While trying to determine how best to tell the story of the goat grazing along the Weiser River Corridor I spent many a restless night.  It came to me that this would best be told by starting at the very beginning.  The following is a couple of the chapters with more to follow at a later date.

CHAPTER #1  

The following story was printed in the Washington County Weed Warriors newsletter October 8, 2002. 

 GRAZING GOATS SPLURGE ON SPURGE: 
Test run demonstrates goats’ preference for leafy spurge

By Calvin and Curtis Hickey

 
          In cooperation with the Washington County Weed Department and the Washington County Weed Advisory Board, we created a small plot along the Weiser River to test the grazing preference of goats exposed to an area infested with the noxious weed, leafy spurge.  Our neighbor, Rod Bean, was kind enough to allow us to erect an approximate 100-ft. square net wire fence around a patch of leafy spurge growing with other typical river bottom plant life such as willows, grasses, and perennial pepperweed (another noxious weed).  In mid-June, we allowed 14 yearling does to graze for 8 days.  These goats had never tasted leafy spurge, but it was their first choice.  They did a good job on the perennial pepperweed too.  They did work on the willows a bit.  After 8 days, when we took the goats out, all that was left of the spurge were 4” to 12” tall stems.  In the first part of August, we allowed the goats to graze regrowth in the plotted area.  Once again the spurge was eaten down to the stems.  After a quick inspection of the plot mid-September, there was little to no re-growth on the old stems, but there were a number of seedlings averaging about 1” tall.  Our conclusion would be that goats like leafy spurge and will east the heck out of it; however, it will take continued grazing to wear out the leafy spurge.

 CHAPTER #2

The following article was featured in the Washington County Weed Warriors newsletter dated July 8, 2003. 

They’re everywhere, they’re everywhere! 
Nannies and kids munch leafy spurge in the Weiser River corridor

By Bonnie Davis, Washington County Weed Supervisor

          
         Once upon a time, a special group of weed warriors had a vision of using goats to contain and control leafy spurge along the Weiser River.  They began by containing a small herd of locally owned goats in an area infested with leafy spurge in order to see if goats would, in fact, eat this nasty noxious weed.  Many questions and challenges soon arose.  Could goats possibly keep our spurge from spreading?  How many goats will it take?  How much will it cost?  Where will these 4-legged weed fighters come from, and who will tend to them?  After hours of pre-project planning, grant writing, and, of course, speculation, the goats have arrived and the project is underway.

           At the end of May, with temperatures hitting the century mark, two truckloads of goats were unloaded at the Galloway Dam.  A total of 900 nannies and more kids than one can begin to count began their trek up the Weiser River Corridor; main entrée:  leafy spurge (Mmmmmm!).  A few days later a smaller unit of 389 nannies and yes, more kids, began their trek up the canyon north of Stagecoach Road  toward their destination at the Washington/Adams County line.  Ray Holes, of Lazy H Livestock, is the contractor for this project.  He has been working closely with the Weed Advisory Board for more than a year now to make this vision a reality.  Ray is a natural for this kind of project as he is a cattle rancher who realized he could not handle the yellow starthistle invasion on his property alone.  It was then that he turned to goats to assist with his own private weed program.  The rest is history. 

           Many folks have questioned the cost of this project, and many ask whey we would possibly have to pay Ray to graze his animals when we are providing the forage.  Well, you must think of this as a business.  There are many costs and liabilities not to mention time and planning, associated with transporting and tending to herds of this size.  This contract is done on a per head, per day basis.  Adults are eating for 50cents per day, while kids eat free.  When you think about it, this is better than McDonalds and all meals are super-sized at no extra charge!

           I’ll admit it took  a great deal of time to sell me on the idea of grazing goats; however the spurge along the Weiser River is so overwhelming, I realized that this is one way we could begin to purge the spurge.  We must all understand that grazing is not a cure-all and it will not eradicate leafy spurge in one season.  Spurge did not become prevalent over night and we cannot rid ourselves of it overnight.  This project is long term; I see this war lasting 5-10 years before we can successfully say we have beat this problem.  In addition, this battle will require reconnaissance efforts each year and eventually become a maintenance issue, which I will liken to spring fence repairs. 

           The Weiser River Corridor Grazing Project is a full fledged IWMP (Integrated Weed Management Program) as we will be using our full arsenal of weed-fighting tools in this all out war.  Grazing efforts will be followed up by numerous biological releases (leafy spurge eating insects), as well as reseeding efforts in specific areas and some fall herbicide treatments.  The goal of the grazing is to reduce the seed population and to open up the canopy so that desirable plants may again compete and re-establish themselves.  Grazing will also stress the leafy spurge over time as well as increasing its vulnerability to other control methods.

           Some people have been wondering why we chose goats over sheep.  Studies have indicated it may take up to one full season before sheep will actively seek out leafy spurge plants, while goats quickly acquire a taste for this silent invader and actively seek it out.  I have heard some refer to it as a drug; I like to think of it as chocolate for one of those really bad days.

