By Blake Jackson
An innovative, eco-friendly project has taken root on campus as 20 sheep begin grazing beneath and around the university’s solar array.
This natural method of vegetation management spans roughly seven acres, with the herd expected to keep grass and plant growth in check until the end of the growing season, when the vegetation typically goes dormant this fall.
Local farmer Ross Christensen, who also works in Facilities Management at the university, is overseeing the grazing effort. Christensen is collaborating with campus staff and the School of Agriculture to ensure the initiative’s success.
Grazing provides a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional landscaping, as sheep can eat weeds and grass even on steep or uneven terrain. While the concept of using livestock for vegetation control is not new, this marks the first full season for such a program at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Early results are promising. Beyond reducing mechanical mowing needs, the sheep contribute to soil health and support biodiversity. Campus staff can now focus more on high-traffic areas that are frequently used by students and visitors.
“My counterparts across the Universities of Wisconsin are eager to see how this innovative method of vegetation control performs in our solar array,” said Chief Facilities Officer Peter Davis. “It promises to save us valuable staff hours, time that can be redirected toward enhancing other high-traffic areas of campus that directly serve our students and visitors.”
Davis also noted the sheep’s unique contribution with humor: “The sheep are contract ‘employees’ of the university,” he said. “Contracted to eat.”
The herd has even caught the attention of campus leadership. Chancellor Tammy Evetovich visited the flock and shared a Facebook post, giving names to some of the sheep: Bo, Peep, and Sebaaastian.
Though modest in size, these sheep have become essential members of the campus community, quietly maintaining the solar array and keeping the grounds in check. In essence, they are truly a sheep in a lawnmower’s clothing.
Photo Credit: istock-heebyj
Categories: Wisconsin, Education, Livestock, Goats & Sheep