The City of Winnipeg is utilizing sheep at the Living Prairie Museum for the second year in a row as the site’s unofficial maintenance crew.
Based on a pilot project last year, a flock of hungry sheep are returning as a means of vegetation management.
“There have been a number of studies showing that grazers can have a positive effect when maintaining natural areas and can be an effective tool for weed control,” says City of Winnipeg naturalist Rodney Penner.
“We are very excited to have our wooly friends back to continue our innovation in managing vegetation in naturalized park spaces.”
The program will be in place for approximately two weeks as the sheep spend their weekdays within a temporary, moveable fenced enclosure. They will return to their farm for the weekend.
While visitors to the museum are welcome to view grazing activities, the museum will not allow the public to pet, feed, or directly interact with the sheep to ensure both the animals’ and the public’s safety.
The Living Prairie Museum is a 30-acre) tall grass prairie preserve located at 2795 Ness Avenue.
