Remote sensing of the impact of reindeer grazing on vegetation in northern Fennoscandia using SPOT XS data

Abstract

Digital image analysis and SPOT XS satellite data recorded on 1 August 1991 were used to monitor vegetation in the border region between Enontekio municipality, Finland, and Kautokeino municipality, Norway. A supervised classification on the red wave length channel was undertaken using training areas for maximum likelihood classifier to produce seven spectral land cover classes. The classification revealed great differences in vegetation between Finland and Norway. The largest difference was the lack of Cladinalichens on the Finnish side of the border. The area on the Finnish side is used for grazing all year round, while the area on the Norwegian side is a winter range only. According to official data for the local reindeer population, the average annual grazing pressure (head/area/time) is higher on the Norwegian side of the reindeer fence. The Finnish grazing practice is believed to have a detrimental impact on the vegetation, and has lead to pasture land degradation.