Coming Soon to Medina!

Goats at Fairweather Nature Preserve

The City of Medina has recently contracted Healing Hooves to help mitigate the invasive species 
growing in Fairweather Nature Preserve. Goats are naturally agile animals who can easily navigate 
steep slopes and uneven terrain. They enjoy eating plants that typically irritate humans, such as 
poison ivy, poison oak and English ivy. This method also results in reduced labor, herbicide use, 
fuel use, noise and soil disturbance from heavy machinery. Goats can safely consume enormous 
amounts of biomass and at the same time sterilize weed seed in their digestive process rendering 
the seeds infertile. Goats have been used successfully by many of our neighboring municipalities 
and locally by Overlake Golf & Country Club for vegetation management. Please come out and visit 
the goats but remember to leash your dogs. Be respectful to the working goats by not touching or 
feeding them.

Project:         Fairweather Nature Preserve Invasive Species Mitigation
Species:        English Ivy (Hedera helix) and Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis)
Schedule:      August 20, 2024 – September 6, 2024 (16 calendar days)
Details:          A mild electric fence is being used to keep the goats contained and supervised by 
                       an onsite herder/owner. Signs will be posted around the project area.

Contact:         Ryan Osada, Public Works Director 
                        rosada@medina-wa.gov