A watershed-friendly solution
The Historic Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. — resting place of notable Americans — faced an invasive-plant problem threatening its mature trees and gravestones. Because the site sits near a watershed, managers were reluctant to spray herbicides. So they hired Eco-Goats.
A herd of more than 100 goats grazed the wooded edges of the cemetery, clearing roughly a 1.6-acre band of vines, poison ivy, English ivy, and other invasive ground cover that had been climbing and choking the trees.
A repeatable program
The goats target exactly the plants that put the site at risk while leaving the native trees and delicate historic features unharmed — something a mower or a spray rig can’t promise. The cemetery has run the eco-goat program multiple times, bringing the herd back to keep aggressive invasives like kudzu and poison ivy in check.
It’s a vivid example of grazing chosen specifically because it’s gentle on a sensitive, high-value site.