MONTPELIER, Vt. (WPTZ) — Signs posted along a Montpelier recreation path now warn of the prevalence of a noxious weed most people try to avoid.
Poison ivy is rampant on the 1.7-mile path winding along the Winooski River and city officials said organic treatments -- used because of the proximity to the river -- have not been effective for very long.
So the city hired goatherd Mary Beth Herbert.
Herbert arrived Tuesday with her trio of Kiko goats, a New Zealand breed.
They're six months old and voracious eaters -- nicknamed Ruth, Bader and Ginsburg.
(The goatherd is a big fan of the Supreme Court justice.)
"They're so cute," said Andi Date, watching the goats with her mother, as they chewed through a poison ivy patch.
The goats are unaffected by the leaves, which trigger a nasty, itchy rash on human skin.
The animals were plainly content snacking on every leafy green they could.
"They jumped right out and started munching right away," said Kimberly Hagen, of the Center for Sustainable Agriculture at UVM Extension Service. "We didn't have coax them. They're pretty excited about this salad bar."
The goats will be grazing along the path for the next 10 to 15 days.
City leaders hope they will eliminate the poison ivy problem for a full year.
"It's used quite a bit in other parts of the United States and in Europe," Hagen said. "This definitely can work."
