Reindeer can cope well without extra feeding in vast nature reserve areas, such as national parks and wilderness areas.\u00a0 However, due to the declining availability of winter time nutrition, fragmentation of the pasture areas and their weakening quality, some of the reindeer are fed in the reindeer husbandry area. The challenge of feeding reindeer is that it brings additional financial burden to the herders, particularly on difficult winters.<\/p>\n
Feeding in the winter time has been done in small scale for decades, if not centuries. Back in the days, herders collected lichen and leaves in the summer to give to reindeer in the winter. They also broke the hard surface of snow to make it easier for reindeer to dig and lichen was dropped down from the branches of the trees. Long travels were accompanied with a couple of sledges filled with lichen. In the southern reindeer husbandry area, trees rich with lichen were cut down to give reindeer food. These areas were also used for herding reindeer and protecting them from carnivores. Later this tradition caused conflicts when forestry developed. Hence it slowly ended during the 20th<\/sup>\u00a0century. In Hammastunturi area, up north, sticks with a blade from a scythe were used to cut lichen from the trees. The sound of the axe and the stick attracted reindeer to come and eat.<\/p>\n\n\t\t