Henrys Fork CWMA

Goat Grazing

The Fall River Canyon is heavily infested with leafy spurge.  The canyons 

 steepness, inaccessibility, habitat values and proximity to water lend itself

 to an integrated approach to leafy spurge control. In 2005 the Fall River

 Noxious Weed Project started grazing leafy spurge with goats.  The Hess,

 Harbaugh and Loosli properties all show great signs of getting ahead of

 the leafy spurge.  Areas where once the spurge was so thick you could

 hardly walk through it are now full of grasses. The leafy spurge flea beetle

 population has flourished allowing for the collection of several thousand

 to populate other projects.  In addition there was quite a bit of spot

 spraying this season with 2-4-D and also hand pulled mullet.

  Over all, landowners are very happy with the results we

  are seeing on the project and very excited that as a

  result of the  project. The Fall River project doubled in

  size in 2009 and next year will expand into forest service

  lands.

  For more information or for goats to graze noxious weeds

  on private land contact Mark Harbough @ 652-7070 or

  visit his website : http://www.weedgoats.com

Other Sources:

• Targeted grazing, "A natural approach to vegetation management"   www.cnr.uidaho.edu/rx-grazing/Handbook.htm

• Team Leafy Spurge "Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory" www.team.ars.usda.gov/v2/ipmls.html