SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – The BART goats have returned to the hillsides in Walnut Creek and Hayward to graze on the dry grasslands to reduce fire danger.
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BART has been using goats to clear dry hillsides on their property for about five years, according to Glen Eddy, BART's Assistant Superintendent of Way and Facilities, Grounds Maintenance. They graze about five to 25 acres at each location, BART said in a release.
The goats are used instead of lawn mowers and other power tools that have the potential of sparking a fire on the drought-stricken hillside, the agency said. Goats are also relatively quiet animals and do not disturb homes in the neighborhood.
The goats come from the Coalinga-based, family-owned business Living Systems Land Management, the agency said. Zenobio Mancha is the herder and he stays with the goats 24 hours a day. He stays in a trailer near the property to make sure they are safe from predators and stay in the fenced-off area.
The goats normally work for about six weeks during the summer months and they cost about $800 to $1,200 an acre, BART said.
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