Wilderness Management Team | Thórsmörk Trail Volunteers

Apr 17

Last call for returning volunteers!

This year we have a series of special 2-week projects open to experienced volunteers who have worked with us before. Before we close applications for this season, we wanted to make a last call for participants…

The projects follow our regular 2-week placement format but are particularly challenging because of their timing (early or late season) or location.

Sign making and mapping (08/05 – 21/05)
Long-range trail team (10/07 – 23/07)
GPS data gathering and trail mapping (28/08 – 10/09)

These placements are open to any volunteers who have worked with us before. If you are interested in joining us again or finding out more about the projects, please get in touch; thorsmork@trailteam.is

The final deadline for applications in April 23rd so don’t delay!

Apr 10

Pre-departure meetings begin

Today we began pre-departure Skype meetings with volunteers who will be joining us in Thórsmörk this summer. This first round is for everyone joining us in May and June.

The aim of these meetings is to make sure everyone is fully prepared for the placements. As well as final details about travel and the meeting point, these meetings include a discussion about required equipment and the conditions at the camps. It is also a perfect opportunity to answer any last minute questions that our volunteers may have. A second round of meetings for all other participants (arriving in July and August) will be arranged later in the season.

We have timed these first meetings to fit in before we head up to the Langidalur base camp later this month, as Skype contact from there can be difficult. If you are joining our teams in May or June, please get in touch to arrange a meeting this week and get your questions ready.

Apr 9

Back to the valley…

After a long winter away, we are very excited to be getting back to Thórsmörk.

Our teams are now ready and preparations in Iceland begin next week with gathering equipment, tools and work materials for the summer. The Langidalur base camp will open on May 1st as planned, and the first team of international volunteers will join us on May 8th.

We plan to use the first project weeks to improve signs and trail markers ahead of the main tourist season. From June, as well as returning to many familiar work sites, we intend to increase our long-range projects so that we can work on new remote sites throughout the area. That means that we will be forming more teams and organising additional wilderness camps this summer.

On Monday we will begin pre-departure Skype meeting for all volunteers joining us in May and June. The aim of these meetings is to go over travel plans, check equipment and answer any final questions.

We look forward to meeting our new team soon!

Feb 29

Student “conservation days” in Thórsmörk this summer…

International school hiking groups are a familiar site in Thórsmörk during the summer months, as they complete the Laugavegurinn hiking trail. This season, groups from the organisation World Challenge will be stopping-off to join our volunteer teams in Langidalur for a series of nature conservation days.

These groups are a welcome boost to our planned summer activities. The aim of these days is to include visiting school groups in environmental protection work in the area and to introduce them to practical conservation tasks. Projects will be guided by Forest Service (Skógrækt ríkisins) staff and volunteer team leaders who will work alongside the groups.

As well as hands-on work, the groups will learn about nature conservation in Iceland, explore the area and experience life at our volunteer base camp. This season, the teams will focus on erosion control work as well as the on going trail maintenance tasks. The activities will give participants an insight into the management of nature conservation areas in Iceland.

We are very excited about this new partnership and very much look forward to working with the World Challenge teams this summer.

Feb 25

Langidalur volunteer base camp

Sunshine in Langidalur this week…

The Langidalur volunteer base camp was established by the Icelandic Forest Service (Skógrækt ríkisins) in 2013 and is the home of the Thórsmörk Trail Volunteers. Our base camp hosts a team of up to 16 international volunteers throughout the summer. The camp is also used to support our long-range teams who work on remote sites throughout the area.