Overview

• Dresden has relied on sheep grazing since 1992 to maintain the Elbe meadows, an ecologically sensitive area supporting biodiversity and cultural landscapes.
• This year's grazing season features 600 Schwarzkopf- and Suffolk-sheep, with 500 on the Ostragehege and 100 on the Heller, managed under city subsidies.
• Veteran shepherd Steffen Vogel, who has overseen the program since its inception, will retire in 2025, handing over responsibilities to Eric Fischer.
• The grazing method protects ground-nesting species like the Wachtelkönig and Wiesenknopfameisenbläuling, which could be harmed by machinery-based maintenance.
• Officials urge visitors to properly dispose of litter and dog waste, as they pose risks to both the sheep's health and the machinery used for supplementary meadow upkeep.