           Funding for this project was pledged by numerous sources which include: Idaho Power, Bureau of Land Management, Idaho Department of Lands, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Idaho State Department of Agriculture, Friends of the Weiser River Trail and the Washington County Weed Department.  Private landowners have contributed numerous in-kind services, which include things such as bedding grounds, unloading facilities, including a portable chute, fresh drinking water and meals for the herders and those important before and after photos. 

           How long will the goats be here?  They will graze until the resources have been exhausted and will then return to their home at Whitebird, Idaho.  As for next year, new funding sources are already being investigated so that we may continue these efforts in the years to come.  We must all remember we are fighting to restore the private landowner’s most precious resource….the land.

CHAPTER #3

The following was originally printed in the Washington County Weed Warriors, June 9, 2004 issue.

 They’re BA-ACK:  Weiser River Goat Grazing Project Underway Once Again

By Bonnie Davis, Weed Supervisor and Project Coordinator

          A low rumble resounds on the Weiser River Corridor; a roar head only by the leafy spurge that thrives along the banks of the river.  The nannies are coming….the nannies are coming!  That’s right.  The girls are back and leafy spurge you are in trouble.

          After an unseasonably warm spring the spurge did thrive.  On May 7^th, spurge plants were blooming, turning the river banks into a sea of yellow; but wait, its late evening when a blue semi reads “Lazy H Livestock”, the precious cargo: nannies….et the unloading begin.  Day two was more of the same.  Nannies ran down the chute with kids in tow seeking out the succulent spurge plants.  They mothered up quickly and swept the first portion of the corridor in record time.  Passers-by were excited to see that the goats were back.  Several folks made the trek up the Weiser River to see the girls and their kids.  616 nannies took on the responsibility of eating their way to Midvale on a strict diet of leafy spurge.  Meanwhile Ray Holes, grazing contractor was preparing another group for Midvale that arrived a couple weeks later and hit the ground eating.  That herd will consume large infestations of spurge in the Middle Valley before beginning their trek north.

          Are you thinking to yourself, “It’s the same old project just a different year?”  Not hardly!  While the west side of the river (grazed last year) looked better than the east side (ungrazed) continued to be a hotbed of leafy spurge.  Many landowners voiced interest in having goats cross over to graze the east side too.  Well this past winter, Pat Kane, Weed Management Specialist for BLM, secured a grant worth nearly $50,000 to assist with the Weiser River Corridor Project.  With the added boost to the project coffers, the girls will be grazing both sides of the river this summer.  Landowner coordination has been taking place all spring and the plan is nearly complete.  The east side of the river will be more labor intensive as the herder will be moving a tent along as the herd moves and supplies will be shuttled across the river by boat.  Communication will be a bit tougher too.  Holes has hired Jim Simonson, Midvale resident, to assist with interpreting, camp tending, and mapping.  Jim will also be treating small satellite weed infestations.  He is a great addition to the Lazy H staff.  Welcome to the project Jim.

          Common questions/comments I have been hearing include “Why is the spurge back?” or “The goats must not have worked because the spurge is still growing”.  Yes, the spurge is back and we knew it would be.  In fact, based on research and experience, we anticipated twice as much this year, but that’s not the case.  The spurge is still growing, but, as one rancher said to me recently “so is the grass the cows ate last year.”  Research shows it will take 3-5 years before we BEGIN to see a decrease in plant populations.  Grazing is no different than herbicide treatments.  One year will not eradicate the plant.  As a matter of fact, this is NOT an eradication project; it is a containment project and we achieved our goals of containing this plant species on the west side of the corridor.  Last year the girls grazed 1284 acres of spurge one trip through; the next pass is estimated to be approximately 1,000.  If we had not grazed the corridor those plants would not have been treated at all.  Last year, goat grazing helped keep the number of plants in check, reduced the seed population by stopping new production, and weakened existing plants at the same time.

          How long will the goats be here?  That is not yet known.  We have a certain amount of dollars to work with and when the money is gone the girls will depart once again.  Some people have asked, “How do we justify grazing private landowners’ properties using taxpayer dollars?”  The Weiser River Corridor Project is just like our other CWMA neighborhood projects without all the herbicide.  This and other CWMA projects are our way of bringing federal and state dollars back to Washington County to lend a hand to private landowners.  Landowners are ultimately responsible for controlling weeds on their own property.  Cooperative weed management is one way to bring neighbors together to share resources as well as responsibilities.

          If you are truly interested in understanding your rights and responsibilities regarding weed control on your property, please take the time to review Idaho Statutes, Title 22, Chapter 24, which covers Idaho’s Noxious Weed Law in its entirety.  You can access Idaho Statutes on the web (a link is included in the links section of this website).

          Weiser River Corridor Project cooperators for 2004 include 40+ private landowners, Idaho Power, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Idaho Department of Lands, Bureau of Land Management, Friends of the Weiser River Trail, Idaho State Department of Agriculture and Washington County Weed.  The Lower Weiser River CWMA wishes to thank you all for your continued support in the war against weeds.