RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. — One company is taking a bite out of San Diego’s fire risk using goats and sheep to clear brush in open spaces. CBS 8 caught up with Good Shepherds in Rancho Santa Fe to see their unique approach to fire prevention.
“Get rid of the gas engines, reduce your carbon footprint,” said neighbor Deborah Leone.
The Bunn family owns 11 acres of grasslands in Rancho Santa Fe, and they’ve traded in their weedwhackers and gas-powered mowers for goats and sheep.
“There’s just too much land and not enough human power to cover the lands. They do this more efficiently and it’s in their nature to do this,” said Matthew Sablove, co-founder of Good Shepherds.
They brought 135 goats and sheep out to the property to clear fire fuel. They eat about a half-acre’s worth of grass and weeds each day, and to get through the whole property, it’ll take them over 2 weeks.
“It’s really amazing to work with the animals and develop relationships with them knowing that we’re employing a workforce that’s happy to be out eating consistently,” said Sablove. “And the more fire fuel they get rid of, the happier they are.”
Under a tree grove, moms and their new arrivals find shelter from the rain.
“We have a little place where our newborns and moms can have some extra peace,” said Sablove.
“This is Finn. He’s about a week old,” said co-founder Angelica Paz Barrera. “It’s been a beautiful process to see the new life.”
With year-round fire danger in San Diego county, these goats and sheep may not know it, but they’re doing important work to clear defensible space.
“To create these community herds that can go in and help with the big thing – fire reduction,” said Leone.
Rancho Santa Fe is no stranger to severe wildfires like the Bernardo Fire in 2014 or the Witch Creek Fire in 2007. Clearing these areas of fire fuels is crucial for good prevention, and these little ones have an advantage.
“These sheep and goats can get in places where machinery cannot,” said Leone. “And it will really cut and create fire breaks where there’s really no other way of doing it naturally.”
For now, this hearty crew is going strong.
“They’re pretty content right now,” said Sablove. “They’re eating all this quality grass.”
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