Adapted forest management to improve the potential for reindeer husbandry in Northern Sweden

In northern Sweden, improvements of grazing conditions are necessary for the continuation of traditional, natural pasture-based reindeer husbandry. Ground and tree lichen constitute the main fodder resource for reindeer during winter but have reached critically low levels. Using a forest decision support system, we prescribe adapted forest management to improve the preconditions for reindeer husbandry and compare outcomes with the continuation of current forest management. We found that adapted management increases the forest area with ground lichen habitat by 22% already within 15 years, while a continuation of current management would result in a further decrease in ground lichen. Tree lichen habitat can be retained and increased in all scenarios, which is important in a changing climate. Compared to a continuation of current practices, adapted management with significantly improved conditions for lichen resulted in a decrease in net revenues from wood production by 11-22%.

Automated summary

Improvements of grazing conditions are necessary for reindeer husbandry in northern Sweden due to critically low levels of ground and tree lichen. Adapted forest management can increase ground lichen habitat by 22% within 15 years and retain or increase tree lichen habitat. However, this would result in a decrease in net revenues from wood production by 11-22% compared to current practices.