Land-use history
Approximately 25% of the KCS has been protected for research since
1922, whereas the ownership of the remaining area is divided among
private individuals and forest companies. Currently, forest covers 87%
of the KCS and is dominated by Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris )
(63%) and Norway spruce (Picea Abies ) (26%) with an understory
of ericaceous shrubs, mostly bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus ) and
lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea ) on moss-mats ofHylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi .Sphagnum spp. together with sparse coverage of sedges and dwarf
shrubs dominate on open wetlands, which primarily can be categorized as
acidic, oligotrophic, and minerogenic mires.
KCS has experienced relatively low levels of direct human influence. The
current population of the area is approximately 1.2 people per
km2. Historically, the human population was even lower
and only hunting, fishing, and reindeer herding occurred until ca 1750
when the first village settlements were established. Prior to the early
1900’s, mires constituted a major source of livelihood for farmers. In
the KCS, this meant that up to 22% of the original mire area was used
for hay harvest on mire meadows (Norstedt et al., in review), whereas
only 3% were drained for more modern agriculture. Presently, only 1%
of the original peatland areas are still used for agricultural purpose.
Beginning around 1900, mires were drained to enhance forest wood
production. As a consequence, about 40% of the original mire area is
currently forested (Norstedt et al., in review). In addition,
approximately 162 km (Hasselquist et al. 2020) of forest drainage
ditches can be found within the KCS area, which can be compared with an
approximately 180 km of naturally permanent streams (Ågren et al. 2015).
Prior to the 1940s, selective cutting was the primary method used in
forestry. Later, rotation forestry grew to dominate, involving mostly
clear-cutting with subsequent planting of conifers (Norstedt & Laudon
2019).