Estimate of grazing capacity in the coppiced oak forest «Laimos» in Bourazani area of Konitsa

The main purpose of this study was to estimate the grazing capacity of the oak forest «Laimos», covered area 82,5 ha and estimate the animals’ number that they can be fed for a 7-month period, each year (April-October), without damaging the ecosystem. In the late July 2003, 29 vegetation transects 20m each were taken, in which were taken regularly 5 plots 0,5 x 0,5m each. In every plot and for 2 m height were cut all the available grazing biomass, herbs, shrubs and trees. In the laboratory it was separated the annual production from the old production. Then the samples were oven-dried at 60 oC, weighted and referred in kg/1000m2. The forest is separated in three areas in which are going to be foraged wild goats in the first, wild sheeps and deers in the second and wild boar in the third. The samples’ analysis revealed that the grazing capacity in the wild goats’ area is 290 Monthly Animal Units (MAU) or 25 wild goats annually and in the deers’ area is 1455 MAU or 120 deers and wild sheeps. In the wild boars’ area it couldn’t been estimated the grazing capacity, because this animal is being fed with underground vegetation too.