Need better option to goat grazing

Michael Beanan

Decades of time and field research have been invested by county,

state and federal agencies in proactive, preventive fire management.

Today, local county and state park officials do not permit goat

grazing (to control wildfire fuels). Instead, a graduated, multi-cut

fuel modification zone alternative is employed, such as in the

Emerald Bay community to the north of town.The multi-cut, biomass

fuel modification program is presently used by the California

Department of Forestry and others to protect urban fringe dwellings.

Ridgeline developments above South Laguna also employ this method to

protect homes while guarding against erosion on very steep hillside

slopes. Since the issue of fuel modification zones is much larger

than South Laguna, a concerted, coordinated effort by the city and

community organizations is warranted and timely.

Fuel modification in Laguna Beach by goat grazing has annual

direct costs of $200,000, and indirect costs -- such as fire

department staff supervision -- of approximately $75,000. The

three-year renewal contract solely for goat grazing represents a

public works project approaching $1 million.

Goat grazing is a highly destructive practice. In addition to

fecal contamination of a grazed area, goats indiscriminately graze

vegetation to the ground, destroying native plant root structures

that guard against erosion on steep hillsides and ravines. Overgrazed

areas by cloven-hoofed goats expose the delicate soil mantle to

erosion during storms. Airborne particulate pollution is mobilized

during high wind events. Although water quality testing at

unspecified locations reveal no significant impacts, the question of

where the fecal matter migrates remains troublesome.

Goat grazing also introduces non-native grasses that are highly

flammable when mixed with latent deposits of high nitrate fecal

matter. By exposing the soil mantle to direct sunlight, the earth

becomes hot and dehydrated, radiating excessive heat. The area’s few

remaining native plants -- often scorched by intense summer sun --

readily die from additional dehydration, leaving behind dead standing

trees and brush to actually increase fire hazards.

Goat grazing is currently occurring both in mapped areas and

randomly outside of designated areas to negatively impact protected

plant communities and city open space. A field biologist does not

accompany grazing as per initial project requirements and supervision

of workers is minimal due to physical limitations.

Photo evidence reveals a pattern of overgrazing, erosion and

haphazard intrusion into private and public properties.

The graduated thinning, multi-cut, biomass alternative to

goat-grazing identifies unique native plants, reduces the vegetative

volume and height and distributes on-site plant trimmings as mulched

pathways to protect the soil mantle from erosion or scorching.

During a fire, water is readily assimilated by scattered native

plants while 3- to 5-foot-wide mulched pathways absorb fire

suppression water to create saturated, defensible zones.

Although initial installation costs may be equal to or exceed goat

grazing expenditures, long-term vegetative management can

“re-educate” native plants to grow in small, low-profile clustered

groupings with defensible pathways.

Properly managed fuel modification zones can be simply maintained

in subsequent years by skilled field staff through quarterly

inspection and trimming as necessary.

The majority of citizens in Laguna Beach, the mayor and city

council members and the bulk of visitors proudly consider themselves

“environmentalists”.

Most of the present city council members think goats are “cute,”

but fail to appreciate the actual on-the-ground damage to the overall

watershed. With the Laguna fire more than 10 years behind us, a

deliberative approach to the ongoing challenge of fire protection and

habitat management is a worthwhile investment in our city’s future.

* MICHAEL BEANAN is a member of the South Laguna Civic Assn.