CITY EMPLOYS GOATS TO GET RID OF POISON IVY

VT.» Vermont’s capital MONTPELIER, city is trying a natural way to get rid of poison ivy — grazing goats.

On Wednesday, three goats munched on the plants along the small city’s bike path behind the high school and near a river.

The goats graze on the poison ivy, causing stress to the plants so that they retreat, said the goat’s owner Mary Beth Herbert, of Moretown. It’s expected to take several years of cyclical grazing to eradicate the poison ivy, she said.

Goats named Ruth, Bader and Ginsburg got the process started. Herbert brought the 6-month-old Kiko goats in her Subaru and enclosed them in fencing.

The poison ivy doesn’t harm the goats, she said.

The city had tried to eradicate the poison ivy but has been unable to do it using organic treatments, said assistant city manager Susan Allen. The poison ivy has been so bad this year that the city posted signs warning bikers and walkers about it. Officials wondered if goats could work and contacted the University of Vermont extension service.