Forestry in the East of Iceland

WORK/PROJECT: SEEDS volunteers will be working on a project in the beautiful forest Hallormsstaðaskógur, doing nature oriented tasks. The host of this project is the Icelandic forest service. The main tasks will be to maintain hiking paths, build stairs, and make and put up signs. Volunteers will also put up benches and tables in the forest. Other tasks will be to trim branches and beautify groves that are located near hiking paths.

Well maintained paths enable people to visit these amazing areas without damaging them and this important work also helps to improve safety for visitors.

Volunteers should be prepared for all kinds of weather. The work is physically demanding and volunteers need to be motivated to work outdoors.

The working plan will be flexible and it will depend on the needs of our local host, the advance of the diverse projects in the area surrounding the forest and of course on the weather conditions.

Last but not least volunteers can explore the surroundings of the location and enjoy free time activities arranged in cooperation with the local host.

ACCOMMODATION: SEEDS volunteers will sleep in beds in a house owned by the forest service. The house is fully equipped. 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 an international evening.

LOCATION: Hallormsstaðaskógur is the largest wooded area of the country that spreads over 30 ha of land. The reforestation of the forest has been going on since a law for the protection was passed in 1899. The oldest part of the woodland is accessible with good hiking trails and explanation signs.

The area offers great variety of walking paths, such as to the deepest valley of the country and up to Sandfell where the view is quite magnificent. Riding tours up to the mountains or in the woodland are also nice experiences. Small streams run through the land where children and adults can cool down in warm summer days.

The project is located in the municipality of Fljótsdalshérað, Iceland's easternmost populous municipality; 17 km from the largest town in the Eastern Iceland - Egilsstaðir (population 2600). It is a young town, but which has become the largest town of east Iceland and offers a swimming pool, shops and museums among other main services.

The East Fjords is a region of a special landscape, dominated by long, narrow fjords and steep mountains and the wild reindeers of Iceland are found here, the herd counts between three and four thousand animals.

LANGUAGE: English will be the official language in the camp; high proficiency is not a requirement.

TERMINAL: International Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF); domestic airport and bus stop is Egilsstaðir.

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 200 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

Our hosting partner will organise free time activities in the surroundings of the project, such as hiking and possibly horseback riding in the forest.

If you take SEEDS minibus option to and from the camp location, you will be able to go all around Iceland, as we drive different ways (either North or South) to and from the camp. 

AGE: 18+