Letter to SLO County Parks Department

Dear Don Melin,

My name is John Deer, and I am writing this letter to encourage the SLO County Parks Department to utilize sheep as maintenance strategy for mowing lawns rather than traditional gasoline powered equipment.

Living in SLO the past 4 years I have greatly enjoyed spending time at all the parks within SLO county. The County has done a phenomenal job emphasizing the importance of creating access to parks and outdoor space for all their residents. However, as the impacts of climate change and human actions increasingly affect our overall environment it is vital that we look for creative and adaptive solutions. Within the parks department, lawn maintenance done with gas powered mowers and trimmers is adding carbon emissions into the air, increasing detrimental greenhouse gases. I live near terrace hill and noticed the goat herd clearing brush and debris for fire prevention earlier this year. I was encouraged to learn that this is being done annually at many locations throughout SLO county. Then I started thinking how goats and sheep could be utilized in other ways like mowing lawns. After looking into it, I found that a UC Davis professor has done an experimental research project using a small sheep herd to mow the lawns on the Davis campus. Historically sheep have been used to mow large park lawns, including Central Park and the White House. By readopting these techniques, the sheep can increase the soil health and fertility, reduce environmental impacts, and add to the parks’ overall aesthetic image. I believe that this could be incorporated into the parks department throughout the county and be quite successful.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and I hope that you will consider these innovative strategies for future maintenance operations.

Sincerely,

John Deer

References:

Sheepmowers.org. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://www.sheepmowers.org/research-overview.

SLO goats, sheep graze at Terrace Hill ... - sanluisobispo.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article252679448.html.