The video was really informative. I was contemplating getting a few goats to help clear the brush and invasive plants on my property. However, I think your approach with pigs that root is far better. Did the pigs eat Poison ivy or just trample it? What breed of pigs do you have? I want Kune Kune, but I don't think they will root as well as yours.
These are Berkshires. They seemed to trample, root, and generally destroy the poison ivy. I never saw them eating it with my own eyes, though, and never noticed any rash or health issues. Goats have their place, but are much more challenging to keep fenced, whereas pigs that respect a hot fence don't try to escape.
Sorry, but your understanding of natives and invasives is entirely wrong. I know what you are saying is the scientific consensus, but that consensus is dangerous flawed. I could go on endlessly about why, but I'd rather just refer you to the work of David Theodoropoulos until I have my own articles available. Don't let bad science inform your good intentions.
Part of embracing complexity in my mind is understanding that different viewpoints on topics like this have value. The pendulum swing of “invasive plants are totally benign” makes sense in the face of the broad scale chemical warfare. I think there is nuance to the conversation, but for our goals of converting this woodland into a shaded pasture with woody perennials that produce mast for native wildlife, privet, multiflora rose, and bittersweet don’t really have a role. I appreciate your comment but I don’t think anyone knows who is right or who is wrong on this topic, it’s just a sea of opinions. The important part is that any action or inaction towards managing land and the plants on them is done with intention and skillful touch
