A flock of 50 to 100 sheep is once again grazing verges and embankments in Ghent this week as the city resumes its mobile grazing scheme after a temporary halt.
Accompanied by a shepherd, the flock is moving from the Blaarmeersen along the River Leie towards the Coupure. On weekdays, the sheep stay overnight in small holding meadows, and at weekends, they are kept in a larger meadow on Noorderlaan or in the Bourgoyen nature area.
According to Councillor for Nature and Green Spaces Bram Van Braeckevelt of Groen, the animals do more than keep the grass short.
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He said the sheep also help boost biodiversity. The city also uses them at permanent grazing sites to prevent areas from becoming overgrown with trees and to tackle invasive plant species.
Ghent has been using sheep for ecological green space management since 2010, with what began as a pilot project at the Blaarmeersen that later expanded to other sites across the city.
