Ungulate Management

Free ranging and overabundant ungulate populations of particularly deer (roe deer, red deer and fallow deer) play an important role in controlling tree species composition in the forests of modern industrialized countries. Thus introduction of new species of stable long-lived conifers and broadleaves in the plantations has become increasingly difficult. Unprotected regeneration of trees may be practically impossible due to today's large deer populations.

Forest managed according to CNF principles provide a continuous forest cover and large areas with natural regeneration will provide shelter and food as a continuum throughout the forest. In the long run, this is expected to facilitate less stress to the wildlife due to disturbance, and give the forest a higher carrying capacity, while also reducing the severe damage levels of regeneration seen today. But in the short run a need to protect plants and regulate deer populations is deemed necessary.

The project will focus on handling wildlife from three different aspects i.e.:

• protecting plants (compartment level),
• testing different hunting regimes (forest level)
• implement and develop methods for registration og wildlife damage