A piece of B.C. airport land plagued by both invasive plants and human trash is looking to spruce up with the help of a herd of goats hired on to eat for two weeks.

91裸聊视频淎s long as many folks here can recall, the woods have been infested with English ivy,91裸聊视频� explained Allison Waldick, environment officer for the Victoria Airport Authority. 91裸聊视频淲e needed something to help kick things off and build some momentum.91裸聊视频�

English ivy was once introduced as a quick-growing thick cover for walls and ground. Now out of control, it can grow so dense it suppresses native plants and climbs trees, reducing their lifespan and leaving them more susceptible to wind damage.

91裸聊视频淣ow that I91裸聊视频檝e been working here in the woods, I see it everywhere and I can91裸聊视频檛 un-see it. It91裸聊视频檚 inspired me in my own neighbourhood.91裸聊视频�

The goal is to protect the trees and other native species in the 30 acres of wooded area adjacent to the Victoria International Airport in North Saanich.

Inspired by a Ladysmith Chronicle story detailing how a homeowner hired a herd of goats to clear a boulevard overrun with ivy and more, Waldick set out in search of goats for hire.

Armed with a micro-grant, she first tasked 10 four-legged Vancouver Island Goatscaping staffers with a targeted browsing pilot project in June.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 pretty cool to see the before and after of their work,91裸聊视频� Waldick said. 91裸聊视频淭hey eat the leaves off the vines and leave the vines intact, this reduces the biomass of the forest and we can remove what remains.91裸聊视频�

Some lessons were learned ahead of a second round 91裸聊视频� again grant-funded 91裸聊视频� that wrapped just ahead of Thanksgiving.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e tailoring it as we go.91裸聊视频�

The first round saw them moving the goats three times 91裸聊视频� putting up and taking down fencing. The second round was about selecting the right space, and something larger to see how they91裸聊视频檇 work with it.

Also, goats find deciduous bark tasty and clip a tree clean before embarking on less flavourful vegetation.

91裸聊视频淵ou can91裸聊视频檛 program a goat and tell them exactly what they should be eating,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭hey eat everything in order of tastiness and tenderness, and ivy is like Brussels sprouts.91裸聊视频�

That meant figuring out the size and space needed for best removal efforts 91裸聊视频� attempting to narrow the smorgasbord spread and focus. Fencing was also reinforced on the second round, and some goats got air tags as an added precaution.

91裸聊视频淲e had a couple naughty goats who were trying to escape on the first round,91裸聊视频� Waldick explained.

The environment officer emphasizes the airport forest is private property. While they battle the invasive, it is also prone to some of the human problems seen in other wooded areas 91裸聊视频� dumping yard waste and trash.

She stresses the value in responsible disposal of landscaping waste. And while it91裸聊视频檚 private land, people are known to traverse the trails there.

91裸聊视频淚f you do happen to see the goats, just leave them be and do their work as employees of the airport.91裸聊视频