Governors Island Counting On Sheep For Landscaping Program

NEW YORK CITY — Sheep don't think the invasive plant species sprouting up on Governors Island are so baaaad.

In fact, they find them delicious.

Governors Island's caretakers are counting on a flock of five wooly foragers to take a major bite out of invasive plants on the island's Hammock Grove. For four to five months this summer, they'll turn the grove into a literal Sheep's Meadow.

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday praised the plan with an animal pun-filled statement — his second of the day after "whale-coming" a COVID-19 vaccination site under the American Museum of Natural History's blue whale.

“The shear genius of this idea lies in its simplicity," de Blasio's statement read. "On behalf of the thousands of New Yorkers flocking to open space on Governors Island every season, I want to thank Flour, Sam, Evening, Chad, and Philip Aries for doing their part to bring New York City baaaack,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Bon appetit, fellas.”

And yes, the Faaaab Five of sheep consists of Flour, Sam, Evening, Chad, and Philip Aries — a flock from Friends of Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm in Albany.

The program is run by the Trust for Governors Island. They aim to use the sheep as a cost-effective and eco-friendly way to weed Hammock Grove and free up human horticulturists to spend less than 30 percent of their time fighting invasive species, according to a release.

Sheep, unlike goats, will eat around young trees and won't chew up tree bark, officials said. They're also particularly fond of Phragmites, an extremely common invasive plant.

“This innovative, environmentally friendly landscaping program will protect our Island’s plant life from invasive species while allowing our horticulture team to spend their time on more productive pursuits than weeding Hammock Grove," Clare Newman, the trust's president and CEO, said in a statement. "Our new sheep employees have arrived at the perfect time, and we welcome their contributions to help protect the natural landscapes of Governors Island."