By Sarah Jo McDowell
Program Manager, Butte County Fire Safe Council
What a magical day we had on Saturday, September 21st at our 2nd Grazing Workshop, held at the freshly grazed Ishi Hills Middle School in Oroville. We had a great turnout from our South County and Butte County community members. Swede Hanski of Hanski Family Farms, Art Colyer from Paradise Scapegoats, and Sarah Keiser from Sonoma County’s Wild Oat Hollow gave presentations on herd maintenance and answered many questions from our participants about the benefits of grazing in our fire-adapted ecosystems.
The Butte County Fire Safe Council utilizes grazing as one of many fuel reduction tools to help our landscape with vegetation management and mitigate the threats of wildfires. Grazing reduces fuel loads on the ground, lifts the understory of trees, increases habitat diversity, and produces fertilizer deposits for healthier soil, thanks to the goats’ byproducts. In the absence of grazing, ecosystems are vulnerable to invasive species and unhealthy overgrowth. In a residential setting, goats and sheep can create fuel breaks, in conjunction with human work crews and prescribed burns, in a proactive effort to minimize future wildfires.
The BCFSC, with the help of Sarah Keiser, is also in the beginning stages of introducing grazing cooperatives into new and existing Firewise USA Communities. Keiser shared stories of the many successful grazing co-op communities in Sonoma County that she helped initiate and continues to support. These cooperatives help neighbors enjoy the collective benefits of the herd, including wildfire fuels reduction, dairy and meat production, and natural landscaping. We hope that through workshops such as this, community members feel empowered to begin their own grazing cooperatives with neighbors and build the foundations of a supportive and fire-safe community.
Want to learn more about grazing and hang out with friendly goats? Join the Butte County Fire Safe Council at our next Paradise Grazing Festival, scheduled for Sunday, June 1st, 2025! The Paradise Grazing Festival is a goat-filled, family-friendly, free event with live music, food, and so many goat activities to enjoy. Community members can learn about the amazing work of herd and guardian dogs at the herding demonstration, stretch their muscles in goat yoga, or say hello to our favorite grazers in the petting zoo!
We hope to host another grazing workshop next year, so stay tuned, and we hope to see you there!