Vad påverkar betestrycket av älg? : En statistisk analys av ÄBIN-data av älgars betestryck på tall längs väg E4 i Norrland med fokus på viltstängsel och trädslagsammansättning

The Swedish forest is valuable from many different perspectives in the form of forestry, climate change, biodiversity, and recreation. In order to utilize the forest and meet all needs, it is important to investigate potential factors affecting the growth of the forest. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate how road barriers in the form of fencing can affect browsing on pine along highway E4 in northeast Sweden. In addition, tree density, tree species composition, area of young forest, ground vegetation, and interactions between these different factors were investigated. The study is based on data from the moose-grazing-on-pine inventory (ÄBIN) carried out by the Swedish Forest Agency between 2015-2019. The data were analysed in a multiple regression analysis. Results showed that road fencing have some effect on moose grazing on pine and that tree density, tree species composition and the amount of young forest also affect the amount of grazing damage on pine. Higher densities of pine, spruce and birch can lower the proportion of damaged pines. Hence, in order to reduce the browsing damage on pine, forest owners should increase the tree densities and the diversity of tree species in young forests, thereby creating more heterogenous forests that can benefit forestry, biodiversity, recreation and to decrease climate change