Goats and oaks: applicability of targeted browsing to promote forage quality and conservation outcomes in woodland communities in the Central Hardwood Region of the United States

Authors: BEEBE, GINA - University Of Missouri; KNAPP, LAUREN - Us Forest Service (FS); CROUCH, CONNER - Us Forest Service (FS); MADDOX, DACODA - Us Forest Service (FS); DAVIDSON, BRIAN - Us Forest Service (FS); STAMBAUGH, MICHAEL - University Of Missouri; DEY, DANIEL - Us Forest Service (FS)

Submitted to: Agroforestry Systems
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/21/2026
Publication Date: 5/26/2026
Citation: Beebe, G., Knapp, L.P., Crouch, C.D., Maddox, D., Davidson, B., Stambaugh, M., Dey, D.C. 2026. Goats and oaks: applicability of targeted browsing to promote forage quality and conservation outcomes in woodland communities in the Central Hardwood Region of the United States. Agroforestry Systems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-026-01524-5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-026-01524-5

Interpretive Summary: Mature, second-growth hardwood forests dominated by oak species (Quercus spp.) are common within the Central Hardwoods Region of the United States (Fei et al. 2011; Hanberry and Nowacki 2016). These forests primarily established following exploitative timber harvest and intensive land clearing for agriculture in the early 1900 s, resulting in a predominantly evenaged forest landscape that is aging uniformly (Shifley et al. 2014). These past land-use practices followed by decades of little management have produced forests that are degraded and uncharacteristically dense. Open woodlands were once dominant in the region (Hanberry and Abrams 2018; Nuzzo 1986), driven by frequent surface fire which promoted open canopies and abundant ground flora (Pile Knapp et al. 2024). These once open but now degraded forested lands offer opportunities for large-scale management programs focused on reopening forest structure and promoting desirable ground flora, typically through application of prescribed fire and thinning to reduce tree density. For such management programs to gain traction on privately owned land, economic incentives may be necessary. This can be achieved by diversifying the benefits beyond ecological values, such as incorporating livestock production and generating timber revenue.

Technical Abstract: Open oak woodlands, once dominant across the Central Hardwoods Region of the United States, have been largely replaced by dense, closedcanopy forests following decades of fire suppression and land-use change. Silvopasture, the intentional integration of trees, forages, and livestock, may offer economic incentives for private landowners to restore these degraded woodlands while producing marketable livestock. Targeted goat browsing is a potential tool for shifting dense woodland systems toward open, silvopasture conditions. However, limited information exists on how browsing influences plant community composition or how it compares to prescribed fire for restoration and production objectives. We conducted a three-year field study in oak woodlands of the Missouri Ozarks to evaluate the effects of seasonal targeted goat browsing (spring, fall, or combined dormant+fall), prescribed fire, and their combination on forage composition, woodland indicator species, and floristic quality metrics. Spring browsing was the most effective treatment for promoting high-quality forage, shifting communities toward warm-season grass dominance while maintaining legume cover and reducing forb abundance. Importantly, spring browsing achieved these benefits without degrading floristic quality or reducing woodland indicator species. Prescribed fire increased species richness and woodland indicators but promoted forb-dominated communities rather than grass–legume forages. The dormant bud+fall browse treatment produced the least desirable outcomes for silvopasture, suppressing both herbaceous and woody vegetation. These results demonstrate that appropriately targeted browsing can support both ecological integrity and forage production, challenging assumptions that livestock grazing and woodland conservation are incompatible.