In the Chilean city of Santa Juana, hit hard by wildfires earlier this year, residents have a special task force to help fight the blaze: a herd of goats.
Goats once saved the native forest of Bosques de Chacay, keeping the park from being consumed by the February fires – fueled by heatwaves and severe drought – which left dozens dead, thousands injured and nearly 440,000 hectares destroyed in the south-central Chile.
“The park was surrounded by fires, but it ended up being the only green patch left,” said Rocio Cruces, co-founder of the 16-hectare (40-acre) park and “Buena Cabra,” a project that uses goats to build Quebra -fire.
The technique, also used in Portugal and Spain, relies on grazing goats to control dry grassland and other vegetation that fuel forest fires in summer. Goat droppings also help enrich the soil and prevent further erosion.
“The fire hit our forest, but only the front line of trees were really affected, less than 10% of the park,” Cruces said, adding that small fires had started but hadn’t progressed due to minimal weeding.
Cruces started the project after deadly fires in 2017. Since then, his herd has grown from 16 to 150 goats and he hopes to inspire others to follow suit.
“In Chile, we fail to prevent fires,” said Francisco Di Napoli, a forestry engineer at the University of Concepción in Chile who is familiar with the technique known as “strategic grazing.”
“These animals can help us a lot,” said Di Napoli, adding that other organizations should “evaluate where it can be applied, find out where the fuel is and feed it to the goats.”
Source: Terra

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.