Goats who stare at treesWritten by Don Hendershot They not only
stare at them, they eat them. Well, maybe not all trees, but
woody browse in general. Hopefully, this penchant for woody
invasives like Canada blackberry will make goats the perfect
organic weed-whacker for protecting the grassy balds of the Roan
Highlands. The Baa-tany Project is a volunteer-based project
operating under a special use permit with the USDA Forest
Service. The idea is to use goats — in this case angora goats —
to help restore the grassy balds of Roan. The project covers
about 79 acres between Jane Bald and Grassy Ridge. Partners for
the project include USDA Forest Service, East Tennessee State
University, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Southern Appalachians
Highlands Conservancy, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Friends of
Roan Mountain, North Carolina Natural Heritage Program,
Tennessee Division of Natural Areas, Tennessee Eastman Hiking &
Canoeing Club, Wake Forest University, The Nature Conservancy
and Appalachian State University.