UPDATES! (updated on May 8th, 2025)

Sheep Location

  • The north band completed grazing at the end of April.
  • The south band continues to graze the area behind C-Hill and the beginning of Kings Canyon for a couple more weeks.
  • This year, there will be two bands (groups) of sheep grazing in Carson City, totaling approximately 2,400 sheep. The first band will enter Carson City on the north end of town near Timberline, behind Western Nevada College, starting approximately between April 5 and April 10 and will be walking in from a previous grazing treatment in Washoe County. The second band will be trucked in and unloaded in the hills behind Greenhouse Garden Center starting approximately Saturday, April 12. Dropping them takes two full days as it takes 10-trailer loads to bring them all to Carson City. The public is welcome to watch the sheep as they excitedly jump out of the trailer and run into the nearby hills. The sheep will be grazing in Carson City through the end of May. If you want to avoid the sheep, you can find alternative hiking/biking locations at www.carsoncity.gov/trails.

Sheep Interpretive Talk

  • On May 1st, Sr. Natural Resource Specialist Marenna Lovejoy gave a talk on project history, logistics, and fun facts. Over 20 individuals were in attendance, and everyone was able to see and hear the sheep up close! Stay tuned for another sheep talk next year!

 

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Background Information:

The sheep grazing project in Carson City began in 2006, in response to the 2004 Waterfall Fire that burned over 8,000 acres on the west side of town, resulting in loss of life, and the complete destruction of 17 homes, damage to a combined nearly 49 homes or outbuildings and 51 vehicles. It cost $8 million to fight the fire and caused at least $10 million in property damage; figures that today would total closer to $30 million. The Waterfall Fire represents one of the most significant fire events in Carson City's most recent history. 

Following the Waterfall Fire, the sheep project was initially conceptualized as a cheatgrass reduction project, given the flush of fine fuels and invasive annuals that was anticipated following disturbance from the fire. Over the last 18 years as the area has been able to recover, the project goal has shifted away from targeted cheatgrass reduction, and into a much broader fuels reduction project to reduce fire risk in Carson City and increase safety and community resilience from another devastating wildfire like that seen in 2004. 

This is the 19th year that Carson City is managing the sheep grazing project for the fine fuels (e.g. grasses) reduction in west Carson City to reduce wildfire risk at the wildland urban interface. There are two bands of sheep from Borda Land and Sheep Company: the north band consists of ~900 ewes and grazes behind Western Nevada College and the Timberline and Lakeview neighborhoods; the south band consists of ~750 ewes/lamb pairs (~1,500 total) and grazes hillsides from Voltaire Canyon to the south of Kings Canyon (Lincoln Bypass Trail and Borda Meadows). Quill Canyon is avoided to protect the City's water source. The north band grazes from about early-April to beginning-May. The south band grazes from about mid-April to end of May. During this time, signage will be posted at trailheads to notify residents/dog-walkers to be mindful of the sheep and to keep their dog(s) on a leash. 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long will the sheep be grazing?

The north band of sheep will start grazing early-April and finish beginning of May; the south band of sheep will begin mid-April and finish end of May. These are approximate dates and depends on forage levels.

 2. Why does my dog need to be on-leash?

Many dogs tend to herd other animals and will chase the sheep, spooking the herd. There are also guard dogs and  herding dogs that are present 24/7 with the sheep that are trained to defend them and will confront other dogs if they decide to approach. To avoid conflict, it is essential that dogs be kept on leash while sheep are grazing the nearby trails. Trails that are impacted will be marked with signage for the duration sheep are present. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our wooly firefighters safe! *Note, sheep will only graze a specific area for up to a week.

3. A sheep has strayed from the herd and is now near my house. What should I do?

It is not uncommon for a young lamb to get separated from the rest of the herd. This can happen when a lamb (or ewe) takes a break to rest under a shrub, then loses track of the herd. While they are trying to find the herd, they may veer close to the yards of homes adjacent to the grazed hillsides and continuously call out. The rancher has assured us that with time the lamb/ewe will typically find the herd within 24 hours. Although the sounds can be alarming/sound distressing, it is best to let the lamb/ewe find the herd on its own and wait it out. Do not encourage the lamb/ewe to come into your yard! 

If a lamb gets stuck in your yard or you find a hurt lamb, please call the numbers below in the following order until you reach someone:

  • Carson City Parks main line: (775) 887-2262
  • Nevada Humane Society: (775) 887-2171
  • Carson City non-emergency dispatch: (775) 887-2677

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Sheep's Impacts on Fires

Sheep are herbivores which live in groups called flocks. They are ruminants which means they have 4 parts to their stomachs, allowing them to eat plants and grasses that other animals cannot. A ruminant's stomach differs from human stomachs because it is not acidic and instead is full of good bacteria that allow them to turn plants into energy. Sheep help the environment by eating grasses and shrubs which serves as fuel to wildfires. In addition to this, sheep have pointed hooves which break up soil as they walk. This then allows seeds to find a place to grow and for water to soak into the ground easier, allowing plants to grow and preventing soil erosion. Sheep also have a unique mouth/palette that allows for non-invasive and impactful grazing, as opposed to horses and cows that tend to pull out entire perennial grasses including the roots! 

Utilizing sheep to consume plant biomass helps to prevent the spread of wildfires and is a natural and cost-effective way to protect the environment. Wildfires pose a serious threat to public safety and air quality. Ewes eat approximately five pounds of forage per day and lambs eat about two pounds per day. In 2024, the project lasted 40 days and we had 743 ewes and 1,012 lambs who collectively ate approximately 115 tons of biomass from the landscape. On average, that represents over 2,000 tons of biomass removed in the last 18 years that otherwise would have remained on the landscape in the absence of the sheep or wildfire. Another advantage of grazing is that the sheep trample the litter layer that would otherwise accumulate. Without this service, it would be difficult for desirable plants to sprout. 

 

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 Carson City Fuels Reduction Project Using Sheep Map