A Natural Defense: Sheep Clear Brush to Curb Fires

Westmont welcomed a herd of sheep to campus for three weeks during the summer to eat non-native vegetation and reduce wildfire fuel in the barranca west of Voskuyl Library, next to the dry Westmont Creek. Montecito Fire brought the flock from Cuyama Lamb to consume grasses before they dried out and posed a fire danger.

“As we saw in the Thomas Fire and the Tea Fire, this canyon funnels fire down into the community,” says Maeve Juarez, a wildland fire specialist for Montecito Fire. “We’re really sensitive to controlling the flashy fuels in this area.”

“Fire risk assessors still identify this ravine as a high-priority area for fire mitigation,” says Laura Drake Schultheis, Westmont assistant professor of biology, who has worked with ecology students to restore the property to a native oak woodland. “Reducing fuel helps protect both Westmont and the surrounding communities.” Schultheis says it’s the first time Montecito Fire has used sheep. “Grazing provides an effective and eco-friendly alternative to other methods with less noise and the added benefit of enjoying the sheep,” she says.

“Sheep work really well with restoration projects as they’re less invasive, and we can target some of the species we’re trying to eliminate,” Juarez says.