What We Eat
We use our goats to target plants that are designated as invasive by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. An invasive plant is by definition a plant, “not native to an area, spread[s] quickly, and cause[s] economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health.” Invasive plant species range from vines and shrubs to herbs and trees. Humans introduced most of them here as ornamental plants during the nineteenth century. Allegheny GoatScape focuses on plants that pose a threat to native plant species and local ecology.
Invasive plants that harm local ecology do so through multiple mechanisms. Their quick and dense growth will crowd out other species or block sunlight and water other plants need to grow. Vines, such as bittersweet, can climb and cover trees. The vines also weigh down trees or bushes, in some instances breaking branches or even trunks, uprooting and killing the tree. In areas near rivers, invasive plants impact the aquatic life by decreasing local river vegetation, an important nutrient source for wildlife. Some Invasive plants also cause soil erosion (loss) because their root systems are smaller than native plants, making soil loss more likely during heavy rain or flooding.
These are also negative effects for our community health and well-being. The Pittsburgh area features greenspaces and rivers brimming with opportunities for recreation, wildlife watching, and the simple joy of being outdoors. However, many greenspaces are not accessible for community members due to overgrowth. Our goats help clear the way!
Our teams also eat vegetation that is unwanted or harmful, like poison ivy and wild grape vine.
Invasive plants decrease biodiversity
This Image shows porcelain berry vine overgrowing on trees and shrubs in Highland Park. The extent of this vine’s growth has blocked sun, water and nutrients for other plants, limiting the number of other
Knotweed overgrowth in local neighborhood
This Image shows a roadside in Polish Hill where knotweed has crowded out other plants and taken over.
Invasive and Noxious Plant Descriptions
Here are some of the primary plants our goats eat. Please note that though the following plant species are readily eaten by our goats, they do eat many other types of plants. This could include native or other plants of value, though we do our best to avoid placing our animals in locations where native or valuable plants are present.
Fact sheets are available about these and other invasive plants from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, here.
Bittersweet - Bittersweet from Asia is a woody vine that grows quickly and is invasive in North America. It will easily overtake trees, weaken their branches and create a canopy that reduces light for other plants. It can be found along forests, open fields, and disturbed areas.
Honeysuckle (bush) - Honeysuckle is a shrub species, sometimes called bush honeysuckle. It is found in woods or at their edges because they like shade. It produces a fragrant flower in May and June and small berries. It is easily spread by birds who eat the fruit. Compared to similar native varieties, fruits of this species are less nutritious, which has a negative impact on birds who need more nutrients to sustain long flights during migration.
Honeysuckle (vine) - Honeysuckle is a vine, commonly found in many areas, including forests, wetlands and roadsides. The vines are very dense and form canopies that block sun for other native plant live. Similar to bush honeysuckle, birds eat its fruit and spread it to other areas.
Multiflora rose - Multiflora rose is designated as a noxious weed. It forms dense thickets in many types of environments from forests to roadsides and prairies. It is thorny, and produces small white flowers in spring and red berries in summer and fall. It will grow up to fifteen feet high and in some cases up trees.
Knotweed - Knotweed are perennial herbal plants that are commonly seen in sunny and moist areas, such as riverbanks, vacant lots and roadsides. Knotweed grows extremely fast beginning in early spring and reaches heights from three to twelve feet. It is one of the most difficult invasive plants to manage due to its ability to root easily.
Privet - Privet is a semi-evergreen shrub that is often found in wooded areas. It can form dense thickets, which then block sunlight and limit water for other native plants and flowers.
Wineberry - Wineberry is a shrub with sharp spines and red hairs that produces a fruit that looks like a raspberry. It will grow quickly in fields, along roadsides and near forests, forming a dense thicket. Wineberry can also host viruses that are harmful to other berry plants.
Porcelain berry - Porcelain berry is a woody vine that grows fast and to great heights, allowing it to cover trees and to shade out native plants. It produces a blue to purple berry in late summer and through fall. Birds and other animals spread the plant by eating its fruits.
Wild grape - Wild grape is vine native to Pennsylvania with different varieties that are adaptable to different environments. The grapes are a food source for birds and small mammals; however, the vines can be damaging to trees. The vine has the ability to grow up the tree and also extend across trees, forming a canopy. When this happens, less sunlight reaches the tree, slowing its growth and allowing it to become damaged, sometimes to the point of death.
Barberry - European and Japanese barberry are shrubs distinguished by their small oval leaves and spines. Both barberries are often used for hedges in landscaping. Barberry spreads quickly because it produces many seeds. At full growth, barberry forms a thicket and displaces other plants. Barberries also serve as a host for deer ticks that can carry Lyme disease.
Poison Ivy - Poison Ivy is a native vine found throughout North America. It is both versatile and resilient: it can grow as a vine up to 150 feet in height or as a woody shrub, and it can thrive in many conditions from sunny to shaded and wet to dry. It produces a toxic oil that causes serious skin irritation in most people. Poison Ivy is not toxic to goats, and they will eat it without irritation.
Stiltgrass – Stiltgrass is native to Japan and was transported to America by accident through a shipping container. Stiltgrass reproduces easily because each plant produces from 100 to 1000 seeds, which can remain viable more than 5 years. Similar to other invasive plants, it grows densely over native plants, blocking the light and nutrients they need to survive.