Is it a bird? A plane? No, the latest arrival at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is closer to the ground. It’s sheep.
The world’s busiest airport this week is testing out the abilities of a flock of sheep to control pesky weeds growing near the airfield, through a partnership with urban forest conservation group Trees Atlanta.
About 100 grazing animals, mostly sheep with some goats thrown in the mix, are happily munching on kudzu, woody plants and shrubs on an airport-owned plot south of the airfield across Riverdale Road.
Fences keep the sheep contained and a couple of Anatolian Shepherd guardian dogs keep predators away. The animals come from Eweniversally Green, a sheep-staffed weed control company run by Brian Cash of Newnan, who checks on the flock regularly with a Border Collie for herding. The sheep don’t seem to not mind the sound of jets soaring overhead and the end-product of all the grazing is beneficial for the soil, according to Cash.
The pilot program, which runs through Monday, is aimed to give airport officials an idea of of how quickly the animals can consume overgrowth.
Vegetation control is critical for aviation safety because such greenery can attract deer, coyotes, rabbits and birds that can pose runway hazards. Airports in San Francisco and Seattle have tried ruminants for vegetation control, with varying results, according to airport project manager Chris Davis.
He plans to compare the cost of maintaining sheep to mowing and spraying pesticides on vegetation that covers as much as 3,000 acres of airport property. Still to be determined is whether the necessary fencing will get the approval of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, according to Davis.
Sheep have munched on kudzu and other plants in green spaces around town, including Chastain Park, Morningside Nature Preserve and Herbert Greene Nature Preserve as part of a Trees Atlanta program. The group views the sheep as a more environmentally-friendly method for controlling invasive plants than pesticides.
The airport pilot program costs roughly $500 and is funded through a private donor to Trees Atlanta. If the airport opts to turn to sheep for long-term vegetation control, it would pay for it with airport funds.
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