Forestry in the Westfjords

WORK/PROJECT: SEEDS volunteers will be doing mainly environmental work in this work camp, based in a country-side farm close to the village of Flateyri, in the Icelandic West fjords. The work will be mostly outdoors and volunteers have to be willing to work outdoors.

The main tasks will be to clean and beautify the area, helping to repair and remove old fences. Volunteers will also maintain and mark walking paths and make signs to put up by interesting sites. There will also be some work in the local forest and volunteers will help to build and put up stiles.

Volunteers might also be asked to help make a grill and put up a sort of an outdoor kitchen near by the old sheep cote.

ACCOMMODATION: SEEDS volunteers will stay in a guesthouse in beds with shared facilities. Please bring your own sleeping bag.

Volunteers will receive food supplies and be in charge of the cooking and cleaning activities.

Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

LOCATION: The workcamp will take place in the municipality Ísafjarðarbær, in the Westfjords at the north-western part of Iceland. The region accounts for 10% of the country’s surface but only about 7200 people live there, so it is one of the least populated areas in Europe. The Westfjords are very mountainous; the coastline is made by dozens of fjords surrounded by steep hills.

Districts on the West Fjords have been merging recently in order to strengthen their administrative capabilities. The largest and most populous is Ísafjarðarbær with a population of 3800 in total.

In the Westfjords you will be able to explore the whole range of Icelandic flora from the shore and meadows, through birch to mossy moors. On the shore, one can see birds and seals and then occasionally an arctic fox around the sheep.

Fishing is traditionally the main industry in the region but tourism started to be more and more important as local and foreign visitors are discovering this region in increasing numbers.

The nearest town to the guesthouse is Flateyri which is a small and friendly fishing village by Önundarfjörður, located about 500 Km away from Reykjavík and with 260 inhabitants.

In the old days Flateyri was the local harbour for shark fishermen but today fish processing and fishing is the main trade. During the last years; due to the introduction of the quota system in the Icelandic fishing sector, the town lost part of its share in the fishing amounts to be caught, which strongly hit the economy and living situation in the area. In the past years the emphasis on alternative industries has been more visible similar to other fishing villages in Iceland.

In Flateyri there is a swimming pool, kayak rental and a beautiful sandy beach that hosts a sandcastle building competition each summer.  Many small boats are equipped and run from Flateyri, characterising the village, especially during the summer.

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).

SEEDS organises the “minibus option”, a shared transport from Reykjavík to the camps and vice-versa, which apart from being cheaper and more convenient, allows volunteers to meet fellow campers and have a relaxed trip, while stopping on the way for interesting and tourist sites.

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: Participation fee EUR 180 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic kronas.

The local host will organise leisure time activities for SEEDS volunteers, for instance visits to nearby farms and hikes. This is a place of extreme beautiful natural surroundings with countless opportunities to hike and discover it by foot. 

Age: 18+