# Protecting Trees



## HRFOhio (Aug 27, 2011)

I'd like to allow goats access to a wooded area. I want them to clear out the underbrush, but I don't want them to kill the mature trees. Some trees are pine. So I'm looking for a cost effective way to protect the trees that I want to keep.

Has anyone ever tried using snow fencing around the base of trees? 

What elase have you used to protect trees?

Thanks for any help.


----------



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Hmmm...well our goats get an acre of wooded area that was thick with underbrush, and they've never hurt the mature trees. They do eat any leaves/vine leaves they can reach, but that's it. Maybe it's just my girls, but they'd rather rub or scratch on the fence than on a tree..LOL


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Most of the time when goats have access to underbrush, if it's plentiful they won't bother trees, it's wjhen it starts to get sparse and they've done their job with clearing that they will go after tree bark, limbs etc. I've seen some wrap chicken wire around tree trunks to protect them but I think it would likely work better if they are removed from the area once they've cleared it.


----------



## HRFOhio (Aug 27, 2011)

Thanks for the replies. Some made it sound like they would strip the mature trees no matter what. I do want them to take out the sapplings and underbrush. That is the point of getting the goats in the first place.

Does anyone have any idea of if they would prefer tree bark in the winter if they have access to hay?


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

mine eat teh trees that are in their pen but leave the trees alone that are out in where I let them browse. But they arent in the browse area for very long and are supervised. 

if you have any trees you really want to keep and the goats are out there unsupervised for a couple months (like you just let them out to roam) then I would put some kind of fencing around the trees.


----------



## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

They are all different. IF they start to eat the trees, I used Burlap on my trees. It is cheap at the fabric store.


----------



## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Mine only start nibbling trees after the other good brouse is gone. Protect those you want to keep with chicken wire if you are going to leave the goats there after other growth is minimal.


----------



## Steph (May 7, 2009)

I put chicken wire on some of my trees but the goats got through it. It didn't take them long to smash the chicken wire down to the base of the tree. I put orange snow/construction fence on some and the goats have not been able to get through it. If left in an area they will eat the trees. Mine love pine, sumac and maple. They eat the trees more in the winter.


----------



## HRFOhio (Aug 27, 2011)

Thanks for the info. I want to be able to put them out in pasture with a LGD in the morning and bring them in at night. So I guess I'm going to get something to protect the trees I want to keep.

I'm going to try the green version of the snow fence. If that doesn't work, I found found the old style wood slatted snow fence at tractor supply $49 for 50' roll. ( http://www.tractorsupply.com/fencing/pl ... -l-3655202 )

I thought about the chicken wire because I have tons of it around, but want something that won't grow into the trees and also hate putting wire into pastures where it could become stray on the ground and get tangled up.


----------



## simplynewt (Sep 5, 2011)

This is a good topic and very informative. I have Crepe Myrtles around and do not want the goats to eat tghe bark off of them during the winter months. Green Snow Fencing sounds like the way to go. Funny how they wont touch the leaves on the trees though but am told they will eat the bark right off. 

Any truth to that?


----------

