Programme news | Thórsmörk Trailteam

Dec 8

Trailteam at Langidalur

When the Forest Service trail programme began in Thórsmörk in 2013, our first challenge was to establish a base camp for the work and a site at Langidalur was chosen. Developed in close cooperation with Ferðafélag Íslands, the aim of the camp was to provide basic facilities for the volunteer teams who were camping in the area during the summer months including shelter for cooking and a dry space for the teams to use in the evenings. Conditions were very basic at the start, but Langidalur became our home.

Delivered by our friends from Húsadalur and the Kynnisferðir truck (2013)

Repairs and improvements in preparations for the first teams (2013)

The addition of the kitchen and food storage area (2014)

Dec 5

11-week Trailteam volunteer placements

Planning for next season is now well underway and we have exciting news about a new initiative for 2020.

For the first time, we will be offering 11-week volunteer placements with our Operations team. Although the main focus remains the practical trail management work in Thórsmörk, the additional time will allow us to include more skills development and a greater emphasis on land restoration and tree planting tasks. The establishment of longer placements will also help us to reduce the number of flights associated with the programme.

These new placements are particularly suitable for volunteers who have worked with us before or have been involved in similar programmes where they have had experience of practical trail work and working with volunteer teams. The 11-week placements will start in April and June.

Full details as well as information about all our other 2020 volunteer opportunities will be published here on December 15th.

Volunteer opportunities

Dec 3

Our tree planting Trailteam

Last season we introduced tree planting into our volunteer programme for the first time. Although this is quite different to the regular work of the trailteams, everyone was very eager to get involved. Taking a break from the Thórsmörk trails, the teams travelled to the Forestry Stations at Tumastaðir and Þjórsárdalur where our colleagues organised and guided the work.

Various tree species were planted (depending on the location) and these included both native birch as well as fast-growing poplar. During a series of projects with the foresters, our teams planted more than 5000 trees.

With this successful start we plan to continue and plant many more trees in 2020.

Full details about our 2020 volunteer programme, including placement dates and application forms will be published here on December 15th.