Kudzu: a scourge of the South, a plague upon landscaping, an arch-nemesis of gardeners... and a sheep's favorite snack? It's true. The invasive vine that chokes the landscape of the South has a tight hold over Atlanta's green spaces, barring them from much cultivation and generally just being a useless jerk of a plant. But lo, a herd of heroes is suiting up, joining forces, and combining the power of their Planeteer rings (er, cloven hooves?) to rid Atlanta's green spaces of this pestilence. By simply snacking their way around the city, not unlike my own job description, the befleeced livestock will help to curb "the vine that ate the South"—which, did you know, grows at a rate of 150,000 acres per year?



The Trees Atlanta initiative, known colloquially as "Have Ewe Herd??" (yep), will move one hundred sheep (and a couple conspicuous goats, it seems) around the city, helping Trees Atlanta in what's normally a difficult and often herbicide-aided process of clearing kudzu from its victims. The herd has begun their multicourse meal at Chastain Park, working to eat their way through two acres of the evil vine, all while protected by an actual shepherd, a few guard dogs, and temporary fencing. According to Trees Atlanta, those ruminants can snack at a rate of 150 square feet a day, and will be moved around the city throughout the year. Ewe You can keep up with our four-legged heroes on the Trees Atlanta website, and you can also meet a few of our kudzu-avengers below.