Return of the Goats

No, your eyes are not deceiving you: There are goats in the Park. Goats and sheep to be specific. They may bring along a guardian dog to keep an eye out for predators.

Brought to you by RVA Goats and Honey with substantial support from Sports Backers, the goats have been enlisted by Andrew Alli and his team with the Park’s Trails Crew to munch away at the abundant kudzu along the North Bank Trail.

Kudzu is originally from East Asia. It was brought to America in 1876 by a Japanese delegation to the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Because it’s dense and fast-growing, it was marketed as a great erosion prevention plant, and gained widespread use along America’s roadways. The problem is, it can grow a foot a day, and it completely covers and smothers everything in its path. Trees can’t get the sunlight and nutrients they need, and the organic matter on the forest floor stops the natural process of decay and renewal.

A few rules if you see the goats:

1) Do not try to touch the goats. They’re busy.
2) Do not feed the goats. They’re busy eating kudzu and have special daily diets.
3) If you have a dog, it must be on a 6-foot leash. That’s for the safety of the working animals, and happens to be a Park rule.

Otherwise, enjoy the goats!

You May Also Like

Wood River Run
News

Wood River Run 2025!

We’re thrilled to announce the return of the Wood River Run 2025, a 5K memorial run hosted by Friends of the James River Park, taking place on Saturday, April 26th, 2025.

Read More »
Building a new retaining wall.
News

A Busy Time in the Park!

We had a pretty active couple of days in the Park at the end of November, and I wanted to share more information about them with you all.

Read More »
Bald Eagle flying in the Park.
News

Support the Park Today!

It is Giving Tuesday, a day when all of your favorite charities make a pitch for your support, and that is what I am here to do. 

Read More »

Report an Issue Form

To report an emergency please call 911 immediately. Please use this form to report an issue in the Park such as maintenance or trail issues. Thank you.

Name(Required)
Type of Issue(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.