Berlin, Berlin (FUA), Germany
City population: 4186143
Duration: 2018 – ongoing
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: 550000 m2
Type of area: Cultural Heritage Area
Last updated: March 2025

In Berlin, at the palace park and garden Charlottenburg, approx. 40 to 70 horned Gotland sheep are used to maintain the grass fields and meadows. The project is part of a garden and landscape conservation programme that is to be seen as a contribution to practical nature conservation by the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg, which manages the park. From May to November, the sheep are grazing on the palace property, whereby the exact length of time the sheep are kept and the duration of the project depend largely on the developing weather conditions. This is because prolonged drought significantly reduces the growth of the grasses. (Ref. 1) The garden had already been grazed earlier in its history, but no longer in the post-war period. The garden was created by Electress Sophie Charlotte in 1695. (Ref. 3) Since 2018, sheep can be found again in the park space where they graze on extensive meadows with groups of chestnut, lime, maple, oak, beech and solitary trees. At the beginning of May, they move into their first station there, usually the meadow in front of the late baroque-classical Belvedere tea house. Once this has been grazed, they move on to the next meadow; with an area of 55 hectares, there is plenty of pasture. (Ref. 4) Sheep from his flock also graze on the green flat roof of the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Pankow, the palace garden of Sanssouci and other public and private patches of land around Berlin. Reasons to use sheep over machinery for the maintenance of the park space are monetary and a reduce loss of biodiversity. Sheep are cheaper compared to machinery, the needed labour and wear, and also don't kill insects living in the fields as machinery does. Furthermore, the sheep dung fertilises the grass area, sheep limit the spread of invasive plants and are more gentle to the soil. At the same time, palace visitors enjoy observing the sheep and can learn about them in guided tours. (Ref. 4; Ref. 6)

Sheep grazing in front of the Belvedere building
Sheep in front of Belvedere
Ulrike Kiefert

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests

Key challenges

  • Environmental quality
  • Soil quality improvement
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
  • Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Effective management
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Environmental education

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

  • Environmental Degradation
  • Biodiversity loss
  • Invasive alien species
  • Soil degradation and loss

Key priorities

Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)

Focus

Maintenance and management of urban nature, Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks), Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat conservation, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Creation of new, innovative governance and management approaches

Project objectives

To contribute positively to the biodiversity of the palace garden. (Ref. 1) To fertilize the soil using sheep dung. (Ref. 4) To reduce biodiversity loss caused by insects being killed by machinery. (Ref. 8) To increase awareness, interaction, engagement and education about sheep and grazing as valuable contributions to landscape maintenance. (Ref. 4) To limit the spread of invasive species. To implement new management approaches of green areas that are less harsh on the environment (Ref. 4)

Implementation activities

The garden had already been grazed earlier in its history by various livestock, but no longer in the post-war period. Since 2018, the area has been maintained and grazed again by sheep. (Ref. 3) During Winter the sheep live outside Berlin and are being transported to the palace around May where they stay until November, depending on the weather conditions. The sheep graze in smaller, fenced areas that are being moved regularly. The sheep species grazing in Berlin are Gotland sheep, which are considered to be robust and eat all plants, whereby they limit the spread of invasive plant species like Robinia by eating them before they can spread further. The sheep's dung is fertilising the soil and improves its quality additionally through the lower impact compared to machinery used to maintain the meadows. Machinery-based maintenance kills a lot of insects through the sudden cut of plants, whereas sheep practice a more gentle approach to meadow upkeep, as their slow movements let insects move before being eaten. Monitoring should clarify the extent to which grazing has a positive effect on the diversity of animal and plant species. (Ref. 3; Ref. 4; Ref. 7) Public tours for families, schools and adults are offered that inform and educate about sheep grazing. (Ref. 1)

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
  • Protect species
  • Control and clean invasive alien species

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
  • Private sector/Corporate/Company

Governance

Management set-up

  • Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Public sector institution
  • Private sector/corporate actor/company

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Dissemination of information and education

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg (SPSG) manages the palace and garden and pays for the implementation/sheep grazing. The sheep belong to a farm outside Berlin and are being taken care of by a shepherd. (Ref. 8) The SPSG is financed by regional budget from the states of Berlin and Brandenburg as well as through national budget. (Ref. 10) The shepherd and the garden/park managers offer guided tours and workshops to visitors, where they inform them about sheep and sustainable park management. (Ref. 1)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Type of enablers

Unknown

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Public national budget
  • Public regional budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Environmental quality
  • Improved soil quality
  • Expected improved soil quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Expected increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Increased presence and recovery of wild species
  • Achieved increased presence and recovery of wild species
  • Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
  • Achieved improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
  • Other

Economic impacts

  • Other

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Achieved increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
  • Achieved enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief

Type of reported impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs

Other

References

1.
Foundation of Prussian Palaces and Gardens Berlin-Brandenburg (2023). Die Schafe kommen wieder . Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Berliner Zeitung (2023). Berlin: Schafe grasen im Schlosspark Charlottenburg. Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
3.
BZ (2019). Am Schloss Charlottenburg sorgen jetzt Schafe für schönen Rasen. Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Berliner Zeitung (2020). Die Guteschafe von Charlottenburg. Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
5.
dpa-infocom GmbH (2018). Wieder Schafe für Schlossgarten Charlottenburg. Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
6.
rbb 24 (2024). Schafe grasen wieder auf Wiese hinter Schloss Sanssouci. Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Kiefert, U. (2024). Im Schlossgarten Charlottenburg weiden bis November wieder Gotlandschafe. Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
8.
FORUM (2020). Ein Schafslogistiker in Berlin. Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Scheld, A. (2021). Wie es wirklich ist ... Schäfer in der Stadt zu sein.. Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
10.
n.a. (1994). Staatsvertrag über die Errichtung einer "Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg". Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
11.
Statistik Berlin-Brandenburg (n.d.). Einwohnerbestand in Berlin - Grunddaten. Accessed on September 25, 2024, [Source link];
Sheep in the palace garden Charlottenburg
Sheep in the palace garden Charlottenburg
Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
naturescapes bannerInformation about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.