Officials enlist unlikely helpers to tackle daunting project on public land: 'They're fun to watch'

Residents in Prince Edward Island, Canada, were treated to a surprising sight over the weekend — a lawn maintenance crew that bleats instead of buzzes.

At the Elmer "Homer" MacFadyen Memorial Recreational Complex, locals gathered to watch a group of sheep mow the grass the natural way, as part of a new mobile grazing pilot project launched by Charlottetown.

According to CBC News, the initiative is part of the city's climate action plan, which aims to reduce harmful carbon pollution from traditional lawn care by embracing eco-friendly solutions such as electric mowers and animal-powered landscaping.

"We also saw a number of municipalities doing this across Canada," said Kristen Gore, the city's acting climate action officer, in an interview with CBC News. "It's something that municipalities are trying as kind of an innovative or newer method for difficult-to-maintain areas and natural spaces."

The city partnered with Quality Sheep, a local farm operated by Darryl Stoltz, to bring in the woolly workers. Temporary electric fencing keeps the flock contained while giving spectators a safe way to observe the action — and people were clearly very delighted.

"Our sheep, they're easy to move around with our portable fencing," Stoltz explained. "And I think the people that observe the sheep, they find them therapeutic. They're fun to watch."

Beyond their charm, the animals are helping the city rethink how it maintains green spaces. Unlike gas-powered mowers, grazing sheep don't produce pollution, noise, or waste. They also help improve soil health by naturally fertilizing as they graze.

Looking ahead, Gore said the city hopes to expand the program to more sites — and possibly include goats — to manage overgrown areas and control invasive plant species.

Sheep- or goat-powered mowing may seem novel, but it's part of a growing movement to blend sustainability with simplicity, showing that sometimes the best solutions are centuries old.

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard?

Mowing the lawn 🏡