The Eldorado Greenbelt
Brush that grows without sufficient numbers of herbivores becomes top heavy and grows old because the roots in this climate cannot support the top. Goats eating down the tops rejuvinates the plants bringing health and longevity to the plants. Nitrogen from the manure and urine helps bacteria break down the carbon from the stems into fertile soil. Fertility increases the vitality of the grasses and other perennial plants which reduces the room for annual weed infestations giving access to people and reducing fire threat.
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Reducing the kochia at the Torneo Access Point has reopened it to the public. Goats pruning th lower branches from the Elm tree has prepared it to become a shade tree.
Reducing the cover exposes the gophers and other vermin for the coyotes, bobcat, raptors, and owls whose presence in the greenbelt should increase. Reducing the gophers in the greenbelt makes walking the paths safer.
Goats eat Goatheads, but would take years to eliminate them.
Dock re emerges after goat clearing.
Pushing weeds to the ground adds carbon from stems and nitrogen from the goat manure and urine to begin increasing the fertility of the soil. Fertile soil supports perennials which will reduce future infestations of annuals.
In the back of this photo is the ranchland north of Eldorado. In the foreground is the overcrowded fire threatened greenbelt. Plants and animals evolved together. Without the balance of animals plants become overcrowded.
Goats left the Community Center looking pastural. Mowers leave it looking burned.
Over time as the goats turn weeds into fertilizer they will return balance and beauty to this corner.
Goats' natural preference for weeds over grasses reduces the seed load of weeds thus increasing the proportion of grasses over weeds.