Some kid! Life Scout uses goats to help clear poison ivy

Those of us in Scouting see poison ivy as a campout-ruining nuisance. Goats, as it turns out, see it as a delicious treat.

Gavin Burseth, a 16-year-old from Bartlett, Ill., is training the animals to help clear poison ivy from campgrounds at the Blackwell Forest Preserve, about 30 miles west of Chicago.

Why goats instead of machines or chemicals?

“Goats are cheaper. They’re more eco-friendly. Generally they eat all day,” Gavin told the Chicago Tribune. “And poison ivy doesn’t affect them like it does people.”

Read more about Gavin in the Chicago Tribune story.


Hat tip: Thanks to Troop 39 Scouter Greg Wojcicki for the blog idea!


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.