Riverside Park may have goats, but Governors Island has some animals of its own–sheep!
The Governors Island Trust just announced that its iconic sheep landscaping squad is heading baaaaaaack to the island this summer for their fourth consecutive year.
For the next few months the sheep will stroll the island’s grounds eating invasive species of plants and preserving its ecosystem.
The sheep will hang out (aka work) in the relaxing Hammock Grove, making it an even more desirable spot to kick back on a beautiful day!
They’ll take control of (aka eat) the invasive plant species on that corner of the Island, munching on delicious herbaceous plants such as grasses, phragmites, and flowering plants like mugwort and sunflowers.
The sheep are named Evening, Chad, Philip Aries, Bowie, and Jupiter, and they come from Friends of Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm in Albany.
Since this program first started in 2021, the sheep have eaten roughly 14.5 acres worth of invasive plant species, starting with a whopping 8.26 acres in their first year alone.
This work freed up thousands of work hours for the humans that make up the Governors Island horticulture team, allowing them to focus on more important tasks such as building and landscaping new pathways in Hammock Grove that visitors to the Island can enjoy, among other projects.
Clare Newman, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island, stated:
Every year we are excited to welcome our sheep friends to their summer home on Governors Island, not only because they are amazing creatures and beloved by our visitors but also because they put in the hard work that allows our horticulture team to focus on more important tasks than mowing lawns and pulling weeds. We encourage New Yorkers and visitors from all over the world to take a quick ferry ride to Governors Island, see the sheep in action, enjoy the best view in New York City and take in everything this wonderful place has to offer.
As for the sheep, they issued a joint statement expressing their elation on returning to Governors Island, stating:
Baaaaaaa, baaaaaa, baaaaaa, baaaaa, baaaaaa!
Several events will be held on Governors Island in partnership with Friends of Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm, featuring live sheep herding, Q&A’s with our shepherds, and hands-on wool activities. You can learn more about this here.
Beyond the sheep, visitors to Governors Island can also enjoy sips at a tropical bar, camping under the stars, and QC NY Spa, which is set to receive a 15k-square-foot expansion this July!
Written by Claire Leaden & Brianna Perry