Aldin Visits Gunnarsholt

Aldin is a movement of people in their later years that calls for immediate action in response to the unprecedented climate crisis. The visit to Land and Forest Iceland was organised by Árni Bragason, former Director of the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland, and Tryggvi Felixson, who has worked in various ways on nature conservation issues for decades.

Director Ágúst Sigurðsson explains the roles and activities of Land and Forest Iceland at Frægarður in Gunnarsholt. Photo: Halldór Reynisson.

In Gunnarsholt, the group visited the so-called Aspen Forest, where noteworthy experimental projects have been carried out. They also visited Landbót on Geitasandur, which serves as a practical classroom for restoration and revegetation. The group enjoyed refreshments in Frægarður in Gunnarsholt, where Ágúst Sigurðsson, Managing Director, introduced the work of Land and Forest Iceland. The seed processing facilities were also visited, and specialist Anne Bau showed the laboratories and explained the work carried out there.

Sigþrúður Jónsdóttir explains land reclamation efforts at Hafið above Mount Búrfell. Photo: Aldin.

After the Aldin members had planted several birch seedlings in the Gunnarsholt area, the journey continued towards the Hekla Volcano foothills. The group stopped in Bolholt Forest to observe forest reclamation practices in the area before continuing to Vaðalda, where Sigþrúður Jónsdóttir, specialist at Land and Forest Iceland, spoke about restoration work on Hafið near Sultartangi, an area that has repeatedly suffered damage from Hekla eruptions.

The group also visited proposed wind turbine sites above Sultartangi, and the Aldin members sang together in harmony with the golden plover and the whimbrel in the restored heathlands.

Land and Forest Iceland thanks the group for the visit and wishes the members of Aldin every success in their work. The accompanying photographs were obtained from Aldin’s Facebook page.

Tryggvi Felixson, who led the Aldin group during the visit together with Árni Bragason, watches as a tree sapling is planted in Gunnarsholt. Photo: Halldór Reynisson.