We all know goats are cute. But their charm is equally matched by their utility. The ruminants feed on brush — lots of brush — which makes them perfect for hillside maintenance and wildfire prevention. Now, one city has a novel idea to bring them into the fold.
Officials in Nevada City have launched a Go Fund Me campaign (“Goat Fund Me,” if you will) to help raise money for herds of goats to clear brush in the city. The effort has already gone viral.
“There is little need to stress how important it is to the safety and well-being of Nevada City citizens and neighboring residents that we reduce the fire load in our surrounding forests and neighborhoods,” Vice Mayor Reinette Senum says.
The city hopes to raise $30,000 for the wildfire prevention effort and, as of Monday morning, they’d hit almost $20,000. They went the Go Fund Me route because it’s quicker than securing grant funding.
Nevada City officials’ eagerness is understandable. It has been an especially dreadful fire season for California and Nevada City is located just 80 miles from Paradise, now the site of the deadliest wildfire in state history.
Kudos to Nevada City for an ingenious plan.
Read more at Gizmodo.