THE CITY SHEEP PROJECT � A SUSTAINABLE WAY TO MANAGE URBAN GREEN SPACES?

In Germany, a considerable amount of arable land is used for the cultivation of animal feed, and significant resources are spent on the import and export of feed. These factors generally contribute to the large ecological footprint of meat and dairy production. Particularly peripheral areas of cities such as housing or industrial estates often have considerable, contiguous green spaces. The way they are usually managed inherents potential for improvement in terms of sustainability. One option is to use these green spaces for grazing, to be carried out as rotational grazing due to the competition for use. A research project conducted within the city of Freiberg, Saxony, Germany was implemented as an example to investigate whether the use of urban green spaces for grazing would be practical and feasible. The investigations were based on an urban grazing project that was carried out in summer 2020 under the name �city sheep project� (�Projekt Stadtschaf�). In the framework of the project, data was collected and evaluated with regard to sustainability. Nutrient balance, biodiversity, emission and immission control, economic efficiency and social acceptance were therefore considered. It was found that grazing urban green spaces has clear advantages over conventional management in terms of sustainability from an ecological perspective.