Goats and Sheep Arrive at Historic Blenheim

Published on June 02, 2026

Grazers will remove invasive plants with limited disturbance to Blenheim’s historic land

Visitors to Historic Blenheim will see new faces on-site this summer.

The city is employing goats and sheep to remove non-native invasive vegetation from Blenheim’s landscape in June and July. 

Non-native invasive plants are overtaking the native ecosystem at Historic Blenheim. Controlling invasive vegetation can be an intensive process. However, the city’s Urban Forestry team identified a natural solution to this problem: goats and sheep. 

Known as “grazers,” they can nimbly navigate dense brush, spending hours at a time eating invasive plants like Vinca, English ivy, and multiflora rose. Grazers limit ground disturbance and protect the site’s archaeological resources.

The goats and sheep will be grazing behind an electrified fence for their protection.

If you visit Blenheim while these grazers are working, please follow these rules:

• View the herd from outside the electrical fence area where they are working. 
• The sheep and goats are working animals — please do not feed, pet, or interfere with them.
• Leash your pets on Blenheim’s grounds to avoid unwanted confrontations.

Questions? Email | 703-385-0206