Petaluma’s Grazing Program

In August of 2023, the City launched it's first citywide grazing program in our Petaluma parks. In partnership with Two Rock Land Management, the program will bring goats into some of our local parks to help reduce flammable vegetation that can feed wildfires and threaten the safety of our community.

Benefits of Grazing

Grazing on our hills and grasslands brings numerous benefits.

  • Reduces wildfire risk: Goats chomp on grasses that otherwise are highly flammable. Traditional mowing leaves cuttings behind, which can catch fire easily. Goats keep the grass low and leave behind only manure, which enriches the soil and removes fuel for wildfires. In this way, grazing helps our open spaces become barriers to wildfire instead of hazards.
  • Supports native plant species: Goats graze on grasses and invasive species alike, and when fast-growing invasive species are kept at bay, native plants have more opportunity to thrive.
  • Keeps carbon out of the atmosphere: The alternative to natural grazing is human-powered mowing - which puts high levels of CO2 into the environment. Native grasses, when allowed to thrive, also hold carbon in their roots and in the soil better than invasive species, preventing that carbon from being released into the atmosphere.

Where to Find a Herd

Click HERE to view an interactive map of where you can find the herd. You can also view the chart below.

Park Acres Days of grazing Approximate start date
Steamer Landing/River Park 29.7 12 May 1
Westridge Park & Open Space 3.4 5 May 12
Country Club 4.7 5 May 17
West Haven 1.9 2 End of May
Mannion Knolls 15.1 12 May 22
Oak Hill 5.5 2 June 4
Denman Reach 24.7 10 June 6
Wiseman 20.7 10 June 16
Arroyo Park & Open Space 9.2 5 June 26
Fox Hollow + Riparian Zone 24.8 14 July 1

 

These dates are tentative and subject to change depending on how fast the flock gets through each park.

Can't get enough of the animals? Join us for the Transhumance Festival on May 11th! More details: sassyandgrassy.com.

 

For questions about the grazing program dates, please contact Daniel Northen at (707) 494-2095. For general inquiries, contact Parks & Recreation at (707) 778-4412.

Sheep and goats grazing

Photo courtesy of Two Rock Land Management.

"Sonoma County has gone through hell and back with recent wildland fires, and now, emergency preparedness and prevention has become a part of our daily lives. It may sound funny, but goats are some of the most effective partners we have at reducing fire load."

Senator Mike McGuire

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