Goats will graze in Marlyn Park to eat invasive vegetation, including vines as an alternative to using chemical herbicides. Some of the invasive vines include multiflora rose, poison ivy, green briar, bittersweet, English ivy and grapevine. Marlyn Park is a good fit, due to the high density of invasive plants and vines, as well as the safety of the herd while they are working. The goats will be focusing their invasive-eating skills on an approximately three-acre portion in the Northwest section of the park, adjacent to Avery Run.
The goats will be maintained by Bruce and Kristen Weber, who run Amazing Grazing. This includes water, shelter and any additional food the goats may need, after munching on our invasives. The goats will be kept in an enclosure, with an electric fence to keep the goats contained and an additional temporary fence outside the electric fence, to keep small children, pets and people a safe distance from the electric fence and the goats. The goats are a closed heard, meaning they are not exposed to other unknown goats or livestock. They are registered, tagged and up to date on all of their shots. Last summer, Upper Darby successfully used this same company/herd to thin invasives at Gillespie Park. Grazed by goats, photos of Gillespie Park, Sycamore Ave off Bishop Ave, Clifton Heights/Upper Darby adjacent to the Darby Creek. Definitely worth checking out this “hidden” park. Google map: https://goo.gl/maps/Pd2yM33467TgyBz8A