APPLETON, Wis. — Buckthorn is an invasive plant species that affects the Chaska Golf Course.

According to the Invasive Species Centre, “buckthorn can harm the environment, as this invasive plant outcompetes native plants, reduces biodiversity, degrades the quality of wildlife habitat, and impacts a wide range of industries.”

Management of the course decided to use an environmentally friendly approach to deal with this problem.

Stephanie Bowers is the owner of “Goats On The Go Green Bay.”

Bowers said she was looking for a natural way to help manage vegetation on her own property.

She said after some research, she discovered goats and sheep are a fun and effective way to get the job done. 

“They kind of they complement each other to fully manage vegetation,” Bowers said. “So, some things that the goats might not like, the sheep do, and vice versa.”

She said she has nearly 300 goats, 50 sheep and now a business that’s helping other property owners. 

The Chaska Golf Course uses some of her herd to help control the buckthorn on its property. 

Mike Hoag is a longtime golfer. Hoag said he has never seen goats on a course during his 50 years of playing the game.

“They’re cool to look at,” Hoag said. “The other day they were on the logs over there on [hole] five stepping way up there on top of the logs. It’s pretty cool to look at them. [They] get rid of some of the rough, it’s easier to find a ball. Yeah, I like it. It’s cool.”

(Spectrum News 1/Geno Perez)

Bowers said it’s a win-win for everyone. She said the goats get to eat as much as they want and the golfers get a unique experience on the course. 

She hopes more golf courses decide to use goats and sheep.

“It’s just a lot of fun and we know that we’re helping control invasive species,” Bowers said. “It’s amazing to see the impact that goats can have on improving properties and helping property owners reach their goals.”

(Spectrum News 1/Geno Perez)

Bowers said a lot of training, management and care go into making the animals efficient. 

Bowers said she creates a virtual fence using an app on her phone. Each animal has an electronic collar that keeps the herd in a designated area using audio cues. 

“We also have them working in ravines and cliffs, sites like all sorts of crazy landscapes where people can’t safely go,” Bowers said. “So having the virtual collars is a way to safely allow them to do what they do best and keep people and goats safe.”