Sheep Thrills at Appleton Airport

Wisconsin's Appleton International Airport (KATW) has rented a herd of sheep for organic removal of an invasive plant.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 07:44 PM ET

Verified

[Courtesy of Schmidt Communicates/Appleton International Airport]

Key Takeaways:

Appleton International Airport (KATW) successfully used a herd of "babydoll" sheep from Wooly Green Grazers to organically manage invasive species like Phragmites Australis and buckthorn in its conservancy area.
Traditional methods like herbicides were avoided to protect newly planted trees, and goats were deemed unsuitable due to their non-discriminatory eating habits and potential to escape.
The sheep-grazing solution proved more cost-effective than conventional methods, saving approximately $1,000, while effectively removing invasive plants without harming the valuable young trees.
The project was environmentally friendly, monitored by electric fences and cameras, and considered successful, with discussions about future deployment of the sheep.

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Phragmites Australis, also known as ditch weed, is an invasive species in Wisconsin. When it threatens to take over your land, you could spend thousands of dollars to hire a small army to rip the plants out by hand or spray herbicide that could create its own problems–or you could do what the folks at Appleton International Airport (KATW) and rent a herd of sheep for organic removal of the invasive plant which is growing in the Casaloma Conservancy area northeast of the airport.

According to airport officials, when an airport does any kind of development or expansion, it is required to replace developments with wetlands and conservancy areas where staffers manage invasive species. The airport purchased the property in 2011. It is a popular open space for hiking and getting back to nature as it has a short hiking trail.