Parry Sound Solar Site Gets Help From Goats And Sheep To Clean Up Weeds

The four-legged team is part of a sustainable vegetation management pilot project designed to help control tall grass, brush, and invasive growth around the 500-kilowatt solar farm consisting of 1,620 solar panels at 57 MacFarlane Street. As vegetation has grown across the former landfill site, some of it has begun shading the solar panels and limiting their ability to generate clean energy. The pilot uses managed grazing as a low-impact way to help keep the site clear, productive, and better aligned with Parry Sound’s net-zero goals.

Unlike traditional clearing methods that can require heavy equipment, intensive labour, and repeated maintenance visits, goats and sheep naturally browse vegetation in and around hard-to-reach areas. At the SPEEDIER site, that means the animals can help reduce shading on the solar panels while contributing to a more nature-based approach to land stewardship.

“One  thing I love most about sustainability  is finding solutions that create benefits beyond their original purpose,” said  Olivia Cordner, Lakeland Solutions Intern. “Growing up on a farm and now  pursuing Environmental Engineering at the University of Guelph, it’s been a joy  helping with an initiative that supports clean energy production while creating  opportunities for environmental stewardship, agriculture, and community  collaboration. This project shows what’s possible when we bring people together  around a shared goal and work with nature to achieve it.”