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

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[Courtesy of Schmidt Communicates/Appleton International Airport]

Key Takeaways:

Appleton International Airport (KATW) sought an effective and environmentally friendly method to remove invasive species like *Phragmites Australis* and buckthorn from its conservancy area without harming newly planted trees.
Traditional methods, such as manual removal or herbicides, were costly and posed risks to the young trees, while goats were deemed too indiscriminate in their feeding habits.
The airport opted for an innovative solution by renting a herd of "babydoll" sheep from Wooly Green Grazers, which proved to be more cost-effective ($1,500 vs. $2,500 for traditional methods).
The sheep successfully consumed the invasive weeds while leaving the newly planted trees unharmed, demonstrating a successful and sustainable approach to vegetation management.

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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.