Þingvellir - World Heritage Site

WORK/PROJECT: SEEDS has been working in the National Parks since 2007 on a number of projects including environmental workcamps, trail management and research on invasive species.

This year, for the first time SEEDS volunteers will have the unique opportunity to participate in a new project working at the only UNESCO world heritage site in Iceland that is open to visitors: The national park of Þingvellir - literally "Parliament Plains".

Volunteers will be working in the woodlands of Þingvellir, cleaning up dead branches, thinning where needed, digging up some non-native species, planting birch, making walking paths and possibly doing other projects that are required in the national park and heritage site.

ACCOMMODATION: Volunteers will stay in a fully equipped house, in a sleeping bag accommodation, sharing rooms. Please bring your own sleeping bag.

Volunteers will receive food and be in charge of cooking and cleaning activities. Equipped kitchen and washing machine are available.  Please do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

LOCATION: The UNESCO world heritage site of Þingvellir is a national park and was the location of Iceland’s parliament from 930 to 1798. Many of Iceland’s biggest moments in history happened in Þingvellir, such as the adoption of Christianity around 1000 AD and the foundation of the modern Republic in 1944. It is therefore an important place for many Icelanders.

History is not the only reason attracting Icelanders and tourists to Þingvellir, it is also a place of extraordinary beauty and a complex ecological system. The area of Þingvellir was established as a national park in 1930 and it is part of a fissure zone running through Iceland. Þingvellir is situated on the tectonic plate boundaries of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The faults and fissures of the area make evident the rifting of the earths’ crust.

In the last few decades research has made it clear that Þingvellir is a natural wonder on an international scale, with the geologic history and the bio system of Lake Þingvallavatn forming a unique entity, a magnificent showcase. Being able to witness the evolution and formation of new species in a place like Lake Þingvallavatn is of immense value.

In 2004 Þingvellir was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, which includes about 800 important cultural and natural heritage sites around the world.

Þingvellir is situated 40 km from Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. Reykjavík is often called “the nightlife capital of the north”, but there is more to Reykjavík than pubs and clubs. It is an incubator of new ideas and styles which often indicate new global trends. It is an International city with a lively cosmopolitan cultural scene.

The population of the city is over 200,000 including the metropolitan area, so two thirds of Iceland’s inhabitants live there. Reykjavík is a dynamic, modern city which lives in harmony with beautiful nature, using renewable energy sources - geothermal power and glacial rivers.

LANGUAGE: English will be the language in the camp; basic conversational skills are needed.

TERMINAL: Closest international Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF). Bus station: Central Reykjavík (BSÍ).

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: Participation fee EUR 200 (Euros) to be paid to SEEDS. Please note that the fees are to be paid on arrival in Euros or Kronur and they include full board and lodging (food and accommodation) for the whole duration of the project.

Volunteers have to bring good walking shoes and warm clothes. Even in summer, it can be cold during the evenings and hats and gloves might be necessary.

The camp is located in a place of extreme beauty with countless opportunities to discover nature by foot or hiking. Excursions (Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, South shore, etc) are arranged for SEEDS at discount fares, 30 – 50% lower than regular tour operators.  

AGE: 18+