Why can too many grazing and browsing animals prevent forest regeneration?

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Logging in Borneo — forestry Trucks on a road transporting recently harvested logs near Sabah's border with Kalimantan in Borneo.

Excessive grazing and browsing by animals can severely hinder forest regeneration because these animals consume the current year's growth of young trees, which serves as highly palatable forage.1

While managed grazing can be a useful tool in forestry, uncontrolled livestock access is particularly damaging to hardwood forests, as broad-leaved saplings are more susceptible to being eaten than coniferous species. When animals are present in high densities, they consume the new growth necessary for trees to mature and close the canopy, effectively preventing the forest from renewing itself. Consequently, balancing animal populations with the capacity of the land is essential for maintaining sustainable and renewable forest ecosystems.1