Targeted Browsing Using Goats Webinar with Natasha Murphy

This event is offered as part of the Still Creek Streamkeepers Talk Series. Click here to see the list of talks scheduled for the year.

In this talk, we will explore an alternative method of controlling invasive plant species – with goats! Natasha will touch on the benefits and drawbacks of using goats for invasive species management. We will look at plant species goats enjoy, and note those that can be dangerous. Natasha will also be talking about how she became involved with goats, results of her projects and business, community involvement and hopeful potential for goats in the city.

Natasha has a passion for nature and the environment, and has always loved animals. It seems natural then, that she would find a way to combine these passions. Natasha has hands-on expertise in using livestock for targeted invasive plant management. She completed a Master of Science at Simon Fraser University and BCIT in 2017, where her thesis focused on the efficacy of goat browsing on invasive plant species (including sulphur cinquefoil, spotted knapweed, and Canada thistle) in the East Kootenays, Southern Interior BC, and the Lower Mainland. Natasha has conducted vegetation surveys to analyze pre- and post-goat browsing treatment using qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods, and she has managed a herd of 350 goats on horseback for targeted grazing. Natasha is currently the Secretary for the Vancouver Island Goat Association and a member of the BC Goat Association. She and her partner recently started up a targeting goat browsing business on the Island, and are looking to expand their herd in the spring. Natasha is hopeful for enthusiastic support of this alternative method of invasive plant species management and hopes for a greener future.

This webinar will take place on Zoom.

Registration is mandatory. A confirmation email after registration and a reminder email (two days before the event) will be sent with the zoom link. Be sure to check all email folders to not miss the link!

If you have any questions about the event, please email our Stewardship Programs Manager, Adrian Avendaño at adrian@stillmoonarts.ca.