The commission heard Oct. 8 about trail maintenance and a pilot program to use goats for weed control at town properties, plus plans to use an endowment to sustain an adopt‑a‑trail stewardship program at Red Hill.

Eric Breidinger said the town will test a goats‑based contractor called Goats on the Go at the Bill Hanks ballfield berm to address invasive weeds. He emphasized goats are a tool within an integrated weed‑management program and that their work requires follow‑up reseeding and assessment. “It's not a one and done with the goats,” Breidinger said.

Staff also described plans to use part of an Aspen Valley Land Trust maintenance endowment that funded the Save Red Hill campaign to backfill a three‑year grant that supported an adopt‑a‑trail program. The department will reimburse initial trail maintenance expenditures from the endowment and coordinate with the Red Hill Council and the Bureau of Land Management on signage, wayfinding and restoration work beyond town property.

Breidinger reported mixed results from recent public‑facing maintenance efforts: some mesh containers placed for trash or materials were removed by visitors, and braided‑trail restoration efforts required additional programming and outreach. He said the town hopes deeper engagement, signage and ongoing programming will reduce those problems.

The commission agreed to proceed with the goat pilot and to use endowment funds to support trail stewardship work while coordinating with partners. Staff will evaluate results and consider expanding the approach if successful.