Reduce the intensity of livestock grazing in forests

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 2
Share Tweet Email

View assessment score

How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

78%
Certainty

34%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Complete removal of livestock by fencing tends to promote regeneration, mainly in the early stages after removal. This is due to the removal of the disturbance effect of animals, which commonly provides ‘niches’ for seedling establishment. Reducing grazing intensity rather than complete removal may allow continued income from livestock.

Study locations

Key messages

One replicated study in the UK found that reducing grazing intensity increased the number of tree saplings.
One replicated, randomized, controlled study in Greece found that reducing grazing intensity increased understory biomass.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated study in 1986-1993 in temperate woodland in the UK (Hester, Mitchell & Kirby 1996) found that reducing the intensity of sheep grazing increased the numbers of tree saplings. The number of saplings/100 m² was higher in low-intensity (0.54-0.66) than in high- and medium-intensity grazing plots. Four plots for each grazing intensity: high (2.1-3.8 sheep/ha); medium (1.2-2.0 sheep/ha) or low (0.6-1.2 sheep/ha) were established in 1986. Saplings (>30 cm diameter at breast height) were monitored in 2003 in 20 quadrats (10 × 10 m) within each plot.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Hester A., Mitchell F. & Kirby K. (1996) Effects of season and intensity of sheep grazing on tree regeneration in a British upland woodland. Forest Ecology and Management, 88, 99-106.
A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 1991-2005 in a Mediterranean oak forest in central Macedonia, Greece (Ainalis, Platis & Meliadis 2010) found that reducing grazing intensity increased understory plant biomass . Understory production (kg/ha dry matter) was higher in non- and lightly-grazed (~4,500) than in moderately-grazed (~2,800) and heavily-grazed sites (~1,000). A study area of 2,000 ha was divided into six forest segments, each was divided into three areas with different stocking densities (goats and cattle): heavy (15 animals/ha), moderate (5 animals/ha) and light (0.2 animals/ha). Sixty plots (1 m²) were randomly placed in every grazing treatment in all stands and protected from grazing at the end of 2004. Similar size plots with grazing close to protected (control) plots were sampled for comparison. Overall understory (herbage and browse) production was measured in 1991 and in September 2005.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Ainalis A.B., Platis P.D. & Meliadis I.M. (2010) Grazing effects on the sustainability of an oak coppice forest. Forest ecology and management, 259, 428-432.

Please cite as:

Agra, H., Schowanek, S., Carmel, Y., Smith, R.K. & Ne’eman, G. (2020) Forest Conservation. Pages 323-366 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Forest Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Shorten livestock grazing period or control grazing season in forests Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	3	Synopsis Link
Use wire fences within grazing areas to exclude livestock from specific forest sections Action Link	Likely to be beneficial	12	Synopsis Link
Reduce the intensity of livestock grazing in forests Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	2	Synopsis Link