Colorado State University alumni Brittany Messinger and Andrew Bowler are harnessing the power of goats to transform California’s wildfire mitigation strategies, replacing resource-intensive and environmentally stressful methods with a regenerative approach.
Messinger – who graduated from Warner College of Natural Resources in 2015 with a degree in Parks and Protected Area Management – grew up in the Florida Keys, where coastal ecosystems solidified her connection to the natural world and ultimately put her on the path to CSU.
CSU is where Messinger developed her interest in land management, an education that ultimately led her to co-found West Coast Grazing, a mobile regenerative goat grazing operation based in California, alongside her business partner and fellow CSU alumnus, Andrew Bowler.
Bowler brings a degree in animal science that complements Messinger’s land management focus. After graduating in 2018 from the College of Agricultural Sciences, he gained experience in regenerative agriculture systems, where he was introduced to adaptive grazing practices and later Messinger. The alumni met while working together on a dairy farm in California, and they began dating before becoming business partners.
“While I didn’t have a sense of what career path I might have ended up in during my time at CSU, I was challenged to look at production agriculture from a variety of perspectives,” said Bowler. Bowler’s time spent working on farms in Colorado and California helped prepare him as a goatherder.
That experience now shapes how West Coast Grazing uses livestock to improve soil health and manage landscapes. “We saw a need for more environmentally responsible ways to manage land,” Messinger said.
West Coast Grazing centers on a practical exchange. They replace machinery and chemicals with livestock, using animals to manage invasive vegetation and reduce wildfire risk while supporting healthier ecosystems.
Messinger and Bowler practice rotational grazing with their goat herd to allow grazed areas to recover and sprout native grassland seedlings.
Today, the West Coast Grazing operation includes a herd of about 200 goats, along with sheep that expand the grazing range and working dogs that help move and protect the livestock. Messinger and Bowler take their goats to residential areas, public lands and working farms across California, and using temporary fencing, they frequently relocate their herd to control grazing patterns. This allows Messinger and her team to apply pressure to specific areas while giving the land time to recover.
According to Messinger, the work is constant and intuitive. “Goat herding means living in sync with the seasons,” Messinger said. “It requires 24/7 attention, and the day is only over when the work is done.”
Some of the goats in Messinger's herd include Fran, Cinnamon Roll, Fish and Texas Red.
Goats' hooves soften top soil for new seeds to sprout, and their body temperature can stimulate seed germination. This grazing approach offers benefits beyond vegetation removal; goats can improve ecosystem resilience and reduce long-term fire risk. Thanks to their small size, goats can nimbly access areas that would otherwise be difficult to manage with machinery, all while avoiding disturbing the soil. Goats’ hooves actually soften top soil for new seeds to sprout, and their body temperature can stimulate seed germination, which helps support plant diversity. The animals also contribute to healthier soils by increasing organic matter from the excrement they produce as they graze.
Messinger’s approach reflects what she learned at CSU. Through coursework and hands-on experiences with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory and the Center for Collaborative Conservation, she developed an understanding of the importance of different stakeholders working together to manage land effectively.
“CSU emphasized collaboration between agencies, landowners and communities to achieve a healthy environment,” she said.
Together, Messinger and Bowler have built a system that blends conservation and agriculture in a practical way. That approach has allowed them to work across a range of landscapes, applying targeted grazing to both ecological restoration and land management projects.
“We are able to cover a lot of acreage throughout the year, not only providing fuel load reduction but increasing organic soil matter,” Messinger said.
West Coast Grazing goats have worked on various lands in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties.
Goats herding in the same direction with woody area in the background and a sign that says "Caution: Vernal Pool Area".
West Coast Grazing collaborated with CEMML at the 235-acre Beale Air Force Base to reduce thatch layer, promote protected flora and fauna and target invasive annual grass species.
This work has taken Messinger to culturally significant lands and sites focused on habitat improvement. She worked with the Tachi Yokut Tribe on the management of heritage lands and also worked alongside WCNR’s Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands at Beale Air Force Base.
“I am very pleased to have been able to return to my roots by working alongside CEMML at Beale Air Force Base, where the grazing herd cleared land while simultaneously protecting the endangered fairy shrimp living on the acreage,” Messinger said. Overgrown thatch was preventing the shrimp from carrying out their normal lifecycle, so by using goats, Messinger was able to reduce the thatch and avoid disturbing the vernal pools.
The goats themselves continue to challenge expectations.
“Goats are incredibly intelligent; they can recall plants and landscapes from years prior,” she said. According to Messinger, over time, the herd has learned to navigate landscapes, avoid hazards and even consume a variety of challenging plants.
Looking ahead, Messinger and Bowler hope to expand the operation and continue building partnerships across the West. Long-term goals include adding cattle to the system and eventually establishing a permanent ranch base.
For students interested in similar paths, they encourage exploration and determination.
“My advice would be to not give up on your passions even if there does not seem to be a lot of opportunity there,” Bowler said. “There were many times when I wanted to give up on my passions and pursue a career with more stability, but I am very glad I didn’t.”
“Pursue as many activities as your schedule will allow…CSU provides so many wonderful opportunities to get involved and discover new interests,” Messinger said.