WINNIPEG – In several cities across the U.S. and Europe, lawn mowers are being replaced by barnyard animals.
It’s called eco-grazing — sheep, goats and cows called into action to clear large areas of brush.
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is putting the animals to use, clearing an area officials say can be a fire and safety hazard if left unattended.
“There’s areas where it kind of goes up and down and lawn mowers… aren’t adequate to get to some of the areas,” Chicago Dept. of Aviation spokesperson Rosemarie Andolino said on Tuesday.
The animals are penned while they graze and clear, so there’s no worry about them wondering onto the runway.
Similar eco-grazing efforts are also being used at places such as the Historic Congressional Cemetery, in Washington D.C., at municipal buildings in Paris and the clearing method is starting to catch on in Canada.
In Manitoba, for example, cows and goats are used to help maintain parts of Spruce Wood Provincial Park.
Tim Fisher, owner of a All Sorts Acre, in Guelph, has an ecoSheep team. He said he’s noticed a growing interest in animal landscaping.
“Sheep are awesome,” he said in a phone interview. “From an environmental standpoint, their emissions are good for the grass and good for the soil.
The animals can also be good for tourism.
Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. officials started promoting their eco-grazing program at Legacy Park — where sheep have been maintaining the grounds for 21 years — after seeing people’s reactions to the woolly lawnmowers.
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