More than 500 goats and sheep are grazing the grounds of Northaven Trail this month to get it ready for the wildflower season in the spring.
Friends of Northaven Trail, a volunteer group that helps support the maintenance and beautification of the trail, organized the cleaning effort in a sustainable and all-natural way for the first time.
“It’s a win for wildflowers,” the project website said. “A win for wildlife.”
This pilot project is called Northaven TAILS. The herd has been rotating through designated areas along the trail, which will help prepare the ground for native reseeding. The website said this effort will help in building healthy soil and supporting local biodiversity.
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Initially, the idea of this project was to find a way to bring out the children in the community to see the trail and observe the herd animals, said Will Dawson, a board member of the organization.
Lindsay Reese and daughter Abigail Reese watch goats graze along Northaven Trail near Norcross Lane on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Dallas.
Angela Piazza / Staff Photographer
“The goats and sheep are part of a natural, low-impact approach to trail maintenance that supports native habitat and brings joy to the community,” the website says.
As part of the project, the group has created a tracker map for the herd where the public can check the real-time location of the flock and where it is headed.
On Tuesday, the flock was grazing through the trail in northwest Dallas near Norcross Lane, according to the map.
The animals are currently scheduled to complete the project by Friday, Dawson said. He said the schedule might change depending on how much the herd can get through.
“They’re goats and they’re sheep, so they eat as fast as they’re going to eat,” he said.
A goat pulls a leaf from a tall weed while a heard grazes along Northhaven Trail near Norcross Lane on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Dallas.
Angela Piazza / Staff Photographer
The herd includes:
Dorper and Katahdin sheep — Hair sheep breeds that graze grasses and low-growing vegetation Spanish goats — Ideal for clearing thick brush and woody plantsBoer goats — Larger in size with strong appetites, effective for clearing large areas quicklyAlpine goats — Agile and excellent climbers, able to access steep or rocky terrain
Dawson said the herd had about 500 goats and 31 sheep. They welcomed the newest member of the crew when a baby sheep was born on Sunday.
A trained border collie will be protecting the herd and viewers have been asked not to touch or feed the dog.
Professional herders will also be present on the trail monitoring the health of the animals, assessing when an area has been grazed and moving the herd along, and setting fencing and preparing the clearing zones.
There is a set of rules that has been laid out for people visiting to watch the grazing on the trail.
Goats kept behind an electric fence graze along Northaven Trail near Norcross Lane on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Dallas.
Angela Piazza / Staff Photographer
Viewers are encouraged to stay on the trail and look at the herd from a safe distance, keep their dogs leashed, stay away from the electric fencing and not try to touch or feed the animals without talking to the shepherds first. Making loud noises or whistles near grazing zones is also discouraged.
“The reason we chose this time of year is that a high percentage of the green plants are invasive species,” Dawson said.
He said unlike a lawnmower, which would spread the weed while cutting it, the goats and sheep will just eat it.
Dawson said the community has responded well to the project. Students from more than five different schools have visited to observe the grazing.
“This is really bringing a whole new group of people and exposing them to a trail,” he said.