Effects of season and intensity of sheep grazing on a British upland woodland: Browsing damage to planted saplings

Abstract

Summary The effects of experimental alteration of season (summer/winter) and intensity of sheep grazing on browsing damage to planted saplings in an upland broadleaved woodland in Cumbria are reported. For saplings of Fraxinus excelsior, Ilex aquifolium and Quercus petraea planted in 1986, browsing of current year's shoots was greatest in summer but browsing of previous years' shoots was greatest in winter. For saplings planted in 1988, season of grazing only significantly affected Quercus petraea, with more damage in winter than summer. Intensity of grazing affected saplings planted in 1988 of all three species, with increased damage at higher grazing intensities. It is suggested that, for sheep, the availability of non-woody forage may be an important determinant of the degree of browsing damage to saplings, which has implications for the choice of herbivore for woodland grazing management.