Portland International Airport Shepherds in New Groundskeepers — 40 Goats & Their Llama Pal

With 40 goats and one llama, Portland has taken an innovative and eco-friendly approach to tackling lawn maintenance around its airport.

In a novel approach to groundskeeping, Portland International Airport (PDX) has enlisted dozens of goats to help remove invasive plants in and around the airport. The 40-strong herd, onsite for the next few weeks, is tasked with eating unwanted vegetation in areas where mowing is not possible and where the Port of Portland would prefer not to use herbicides.

As they munch their way through invasive plants like Scotch broom, thistle and blackberries, the goats are accompanied by a single llama, whose size and aggressive nature is used to ward off coyotes and other predators.

Making their debut at PDX last week, the goats and llama will be working in a designated area away from the runway, which has been demarcated by a portable, solar-powered fence. Additionally, a shepherdess will be on hand to watch her charges — who, as the YouTube clip below demonstrates, are impervious to aircraft noise.

The working animals have been hired through eco-friendly invasive plant specialist Goat Power. Agile and hardy, the company believes that goats, with their insatiable appetites and four-chambered stomachs, are a natural solution to plant management and weed control.

This isn’t the first time that PDX has used animal aid to maintain the airport. It regularly uses dogs from humane wildlife management service Geese Guys to keep waterfowl away from the runway, and the airport is also home to the Bridgetown Bees research project.

The Port of Portland explained these initiatives in a statement, describing them as “part of the Port’s ongoing commitment to leadership in sustainability.”

[Photo: Port of Portland; Video: YouTube]