Paris Now Using Sheep as Lawnmowers in Public Parks

Perhaps you've driven by Nova's Ark sculpture fields in Bridgehampton and were impressed by the sheep grazing there among the large sculptures. It may have seemed a bit exotic. Well, livestock lawnmowers are catching on. It's the latest "graze" in Paris, a cosmopolitan center of global cultural trends. The headline states, "Paris is turning back the clock." But the solution seems to be progressive and practical, not necessarily outdated. There are a number of logical reasons why using sheep instead of lawnmowers in large city parks seems to make sense.

1. Large parks are conducive to grazing.

2. There will be less pollution, less fuel use, and less fertilizer need in the city of Paris.

3. The sight of sheep grazing in Paris parks will help to raise consciousness.

This idea of using sheep in contemporary public parks is not really all that new. For example, in many of the former Soviet countries of Eastern Europe it common today to see livestock grazing in public parks and public lands. The reason for this, however, is most likely due to economic restraints. Many former Soviet countries simply do not have a collection of high-quality mowers and highly-groomed public parks, therefore, grazing animals are not viewed as a problem but a solution.

But there are others who use this approach simply out of choice, it seems. As I mentioned earlier, many residents in the Hamptons are familiar with Nova's Ark sculpture fields that have been using sheep as natural lawnmowers for decades. The idea seems to be a timeless solution, even as the sculptures of the artist evoke thoughts about timeless realities and principles.

What's a bit striking about the use of sheep in Paris is that Paris is considered a center of highly advanced culture and advanced urban civilization, and so seeing this phenomenon there makes all the more dramatic a statement. This trend could lend a whole new meaning to "Sheep Meadow" in Central Park in New York City. But, considering all the logistical issues, the city bureaucracy seems a bit too cumbersome and would likely not be able to digest such a consideration.

Based on what I've been told, if you are a Hamptons area landowner with more that two acres of land, you can buy a sheep or a goat lawnmower and, technically, you can then call your property a farm and save some green on taxes.

Article by Richard Warden
Original article with video clip published at Warren's Nursery