Open Space Administrator Anne Bolinger and Senior Natural Resource Administrator Lyndsey Boyer look over a map where the sheep are grazing Friday morning.
The sheep have returned to the Carson City hills.
The sheep project is held annually in Carson City to reduce fuels along the wildland/urban interface. The sheep eat cheatgrass, weeds as well as native bunch grasses to reduce the fuel load in these sensitive areas.
The sheep began behind Greenhouse Garden Center on Friday, and will steadily move north over the next five to six weeks, changing locations approximately every three or four days to prevent over grazing and other potential impacts to the landscape.
Other grazing locations include lands behind Curry Street, Voltaire Canyon, C-Hill and Vicee Canyon. A total of 2,000 acres will be grazed. There are approximately 1,700 sheep total, comprised of 1,000 lambs and 700 ewes. The Borda Land and Sheep Company of Gardnerville provide the sheep.
The public is welcome to engage with the sheep, but dog owners are asked to keep their dogs on a leash, or leave them at home when visiting the sheep. The sheep can be frightened easily.
A “Trail Graze” hike May 5 to highlight the sheep project is also planned as the project’s purpose and history will be covered. The location will be announced on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CCPRDept/.