed ahead of schedule, the goats are expected to leave the Arroyo Seco on Wednesday, Renick said.
Critics of the program said the program must be stopped until a plan is put in place that includes guidelines, daily monitoring and a detailed program review.
Bricks said in an April 24 letter to Interim City Manager Matthew Hawkesworth that the group supports fire prevention efforts but raised concerns about how the program is being implemented.
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