3 days ago
The new technique used to prevent wildfires – and it involves goats
A pilot project in Mataro, Catalonia, Spain, is utilising a herd of approximately 300 goats to create natural firebreaks and reduce the risk of wildfires.
This initiative is part of a wider European Union-funded effort aimed at mitigating the escalating threat of wildfires across southern Europe, exacerbated by climate change.
Goats are particularly effective for this task due to their voracious appetites, enabling them to clear flammable undergrowth and even thorny vegetation.
The project revives traditional methods of using livestock for land management, with goatherders Francesc Teixido and Pedro Alba combining their flocks for this nomadic lifestyle.
Although the work is demanding and not primarily for financial gain, the goatherders receive payment from municipalities for their fire prevention services and from cheesemakers for their distinctive milk.
