Izzy Lepone 05 June 2025

Council launches goat-based ground maintenance scheme

Council launches goat-based ground maintenance scheme image
St Andrew's Church in Narberth, Pembrokeshire. © James Hime / Shutterstock.com.

A local authority in Pembrokeshire is introducing goats to help manage overgrowth in the town churchyard.

The trial launched by Narberth Town Council will involve the use of goats sourced from Biogoats 2 Rent, offering a ‘natural and chemical-free solution for maintaining the churchyard’ by allowing the animals to graze on the land.

GPS technology will be used to ensure the goats remain in designated areas of St Andrew’s Church grounds, where they are expected to stay for two to three weeks.

According to the BBC, daily welfare checks will be completed to ensure the animals are well looked-after, and visitors have been asked to keep their distance from the goats whilst the project is underway.

Cllr Charlie Meredydd, Mayor of Narberth, confirmed that the ‘ecologically friendly’ churchyard maintenance project is part of the local authority’s ‘re-wilding and biodiversity programme’, designed to restore the churchyard to its ‘natural meadowland state’.

Since the goats’ arrival at the churchyard 24 hours ago, they have ‘cleared a lot of brambles and generated enormous interest’, Cllr Meredydd added.

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