C IENTÍFICOS , EXPLORADORES Y VIAJEROS (1880-1899)

The first management plan for region 5 was adopted in March 2007 (County Governor of Hedmark, 2014). The plan was divided into three different zones - prioritized grazing areas, prioritized carnivore areas and an area containing both important pastures and important carnivore areas. In the Carnivore Settlement, it is established that loss numbers in sheep husbandry must be reduced, and that a clear management of zoning is crucial to achieving this.

Carnivores

The adopted policy on carnivores largely affects the framework conditions for sheep husbandry in Hedmark. The management plan for carnivores in Hedmark is divided into two zones, green (grazing prioritised area) and blue (areas that are important to accomplish population goals for carnivores and important grazing areas) (map 3), in addition to a separate delineation of the management area for breeding wolf.

Map 3 Zoning - Management plan for carnivores in Hedmark17

17 _{County Governor of Nord-Trøndelag 2011. Forvaltningsplan for rovvilt i region 6 - Møre og Romsdal, Sør-}

Trøndelag og Nord-Trøndelag. (Management plan for carnivores in region 6 - Møre og Romsdal, Sør-Trøndelag og Nord-Trøndelag). Carnivore Management Committee in Region 6. (In Norwegian)

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The Norwegian population of wolves is part of the Scandinavian wolf population. About 400 animals inhabit in Scandinavia.18 _{About 30 wolves are regarded as "all-Norwegian", in addition}

to 50 boundary. There is a joint management between region 4 (Østfold, Oslo and Akershus) and 5 (Hedmark) (County Governor of Hedmark, 2014). The regional management plans must be coordinated at this point to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable management of wolves, with the lowest possible losses and conflicts.

For region 5, the national population goal for lynx is 10 annual breedings. The minimum number of registered family groups before hunting forms the basis for the population size, which is considered as an average of the last three years. The population size has recently been close to the population goal.

The national population goal for wolverine in region 5 is five annual breedings. The population goal is based on the average number of breedings recorded in the last three year period. In region 5, there has been a significant increase in the population until 2011. To reduce the losses of sheep to wolverine, the aim is to avoid breeding in the prioritized grazing areas, and achieving population goals in central and south-eastern parts of the county. Geographically these areas are large enough to achieve these population goals.

The national population goal for bears is three annual breedings. Region 5 is the only region in southern Norway with its own population goal for bears. For region 5 the population goal (3 annual breedings) corresponds to 20 females and 30 males. The population goal for bears is not reached. Documentation on the number breedings on brown bears is harder than for the three other large carnivore species.

Sheep husbandry

Livestock industry is important with regard to maintaining an active agriculture, and in reaching the goal of increased food production (County Governor of Hedmark, 2014). It is stated in the white paper no. 9 (2011-2012) that food production should increase in line with the population growth (20% by 2030). Grazing industry is important for achieving this goal and the outfield resources constitute a great value in this context (Ministry of Agriculture and Food, 2011-2012) In the county of Hedmark, protected carnivores constitute a big challenge for animal welfare in many pastures (County Governor of Hedmark, 2014). The balance required protecting both the interests of sustainable carnivore populations in accordance with established population goals and an acceptable animal welfare on pastures in parts of Hedmark is demanding. A considerable

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effort in maintaining a good animal welfare on pastures and to prevent livestock losses is put down, but the losses to carnivores are still too high in certain areas.

Sheep losses on outfield pastures have been registered since the 70s. Losses have increased with an increase in carnivore populations, and today the average percentage loss is around 9 percent (see figure 3). Expecting the same low loss numbers as in the 70s and 80s is not realistic due to the change in the carnivore population size in Norway and Sweden.

Figure 5 Loss percentage on sheep in Hedmark19

Compensation payments in recent years have shown a downward trend, and the requirement for 2014 is the lowest since 1994.20 On the other hand it is positive to note that losses in Hedmark has declined somewhat, although some of the decline in the loss can be explained by a simultaneous decrease in the number of animals on pastures in the most carnivore exposed areas (County Governor of Hedmark, 2014) At the same time considerable resources to preventive measures are spent, and targeted management to reduce potential harm are conducted.

19 _{Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute. Grazing statistics. Statistics for sheep grazing in Norway and for}

each county from 2004 - 2013, and county statistics for organized grazing from 1970 to 2013.

http://www.skogoglandskap.no/kart/beitestatistikk/map_view 20_{http://www.fylkesmannen.no/Hedmark/Miljo-og-klima/Rovvilt/Erstatning-for-tap-av-husdyr-og-tamrein-til-} rovvilt/Erstatningsoppgjoret-for-sau-tatt-av-fredet-rovvilt-i-2014/ 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Lo ss p erce n ta ge %

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Map 4 Grazing areas and management areas for carnivores in Hedmark21

The map reveals the conflicting areas between grazing areas for sheep and carnivore management areas in Hedmark. The wolf zone is causing a lot of difficulties for sheep husbandry.

21 _{Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute. 2013. Nedlasting av kartdata - beite. (Downloading map data -}

pastures) http://www.skogoglandskap.no/kart/beitebrukskart_og_statistikk/artikler/2007/nedlasting_beite Norwegian Environment Agency. Map catalog for the Norwegian Environment Agency.

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