The goats have wrapped up their first two-week grazing session along the Polly Ann Trail with great success on May 3, according to trail Manager Linda Moran.

The group of approximately 20 goats, provided by City Girls Farm in Pontiac, grazed invasive species of plants away in several spots within a half-mile stretch along the trail.

“It went very well. We had a lot of good success with it. We did all of this without spraying one drop of chemicals. We now have apple trees that are safe for another year that are blooming. We have habitat… I just saw some yellow warblers out here and now they have a habitat that they can get into. Everybody that came by was very enthusiastic about the program… We’ve gotta start somewhere. We’ve started and it’s fabulous,” said Moran.

Moran says she hopes to start the second round of the goat services on the trail later this summer and that she will continue fundraising in the hopes of qualifying towards state and federal grants which would allow the service to be used along the trail regularly. A fund-raiser and open mic night event will be held at Evergreens Coffee and Bake Shop May 19 from 7-10 p.m. in support of the project. There will be a $5 cover charge per person, with all proceeds going towards the Polly Ann Trail.