Goats in Portola Valley Goats in Portola Valley (July 13, 2005)

Caption with David Boyce photo in print edition:
Rising to the occasion. Not even the leaves of trees were safe from the herd of goats spending a week to 10 days in the Hayfields open space area off Russell Road in Portola Valley to clear the land of vegetation and reduce its potential for wildfire. The goats spend their days and nights inside electrified fences that a goatherd temporarily erects to circumscribe their feeding areas and protect them from predators. The space is privately owned and the landowners, who are responsible for managing potential fire hazards, paid $6,000 to bring in the goats, said fire marshal Denise Enea of the Woodside Fire Protection District.

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