The wild reindeer in Norway no longer use the calving grounds surrounding the public tourist cabin Pyttbua. Should the Government allow the cabin to be upgraded—or should tourism in the area rather be limited? The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) has simulated the potential consequences.
Until recently, the entire Reinheimen mountain area in Norway was used by wild reindeer, and the area around the Norwegian Trekking Association’s (DNT) cabin Pyttbua served as calving grounds. However, since the 1980s, increased human activity has caused the shy and near-threatened wild reindeer to abandon the area. Disturbances along historic migration routes are also preventing contact between different reindeer herds in Reinheimen.
As part of DNT’s application to upgrade the Pyttbua tourist cabin, the Reinheimen National Park Board requested more information before processing the application. They therefore commissioned an assessment from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).
NINA researcher Manuela Panzacchi and her colleagues have spent several years mapping the cumulative impact of human activity in all wild reindeer areas in Norway, identifying remaining suitable habitats and migration corridors, and simulating the effects of various mitigation measures. This allowed them to model two scenarios proposed by the National Park Board across different seasons: (1) closure of the Pyttbua tourist cabin and associated hiking and cross-country skiing trails; or (2) closure of the Pyttbua cabin and trail network plus closure of the access road, with establishment of a new parking area at "Kabben."
“The maps provide, for the first time, a bird’s-eye view of the entire ecological network for wild reindeer in Reinheimen, showing core habitat areas, barriers, and corridors between them. This is especially important because we have no GPS data for wild reindeer in this region,” says Panzacchi.
The results from the simulations closely match local knowledge, wildlife observation databases, and the location of ancient reindeer pitfall traps.
“This shows that our models—based on GPS data from Norway’s 10 largest wild reindeer populations and validated across reindeer ranges—can also be effective in areas where GPS data is lacking,” Panzacchi explains.
Re-establishment of Connectivity Within the Reindeer Range
The results indicate that Scenario 2 (above), where all proposed mitigation measures are implemented, would be by far the most effective. This scenario is expected to increase both the area of suitable habitat and the likelihood of restoring connectivity to the northern part of the range throughout the year, particularly during the calving and migration seasons.
Connectivity within the range is projected to increase by 6% during the calving period. This corresponds to a gain of 19 square kilometers of high-quality, connected grazing habitat—equivalent to about 2,619 soccer fields.
“Well-planned and targeted mitigation measures can make a significant difference to the population’s future, even if the restored area may appear small in percentage terms,” says Panzacchi.
Informing Future Mitigation Strategies
Panzacchi emphasizes that the models primarily serve as an objective, high-resolution knowledge base of existing and potential connections between critical areas, as well as the cumulative impacts of human activity in the Reinheimen area. These data can inform future discussions with stakeholders on how to improve the wild reindeer population, in line with Norway’s parliamentary white paper on reindeer conservation.
In order for wild reindeer to resume use of lost calving grounds and migration routes, the animals must feel safe in the landscape. The Sámi word beitero describes this sense of peace and undisturbed grazing. The researchers therefore recommend an ambitious approach to mitigation.
“Scenario 2 targets a critical bottleneck, but it's important to remember that the goal is to minimize disturbances in the area—especially during the calving season and early summer. This may require considering additional measures in a broader context. We hope that the maps and results showing the cumulative impact of various human activities can support productive dialogue among stakeholders to identify the most effective solutions for ensuring the viability of the reindeer population,” concludes Panzacchi.
Learn more:
Evaluating the effect of mitigation measures for wild reindeer in Reinheimen-Breheimen – NINA Report 2478
Statistical modelling of cumulative impacts of human activities on wild reindeer areas. Identifying functional areas and performing scenario analyses for impact assessment and area planning – NINA Report 2189
Anthropogenic disturbance in Norwegian wild reindeer areas. A new Dashbord makes available statistical maps and estimates in support to management processes - NINA Report 2342
Learn more with web apps:
Wild reindeer Maps on habitat loss
Contact: Manuela Panzacchi