Last week, Springfield Public Schools (SPS) introduced the newest member of its facilities landscaping team: a herd of five goats.
The goats will mitigate weeds in bioswale, easement, and other areas not used for student play. Environmental guidelines make goats an efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable method of maintaining these areas.
“Hand-pulling the weeds is costly and time-consuming,” said Terry Rutledge, Assistant Director of Facilities and Operations. “By thinking outside the box, we found a solution that is environmentally friendly, alleviates some of the manual workload of the grounds crew, and provides an opportunity to educate our students on sustainable practices.”


Three of the five new faces are tasked with mowing the Springfield Public School District grounds. SPRINGFIELD SCHOOLS /PHOTOS
Goats, known for their enthusiastic consumption of blackberry bushes, are highly effective at clearing an area quickly.
“They’re little machines,” Rutledge said.
The herd lives in a rural portion of the school district and enjoys a shelter on the property constructed by a Thurston High School career and technical education (CTE) class. The goats represent a mix of breeds selected for temperament and suitability to the environment. A community member donated the goats to the District.