The effect of stand density on moose damage in young Pinus sylvestris stands

The relationship between moose damage and the stocking density of young Scots pine stands was investigated in the study. A regeneration area with an initial density of 14 700 seedlings ha‐1 was thinned to densities ranging from 2 000 to 11 000 seedlings ha‐1. Part of the stand was left unthinned. The study area was a typical winter foraging habitat for moose in southern Finland, the moose density being over 2 individuals 100 ha‐1. Both the number of saplings which escaped serious moose damage and the number of saplings browsed by moose increased with an increase in stand density. The most severe damage occurred when the plants were at a height of 1.5–2 m. At densities of between 2 000 and 11 000 plants ha‐1, moose browsed the lateral shoots of every second pine sapling, without touching the main stem. The proportion of saplings with stem damage fell from 40% to 20% when the stand denisty increased from 2 000 to 11 000 plants ha‐1. With a density of over 11 000 plants ha‐1, the proportion of saplings with stem damage increased to 60%. If the development capacity of sapling stands is to be retained in areas subjected to repeated moose browsing, then a regeneration density of at least 4 000 seedlings ha‐1 is required.