The goats will arrive May 18 to help with Bethel’s buckthorn issue.

By Elena Vaughn

Creation Restoration’s proposal has been approved to bring goats to Bethel University’s campus to help solve Bethel’s buckthorn issue. The goats will arrive May 18 and stay for two weeks, then return in late August for three weeks.

“That should be enough to browse down the buckthorn that grows this year,” said biology professor Jeff Port, who helped propose bringing goats on campus. “Further efforts will be needed for the next couple of years to make sure the buckthorn has been removed from that area.”

On May 8, Creation Restoration, Bethel’s student-led environmental club, held a table in the Brushaber Commons selling ice cream to raise awareness and funds for the project. According to Creation Restoration co-leader Ben Harker, the table raised $50.

“The approval process has been lengthy and included conversations with Facilities Management and the Provost’s office as well as discussions within the biology department regarding the experimental design,” Port said.

The goats will be penned in certain areas to study the effect on the surrounding plant life over the next few years. The grazed areas will be compared to ungrazed areas in this experiment.

“Overall it has been a good conversation and all parties have been supportive of the effort,” Port said.