Land and Forest Iceland
Government Initiative Launched to Restore Wetlands on State-Owned Land
2nd October 2026
Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson, Minister for the Environment, Energy and Climate, today launched a major wetland restoration initiative as work began on blocking drainage ditches on the state-owned property of Sogn in Ölfus. This autumn, a total of 225 hectares of wetlands will be restored across five state-owned properties, with around 23 kilometres of drainage ditches being filled in. When planned restoration projects for next year are also taken into account, it appears that more wetlands will be restored during this year and next than have been restored in Iceland over the past 30 years combined.
Representatives celebrate the start of the project with the Minister and the Director General of Land and Forest Iceland. Photo: Ísabella Ósk Másdóttir.
In a news item published on the Government of Iceland's website, wetland restoration is highlighted as one of the Government's priority climate actions announced last year. In addition to delivering climate benefits, the measure also provides significant gains for nature conservation and biodiversity.
The Government's initiative for the protection and restoration of ecosystems on state-owned land is a five-year collaborative project involving the Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Land and Forest Iceland, and the Government Property Agency. Through this partnership, state-owned land is being used strategically to implement the Government's climate policy and biodiversity policy.
Equivalent to 315 Football Pitches
The work at Sogn marks the beginning of this Government initiative. Around 25 hectares of wetlands will be restored there, and more than four kilometres of drainage ditches will be blocked.
In total, 225 hectares will be restored across five state-owned properties this autumn, an area equivalent to 315 football pitches.
In the Government's news item, Minister Jóhann Páll is quoted recalling that a year ago he pledged to break the deadlock in wetland restoration. He continued:
"Today, the work begins. We are launching the first projects under the Government's new five-year initiative for the protection and restoration of ecosystems on state-owned land. We are not gathered here to announce plans for something that might happen at some point in the future. We are here to let actions speak for themselves."
In his remarks at the ceremony at Sogn, Jóhann Páll also said that it was only natural for the state to begin by taking responsibility for its own land, leading by example, making use of the opportunities available on state-owned properties, and building up experience and expertise that could then be applied more widely.
"At the same time, we are creating stronger incentives for farmers, other landowners and non-governmental organisations to let actions speak for themselves. Wetland and ecosystem restoration is a cost-effective climate measure, but it is also about nature conservation and supporting biodiversity. This is not only about carbon dioxide equivalents, but also about our birds and their habitats. Where there are ditches today, we will see wetlands and hear birdsong in a few years' time. This is a good first step. Then we will continue and build on this experience in the years ahead."
Wetland restoration is also among the measures intended to help Iceland achieve its target of reducing emissions from land use by 400,000 to 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035, compared with 2025 levels.
More to Be Restored Than in the Previous 30 Years
Ágúst Sigurðsson, Director General of Land and Forest Iceland, also addressed the ceremony today. He noted that knowledge of wetland restoration has advanced dramatically since serious efforts first began in Iceland around 30 years ago. He said that we are now in a far stronger position than even a few years ago to achieve substantial results in this important task of restoring and protecting Iceland's wetlands.Ágúst added:
"The state is now leading by example and undertaking a major effort to restore wetlands on its own land. This will bring significant momentum to the issue as early as this year. It is already clear that, taken together, a much larger area of degraded wetlands will be restored this year and next than has been restored over the past 30 years in total."
Protection of Wetlands Also a Priority
Alongside the restoration work, efforts will be made to identify undisturbed and lightly disturbed wetland areas on state-owned land with the aim of strengthening their protection.
According to Jóhann Páll, ecosystem protection and restoration must go hand in hand, helping to advance the Government's policy goal of bringing 30% of degraded terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems into active restoration by 2030.
"There may not seem to be much to look at here today. One excavator, a few ditches. But anyone who returns here in ten years' time will not see ditches. They will see wetlands and hear birdsong. That is what climate and nature conservation action looks like when it is put into practice."
So said Minister Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson at today's ceremony at Sogn.
The accompanying photographs were taken by Hreinn Óskarsson, except for the lead photograph, which was taken by Ísabella Ósk Másdóttir.
