This summer the Office for Sustainability is beginning a campaign to remove invasive plants from our trail system and restore our natural areas to their native underbrush. This week, the office is kicking off the effort by bringing the Greedy Goats of Northwest Arkansas to the Oak Ridge Trail, located between the Clinton Museum and Walton College of Business, to perform the first wave of invasive plant removal.

The local business will be bringing its herd of goats to the trail edge to eat the majority of green vegetation propagated by these invasive plants. Once they have done their work, it will be easy for volunteers to remove the remaining branches and roots. This will improve the valuable bike and pedestrian trail along with the natural zones adjacent to the trail. Stop by to see the goats at work from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Tuesday, May 22, through Friday, May 25.

An invasive plant is a plant species found outside its native range. These plants threaten the survival and reproduction of native plants and animals, which reduces biological diversity and can cause significant damage to the native ecosystem. The designated natural areas of University of Arkansas campus, such as Oak Ridge, currently contain many invasive plant species, including two that are prolific in our parks: Japanese or bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) and Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense). Removing these plants gives native species a chance to recolonize the area, returning it to its natural state and supporting the local ecosystem.

Stop by this week to visit the goats and learn more about the invasive removal initiate.