Encroachment effects on reindeer husbandry in Troms Knowledgebase for regional planning work

As a basic work for the regional comprehensive planning for reindeer husbandry in Troms, Norut, from 2019 integrated in NORCE, carried out an encroachment analysis on behalf of Troms County Municipality. The purpose of the work was to provide a broad and comprehensive presentation of the encroachment situation for reindeer husbandry in the county, and especially the cumulative (overall) effects of encroachments over time. This article provides an overview of the study and the results. The report we are referring to here (Riseth & Johansen 2019) is based on mapping of registered encroachments, a survey, and interviews, as well as statistics and reports. The encroachment map we have produced shows both regional differences and other local variations in the scope of the encroachment. The fjord zone with lower valley areas is most congested with infrastructure such as roads, power lines and facilities, military firing and training ranges as well as urban growth and activity. Cabin fields and modern recreational facilities constitute extensive and serious encroachments, especially because they are often placed at the tree line or in low mountain areas that are important spring grazing and calving areas. We have exemplified how various encroachments and disturbances interact within each of the reindeer husbandry's seasonal pastures and how this affects reindeer husbandry in the district throughout the annual cycle. Wind power projects can have particularly extensive effects, as they are often located in critical places in relation to reindeer husbandry's land use. In addition to the direct encroachments, the losses by predators have increased sharply. Analysis of the industry statistics over the last 20 years shows a clear connection between increasing losses and reduced harvesting for the entire Troms reindeer grazing area. Beyond this, climate change has complex effects that are different both geographically and between seasons. Increased temperatures, more precipitation and instability in weather conditions mean both overgrowth, longer growing season, more uncertain watercourses, increased danger of locked winter pastures, but also increased access to coastal winter pastures. The total effect of all the changes reindeer husbandry is exposed to is that the basic flexibility on which reindeer husbandry Sámi depend is being lost. Our investigations indicate that the total load of encroachments and disturbances is close to or above the tolerance limit in several reindeer grazing districts. What is really worrying is that there are no signs that development will change course.