Good spirits at the first staff meeting of Land and Forest Iceland

The staff which by 1 January will be forming the new institution, Land and Forest Iceland, joined for a two-day meeting in Selfoss South-Iceland on 20-21 November. On the first day, among other things, a proposed logo for the institution was presented to the audience. At the meeting the staff got the opportunity to participate actively in the development of Land and Forest. The director, Ágúst Sigurðsson, thinks that the meeting will give a good boost to the continued preparations for the new institution.

Good spirit was already on the first day of the meeting and eagerness was felt by the staff to create this new institution. In a way you could call this a turn to the original institution which operated between 1908 and 1914, when the Office of the Director of Forestry handled both forestry issues and the revegetation of eroded lands. Minister of Food Svandís Svavarsdóttir addressed the meeting, encouraging the staff on the work ahead and wished them well.

Otherwise, the meeting was conducted in mixed working groups covering various subjects, but also more specialised groups focusing on more specific subjects of the new institute. Consultants from KPMG assisted in this work and continue to guide the development of the Institute into the following year.

The first day of the event included a group-building exercise led by advisor Ragnhildur Vigfúsdóttir. A proposed logo for the institution was presented to the audience, received by a big applaud. The design of the overall appearence of the institution is now in its last stages, making the agency able to stoutly appear to the public on the first day of operations after the New Year, when it replaces the former two institutions, the Icelandic Forest Service and the Icelandic Soil Conservation Service.

Asked about the results of the meeting, Ágúst Sigurðsson, head of Land and Forest Iceland, told that he was very pleased with the almost complete attendance of the staff at the meeting. People had a good time at a gathering on the evening of the first day, some showing musical or other talents and overall, people seemed to be enjoying the company of each other. On the morning of the second day, work continued in working groups from nine to twelve. Among other things, the focus was on the organisation structure and working methods and finally on values for the new institution. This also was very successful according to Ágúst, who said the whole thing would give a good boost to the continued preparations for the new institution. The meeting venue was moved on the second day to a roomy local in the new town centre of Selfoss, ending with a lunch at the Food Hall Mathöll where each could pick treats according to taste.