Can supplemental feeding for deer reduce spruce damage?

One issue of SLU:s popular science publication Fakta Skog has been translated and is now available in English:

Alternative forage reduce deer browsing pressure on spruce around supplemental feeding sites

A study on supplemental feeding for deer was performed in southwestern Sweden, to investigate if browsing on Norway spruce could be reduced. In 28 % of the investigated plots, deer browsing on spruce was observed. About 9 % of all shoots per tree were browsed. Browsing pressure ceased at around 200 m from supplemental feeding sites. Abundance of alternative natural food, such as field layer and deciduous trees, was the most important factor affecting browsing pressure on spruce. Planting Norway spruce to avoid browsing damages is not a definitive solution, and we suggest managers to locate supplemental feeding sites at places with an abundant field layer to minimize browsing damages by large herbivores.