LEXINGTON, Ky. — Over the next few weeks, a Lexington neighborhood is using goats to clear away invasive plants.


What You Need To Know

  • "The Goat Project" at Cardinal Valley is now in its third phase

  • It's an eco-friendly way to enhance the beauty of what was once a commercial area

  • Its next step is to add native plants that complement the natural beauty of Cardinal Valley

  • The project is funded by a grant from the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government 

Starting with around 15 goats feeding off the land in Lexington’s Cardinal Valley neighborhood, "The Goat Project" is coming together in three key phases. 

David Neville provides the goats being used at Oxford Circle and project leader and longtime Lexington resident, Paula Singer, are dedicated to restoring the area through eco-friendly measures. Singer helped start "The Goat Project" initiative. (Spectrum News 1/Sabriel Metcalf)

Paula Singer, a longtime resident of the area who helped jumpstart the project, said goats are an eco-friendly solution that allows people around Cardinal Valley to enjoy the project.

“The reason we are not using pesticides and not herbicides or manual labor is mostly because the goats, as you can see, engage the community," Singer said. "We have so many volunteers, and we have so many people here who love the goats.”

State Sen. Reggie Thomas, D-Lexington, paid the site a special visit. 

“Cardinal Valley has been part of the Lexington community going back to the 1950s, so it has a long-standing relevance to our community," Thomas said. "It's been through some good times, some not-so-good times, but it's on its way back.” 

Singer said the hope is to add this stream to Lexington’s new Green Ways vision plan, first by clearing invasive plants like bush honeysuckle, suitable for a goat's diet. 

Thomas said he applauded the work and Singer has set a precedent for others.