ANN ARBOR, MI – Ten goats. Three weeks.

Those are the basic details of Ann Arbor’s new plan to remove unwanted brush from Gallup Park’s two islands using an old-fashioned, eco-friendly method.

Goats from Twin Willow Ranch of Milan will be arriving at the park Thursday, June 6, as Ann Arbor’s parks department launches a new “goatscaping” pilot initiative.

Goats like to eat invasive plants such as honeysuckle and buckthorn, as well as poison ivy (to which goats are not allergic), and pretty much any green plant within reach, city officials said.

“This is a great way to help promote native plants in our parks, while at the same time decreasing the hours we spend on removing invasive brush,” Scott Spooner, the city’s deputy parks manager, said in a statement. “This is not an area where we would use an herbicide. Everything would have to be removed by cutting and pulling, and the goats enable us to use that labor in other ways.”

The goatscaping initiative is part of an ongoing effort to clear the overgrowth and invasive shrubbery as park staff work toward a long-term maintenance plan.

The islands and their footbridges will be closed through June 27, though there will be opportunities for the public to participate in guided tours and see the goats in action.

GIVE 365, the parks department’s volunteer program, will be hosting three tours in conjunction with volunteer work days, allowing residents to walk amongst the goats while learning from the goat farmer and park staff, and doing some volunteer work.

The tour/volunteer opportunities take place 6-8 p.m. June 10, 10 a.m. to noon June 19 and 6-8 p.m. June 24.

Learn how to get involved and see photos and bios of the 10 Boer goats involved in the project.

Their names are Bling, Freckle, Little Red, Mae, Olive, Rosie, Salt, Sandalwood, Thimble and Windy.