Friday morning the City of Dallas unleashed 250 goats onto the overgrown trails and thickets of the Bachman Greenbelt in a unique effort to restore the area’s natural ecosystem.
For 11 days, the goats will graze across 16 acres of land, munching down the dense Chinese Privet Plants that have spread like wildfire through the greenbelt.
The city’s Park and Recreation Department announced the plan, celebrating it as part of a larger eco-friendly restoration effort designed to improve visibility, and reduce the fire risk posed by the overgrown brush. Solutions that all come without the noise, emissions, or cost of traditional land-clearing equipment.
An electric fence will guide the goats’ daily progress, sectioning off 1 to 1.5 acres at a time for them to graze. A shepherd, yes, a modern-day shepherd, will be on site 24/7, making sure the goats stay safe, well-fed, and on task.
The grazing officially kicked off Friday at 9:30 a.m., with the herd arriving near 3860 Northwest Highway. From there, the goats will trek about a third of a mile to their first “goatscaping” area near Cochran Chapel Road.
Dallas follows in the hoofprints of other Texas cities like Arlington, which recently deployed over 400 goats in Randol Mill Park as part of a five-year plan to battle the same invasive plant species, as previously covered by DX. Those goats, provided by Lewisville-based Open Space Development company, became so popular with locals that they went viral last year after escaping their enclosure and taking a lazy stroll through nearby neighborhoods.
Thanks to the dedicated shepherds and electric fencing system, no further goat mischief is expected in Dallas. The city hopes the project generates more than just viral moments; it’s about making real headway in restoring urban green spaces.
Invasive plants like Chinese Privet have crowded out native species, disrupted ecosystems, and turned once-beautiful trails into impassable plots. Worse, the dense growth traps heat, creating a dangerous wildfire risk in the city’s hotter months.
By allowing goats to chew through the problem slowly, Dallas is betting on a more natural, sustainable solution, one that’s already proving successful in other parts of Texas.