The Tanyard Creek Chew Crew

We have a short quiz for you today.  Please look at the following techniques for removing invasive species from your property, and select the one that seems to be least like the others.

a) Round-Up

b) Image Kudzu Killer

c) Goats

d) Arrest Herbicide

If you answered c) Goats, congratulations! You have successfully distinguished between chemicals and animals!  Now, you may be wondering why goats were included in a list of products clearly designed with the specific purpose of removing unwanted plants, especially since goats are, well, goats.  We included them because goats are actually some of the most effective (and ecologically-friendly!) removers of invasive species because of their capacity to eat a huge amount of plant matter without destroying surrounding, desirable plants.

In fact, goats are so effective at removing invasives that Zach Richardson, an intern at FSC affiliate McKee Carson, recently received a grant from the University of Georgia to use goats in order to remove English Ivy, Privet, and other aggressive native species in an effort to restore native forests adjacent to an important waterway on UGA’s campus.  Nicknamed the Tanyard Creek Chew Crew, the goats are not only effective at removing the plants, they are also an ecologically-friendly alternative to heavy machinery and pesticides.  Further, they also serve as an engaging tool for educating students, faculty, and staff about the need for restoring native life, especially in environmentally-sensitive areas.

To learn more about Zach’s program, check out the video below.  You can also follow their progress by visiting the Chew Crew’s Facebook page.

Bacon and Conservation

What do Bacon and conservation have in common?  Well, everything, actually.

If you take a look at the latest edition of The Land Report, you find an article about Louis Moore Bacon and his lifelong commitment to preserving some of the most important and pristine lands across the U.S.  Having inherited his conservationist’s conscious from his grandfather, Louis T. Moore, Bacon further developed his passion for the outdoors while at Vermont Middlebury College.  While most students would head home for breaks, he and a favorite professor would spend time hunting and hiking in the nearby Green Mountains.

In 2007, Bacon purchased the 172,000 acre Trinchera Ranch from the Forbes family with the promise that he would continue the ranch’s conservation and environmental legacy.  Providing a home for multiple generations of employees, supporting local schools, and pioneering innovative wildlife and forest management practices, the ranch embodies Bacon’s commitment to the environment and the people around him.  In recent years, he has been negotiating with two major power companies to abandon their plans to run large-scale transmission lines across Trinchera.  While one of the companies has backed out, the other is still holding firm and has yet to agree to a compromise.

In addition to the article on Bacon, this edition of The Land Report has a number of great stories on the deal of the year, the country’s best brokerages, and many more.  Enjoy!

It’s All About the Water

One of our affiliates, Trout Headwaters, just put out another video that you should definitely check out.  If you’re not familiar with their services, or if you’d like to learn more about how they can help you emphasize and protect the water resources on your property, click on the play button below.

Enjoy!