Hahn Funds Goat-Powered Brush Clearance in Palos Verdes Estates

PALOS VERDES ESTATES —As of March 13, goats have begun clearing brush in areas of Palos Verdes Estates as part of an effort funded by the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn to reduce fire risk on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. 

“The natural canyons and hills of the Palos Verdes Peninsula are beautiful but they put this area at greater risk for wildfires,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Mayor Victoria Lozzi told me that her city needed help with brush clearance and I was happy to offer my office’s support. If you see the goats this month in Palos Verdes Estates know that they are hard at work making this community safer.”

900 goats will be used to conduct weed abatement in 37 acres of Palos Verdes Estates parklands in canyons and hard to reach hillside areas in four zones deemed extremely high priority: Valmonte Canyon and the Palos Verdes stables, Lunada Canyon, the hillside between Via Boronado and Espinosa Circle, and the hillside below Via Pinzon and Mirlo Gate House. 400 goats have begun clearing brush in Valmonte Canyon which is estimated to take between a week and a week and a half to complete with additional goats placed in the other locations next week. The work is expected to be completed by the end of March. 

The City of Palos Verdes Estates authorized a contract with Fire Grazers, Inc., which has done similar work on the peninsula in the past. Supervisor Hahn’s office will reimburse the city for the cost of the contract, totaling just over $67,000. 

Supervisor Hahn’s funding comes after Palos Verdes Estates Mayor Lozzi raised the problem during Hahn’s recent Mayor’s Luncheon with the mayors of the Fourth District.