As part of its efforts to operate the greenest airport anywhere, this week the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) showed off a herd of 25 goats, sheep, llamas and burros that have been grazing on O’Hare Airport property the past few weeks as part of the airport’s Sustainable Vegetation Management initiative.

“Project HERD” is tasked with munching unwanted vegetation on up to 120 acres of airport property that is difficult to maintain with traditional landscaping equipment.

The herd will be on duty as long as weather permits and then come back to work in the fall of 2104.

And a hard working herd it is: just a few hours before the airport had their event to show off the project to media, a baby sheep was born.  He’s been named O’Hare.

O’Hare isn’t the only airport to have animals as part of its landscaping crew. San Francisco International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have programs like this currently underway. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport tried it a few years back, but decided not to continue with the project.

(Photos courtesy Chicago Department of Aviation)

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