%0 Research article %T Impact of moose damage on the development of Scots pine seedling stands based on the National Forest Inventory of Finland %A Haakana, Helena %A Matala, Juho %A Huuskonen, Saija %A Korhonen, Kari T. %A Nikula, Ari %A Räty, Minna %D 2026 %J Silva Fennica %V 60 %N 4 %R doi:10.14214/sf.25034 %U https://silvafennica.fi/article/25034 %X

In Fennoscandia, moose (Alces alces L.) browsing significantly damages commercial forests, influencing tree species composition and seedling growth. We examined the long-term development of moose-damaged forests in Finland, focusing on seedling stands artificially regenerated for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). The analysis used National Forest Inventory (NFI) data from four consecutive five-year periods (2004–2023). Remeasured permanent sample plots were used to compare the development of damaged and undamaged stands. The total area affected by moose increased from 0.966 to 1.116 million hectares over the four NFI cycles. Of this, 61% was significantly damaged, indicating reduced silvicultural quality, and the proportion was higher in the north. Among young seedling stands recorded in the first inventory as being artificially regenerated for Scots pine, moose damage affected 44% of their total area nationwide over the study period, with a higher proportion in the south. Moose browsing frequently shifted the dominant tree species from Scots pine to downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) and, secondarily, Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.). Where notable or severe damage was observed in the first inventory, crop seedling numbers remained lower throughout the study. Our findings show that moose browsing has long-term effects on tree species composition and stand structure, including mean height, mean diameter, and density. Damage patterns vary regionally and by stand characteristics, although many previously affected stands show recovery or reduced impacts. Large-scale monitoring systems such as NFIs provide long-term data for detecting changes in browsing intensity and vegetation, thereby supporting forest and wildlife management.