Austin mayor walks goat to promote 'udderly fantastic' trail program

AUSTIN (KXAN) – If you happened to be on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake Tuesday afternoon, no, you were not hallucinating – that was, indeed, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson walking down the trail with a goat.

Why? Watson was there to promote The Trail Conservancy’s "Goats on the Trail" pilot program. 

The conservancy started deploying goats in July to sustainably maintain the beloved trail that circles Lady Bird Lake. The goats play a “crucial” role in controlling invasive species, such as poison ivy, which in turn promotes the growth of native plants. 

“It’s really a cool thing,” Watson said to a group of reporters before his walk with Yulie, the goat. “It’s also a neat way for people who love this trail to interact with their trail and interact with those goats.” 

But if you do see goats chowing down on the vegetation, be sure not to touch them. While dining on poison ivy, the goats tend to get a great deal of it on their fur, the conservancy said.

In 2023, the conservancy put to work 150 industrious goats that cleared nearly 16 acres around the trail. 

Love seeing the goats? The Trail Conservancy is asking Austinites to put “their money where their feet are” by participating in the Adopt-A-Goat program. By paying $250, you’ll support the program but will also receive a conservancy goat tote bag, a certificate with your new furry  friend’s name on it and a holiday goat ornament. 

 “[The Trail Conservancy] has to fundraise in order to get the goats to come back in the Spring,” Watson said. “Us maintaining the trail in an eco-friendly way is just one of the values of Austin.”