Weed Control – Page 2 – Sage Environmental Group

20 Apr 2019

Bommer Canyon Habitat Restoration Using Goat Grazing For Weed Eradication

Bommer Canyon Habitat Restoration Goat Grazing

Goat Grazing for Weed Control / Eradication

Sage Environmental Group is partnering with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, City of Irvine, and UC Irvine Center for Environmental Biology to success test weed control / eradication methods at a designated habitat restoration site within Bommer Canyon on a multi-year basis. Before native plants can be re-introduced into the area, non-native grasses and weeds must be removed. The project area is located within Bommer Meadow, historically part of a working cattle camp. Livestock grazing and the introduction of non-native plants and weeds degraded the natural habitat over time, reducing the food, water, and shelter available for native wildlife.

Our scope of work entails documenting baseline conditions then deploying our in-house herd of goats to one of the designated areas at the Bommer Meadow site to intensively graze spring weed growth for several weeks. A total of four acres has been set aside for testing weed control / eradication methods to determine the optimal method that will result in long-term control. The methods being tested include goat grazing and mechanical removal (mowing). Over the multi-year project, Sage will document goat grazing activities in the context of Adaptive Management.

Success is achieved long- term through systematically and empirically testing hypotheses and assumptions, and incorporating lessons learned into transparent, adaptive, scientific” decision-making frameworks; and then acting on them in a timely way. We learn as much - or more - from our failures as we do our successes, constantly refining and improving our approaches. (Source: Irvine Ranch Conservancy)

The UC-Irvine Center for Environmental Biology (School Biological Sciences) facilitates research, education, and outreach in biological science to help develop innovative new solutions to environmental problems. Its goal is to apply science to conserve biodiversity in Orange County. Working in partnership with ecosystem and resource managers, UC Irvine faculty collaborate to conduct solutions-oriented research in environmental biology, and train the next generation of stewards of biological resources.

Come out to see our goats at work starting in the first weekend of May. Bring your family, bring your colleagues. You can view the goats from the hiking trail. IRC and Sage will use the Baseline Conditions and Monitoring Data to provide Adaptive Management documentation throughout the goat grazing effort in each project year. Information gathered will then be used to reevaluate goals and implementation methods; modify the goat grazing plan; and apply lessons learned to improve future results of weed control / eradication.

15 Jan 2019

Goat Grazing for Wildland Management Presentation Jan 17 2019 Sage Environmental Group

Goat Grazing for Wildland Management – Presentation at SAROC WMA

Alissa Cope, Environmental Planner and Restoration Ecologist at Sage Environmental Group, will speak at the January 17, 2019 meeting of the Santa Ana River-Orange County Weed Management Area organization.

She will describe her experience deploying the Sage in-house herd of goats at client sites in Southern California. This natural method of weed control is gaining popularity and attention.

She will speak about the pros and cons of goat grazing, the critical need to target grazing for specific undesired plants to prevent site damage, and how grazing can enhance habitat and grassland restoration.

Visit Our Goat Grazing Website Page to Learn More

11 Oct 2018

OCFA Deputy Fire Marshall With Children and Goats Annual HQ Open House

OCFA Open House Goat Grazing Exhibit

Sage Environmental Group participated in the annual Orange County Fire Authority Open House in October 2018. As a key component of Fire Prevention Month, the OCFA hosts a family friendly event at its main headquarters in Irvine. Activities feature live demonstrations, equipment displays, and vendor booths.

Our Goat Grazing for Wildland Management exhibit featured six baby goats and an information table. It was an exceptional opportunity to convey information to the public about how targeted goat grazing can be an effective fire fuel load and invasive plant management tool.

Hundreds of families stopped by the exhibit to learn how Sage manages the activities of its herd. Sage explained that targeted grazing is accomplished by setting and moving temporary fences; working closely with land managers to graze specific undesired weeds and fire fuel; making sure the site is not overgrazed; and assuring that native plants and riparian areas are not damaged.

Unlike most goat vendors, Sage is unique. We are an environmental planning, regulatory compliance and habitat restoration firm that owns our own herd.

The work that the goats do is managed from a scientific and regulatory approach. We target removal activities in compliance with regional and local conservation plans.

It is difficult to say who had the most fun. The children, the goats, or the "big kids"!!