‘We’re going to test drive it and see how it goes’

A flock of sheep in Neenah, Wisconsin, is doing its part to help protect the environment.

“We’re going to test drive it and see how it goes,” said Neenah’s Parks and Recreation director, Mike Kading.

A Post Crescent article explained that 50 sheep from Wooly Green Grazers and about a dozen goats from Van Acres Homestead were ushered to Carpenter Preserve and immediately got to work eating the invasive plants in the area in a pilot project to help rid the area of unwanted vegetation. It is an environmentally friendly alternative to applying chemical herbicides.

Invasive species are plants or animals — in this case, plants — that are not native to the area in which they are growing. They can quickly dominate and cause harm to the area as they take over resources that native species need to survive.

The animals were eager to get started on their task, taking their place on the nature preserve and immediately getting down to business.

Roxie Emunson, co-owner of Wooly Green Grazers, explained that the sheep will naturally take a layered approach, eating the vegetation they find tastiest first.

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“They’ll go around and eat all of their desserts,” she explained. The animals will then make a second pblock for additional plants they find appealing, and then go for the least desirable — yet still acceptable — plants until the entire area is cleared of the invasive species.

Carpenter Preserve has invasive plants such as buckthorn, teasel, and thistle. The sheep graze around the natural ground cover, leaving the native plants. The goats are then brought in to stand on their hind legs and take care of the taller vegetation.

The article reports that studies have shown that after the sheep and goats chew, digest, and excrete the invasive plants, over 90% of the seeds are nonviable. The fight to control the invasive species through their multiyear seed cycles brings job security to the animals that goes beyond the pilot project.

The city of Neenah is paying over $7,000 for the service and plans to continue using it if it is successful.

The public is encouraged to view the process without bothering the animals in hopes that this environmentally friendly way to help balance the ecosystem will help educate and inspire locals.

These small ways to take local action can add up to a healthier ecosystem that benefits everyone in the community.

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