Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

In northern Sweden, reindeer rely heavily on ground lichen as a key resource for winter forage. However, forestry practices focused on production can negatively impact lichen abundance through denser stands, and the last 60 years have seen a decline of lichen-rich forests by 71 %. As a result, extensive research on adapted management for the benefit of ground lichen abundance has found improvement potential surrounding forestry practices on land overlapping between reindeer husbandry and forest companies.

This study aimed to develop a method for prioritizing stands for reindeer-adapted management by analysing lichen coverage and forest structure across more than 300 000 ha of productive forest land owned by Sveaskog. Spatial filtering was applied using lichen intensity data derived from a 10 x 10 m raster in combination with a forest stand dataset from Sveaskog. Forest stands were categorized by lichen abundance and developmental stage, and those classified as young or middle-aged were analysed based on structural parameters such as basal area, stem density and site index.

The results found that ground lichen was most prevalent in stands with low site productivity and lower stand density, reaffirming the literature. Management classes proved effective for identifying operationally viable stands and exhibited structural patterns consistent with literature on lichen ecology. However, uncertainties in data such as stem density indicate improvement potential with regards to more precise classification. The workflow developed in the study provides a practical framework for integrating ecological considerations into forest management for planning alongside reindeer husbandry.