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Not kidding about its organic-first policy, Irvine uses goats to clear brush

by in News

  • Goats and sheep from B & T Cattle in Brea clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • With Concordia University Irvine campus as a backdrop, goats and sheep from B & T Cattle in Brea clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  • A sheep eats a mouthful of grass as sheep and goats from B & T Cattle in Brea clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Surrounded by dry brush, a goat eats dry plants along with other sheep and goats from B & T Cattle in Brea as they clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Surrounded by dry brush on a hillside, a goat eats dry plants along with other sheep and goats from B & T Cattle in Brea as they clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Leo Cabral from B & T Cattle in Brea unrolls fencing near where goats and sheep clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A goat gets a mouthful of dry plants as sheep and goats from B & T Cattle in Brea clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Goats and sheep from B & T Cattle in Brea make their way out of their pen and out to clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Goats and sheep from B & T Cattle in Brea clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Goats and sheep from B & T Cattle in Brea are gathered together in a pen just prior to being let out to clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • With Concordia University Irvine campus as a backdrop, goats and sheep from B & T Cattle in Brea clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Goats and sheep from B & T Cattle in Brea clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Goats and sheep from B & T Cattle in Brea are gathered together in a pen just prior to being let out to clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Sheep and goats from B & T Cattle in Brea clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A goat has a mouthful of dry plants as sheep and goats from B & T Cattle in Brea clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Goats and sheep from B & T Cattle in Brea are gathered together in a pen just prior to being let out to clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Surrounded by dry brush on a hillside, a goat eats dry plants along with other sheep and goats from B & T Cattle in Brea as they clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Goats and sheep from B & T Cattle in Brea clear a hillside on city land in Irvine off of Concordia West just south of the Concordia University Irvine campus on Friday, September 28, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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An unexpected sight recently had Irvine residents stopping their cars at the side of the road for a better look: dozens of goats and sheep doing what they do best – eating everything within reach – on a hillside behind Concordia University.

It’s city-owned land, and since 2016, Irvine officials have had a policy of avoiding synthetic weed killers and pesticides whenever possible and opting for organic solutions, said Councilwoman Christina Shea, who spearheaded the campaign to ditch chemicals.

A number of Southern California cities have used goat herds – including Laguna Beach and Anaheim – to eat undesirable invasive plants and thin out brush to reduce fire risk, and Irvine is the latest to jump on the farm wagon.

Besides being environmentally friendly, “it’s fun, the kids love it,” Shea said, adding that it’s “a very positive and effective way to make our community a better place to live.”