Conservationists in Barcelona are adopting a tried-and-true technique to put out wildfires - feeding goats and lambs as much foliage as they can.
Spain has failed to control wildfires during this summer's heatwaves, similar to most of Europe, so it has become an antiquated strategy.
In Barcelona, 290 sheep and goats have begun their mission of gnawing away vegetation and grass in places that can catch fire. The resulting desolate places might then serve as a natural firebreaker.
The technique was already tried out in the Catalan province of Girona in 2016. Other nations, including France, Portugal, and California, are considering implementing the sheep procedure.
Goats and Sheep to Battle Wildfires in Barcelona
The Municipality of Barcelona has chosen to use a natural defense against fires, posing a growing threat to the region due to climate change.
The Catalan city hired a shepherd and 150 goats and sheep in May, and they now graze daily in Collserola, the region's largest patch of undeveloped land.
Reports point out that there are currently 290 sheep, and letting the animals eat the vegetation in the woodlands lessens the likelihood that it would catch fire and spread.
Daniel Sanchez, a 36-year-old shepherd, given a flock three months ago with the task of sprucing up those places neglected, was part of the project.
According to Italian Post, one of Spain's top specialists in sheep farming, Ferran Pauné, came up with the trial idea that the Municipality wanted to implement 10 years ago.
Since the results were clear, the local government agreed to approve a second experiment phase beginning in September, including two shepherds and 300 sheep.
There will be participation from the surrounding municipalities, such as Molins de Rei, Esplugues de Llobregat, and Cerdanyola del Valle. Ferran Paune plans to engage seven shepherds in the near future to graze 400 sheep in flocks over the whole Collserola region.
It will be essential to persuade the political elites and, most importantly, to locate shepherds-a vocation that is all but extinct in Spain.
Here's When The Project Started
Evening Standard said the operation got underway in April, with the cattle testing their stomachs against the park's 8,000 hectares of greenery west of the city, Collserola.
Authorities are concerned about the area's proximity to Barcelona's major metropolitan centers since it experiences about 50 wildfires a year, even if most of the fires are promptly put out.
Compared to using machines to accomplish the same task, using sheep and goats to clean the land is 75% less expensive. Even local tourists now come to see the creatures.
Julia Rouet-Leduc, a researcher at the University of Leipzig's German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, said the action is a part of a solution that can make landscapes more fire resistant.
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