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There are some forestry association’s that are still selling Christmas trees in the last few days before Christmas:

The Árnesingar Forestry Association is holding a Christmas tree sale in Snæfoksstaðir until 23 December, 11-16. See: https://www.facebook.com/snaefokstadir

The Eyfiirðinga Forestry Association has a Christmas tree sale in Kjarnaskógur until 23 December. See: https://www.kjarnaskogur.is/jolatre

The Hafnarfjörður Forestry Association, at Gróðrarstöðin, Þöll, on Kaldárselsvegur until 23 December, 10-18. See: https://www.skoghf.is

The Mosfellsbær Forestry Association, in Hamrahlíð until 23 December, 12-17 every day except for Þorláksmessa, which is open 10-16. See: https://www.facebook.com/SkogMos/

See also: http://www.skog.is/jolatrjaavefurinn/

It is a Christmas tradition for many families to go out to the forest during advent to select their Christmas tree and Christmas forests can be found in most parts of Iceland. Those less interested in a walk in the forest can also find sellers of already cut Icelandic Christmas trees.

The first forestry associations will be up and selling at the beginning of advent. Further information can be found online (in Icelandic) – http://www.skog.is/jolatrjaavefurinn/ – and on the website/Facebook pages of individual forestry associations.

Shop locally!

Icelandic Christmas trees are freshly cut and environmentally friendly with a lower carbon footprint and by buying an Icelandic Christmas tree you support reforestation efforts in the country, because for every tree sold dozens more can be planted. There is no need to have a guilty conscience for felling the tree!

The office of the Icelandic Forestry Association will be closed from Thursday, August 31 to Monday, September 4, due to the Association’s Annual General Meeting, held in Patreksfjörður, from September 1 to 3. We will be back at the office on Tuesday, September 5.

The annual general meeting of the Icelandic Forestry Association will be held in Patreksfjörður September 1-3, with three forestry associations – in Bíldudalur, Patreksfjörður and Tálknafjörður – as  joint hosts of the meeting.

The President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, will give an address at the start of the meeting, where he will be presented with a first copy of a new book – Frændur fagna skógi – which details forest-related relations between Norway and Iceland. For this reason, Tønnes Svanes, chargé d’affaires at the Norwegian Embassy in Iceland, will also speak.

In addition to the usual general meeting activities a number of presentations on variable forestry topics will be given and field trips taken to forest and other interesting places in the area.

The highlight of the meeting is a celebration on Saturday night where, amongst other things, local people will be honoured for their contributions to forestry.

The programme for the meeting, the Icelandic Forestry Association’s Annual Report and other information will be available on the Icelandic Forestry Associations website:

https://www.skog.is/adalfundur-2023/

For updates during the meeting see the Icelandic Forestry Associations Facebook and Instagram:

https://www.facebook.com/skograektarfelag

https://www.instagram.com/skograektarfelagislands/

The Icelandic Forestry Association and Nettó have now signed a cooperation agreement on the project Open Forest. The goal of the cooperation is to improve facilities and increase accessibility in forest areas near main roads and to provide education on biota, nature and history so that the public can use the forests for rest stops, recreation and health. The agreement will ensure the operation of the project through next year.

There are now seventeen Open forests, open for everyone and located throughout the country. All the forests have good recreation facilities and work will continue to develop and improve accessibility so that as many people as possible can enjoy the forests.

“This agreement is of great importance to us and will ensure the operation of the Open Forests project until next year,” stated Jónatan Garðarsson, chairman of the Icelandic Forestry Association. “Now we will further promote the project and encourage the country’s people to get a taste of the forests, as it provides excellent facilities for visiting together and for outdoor recreation, as visiting the forest is known to improve health and happiness.”

“This project fits in well with our environmental policy at Nettó, but we always have the goal of minimizing the environmental impact of the operations as much as possible. The Icelandic Forestry Association an important pillar of nature and environmental protection in this country, so we are extremely pleased with this collaboration,” says Helga Dís Jakobsdóttir, marketing manager for Nettó. “We encourage anyone traveling through the country to stop by the Nettó forests throughout the country, take a walk or picnic break and enjoy the natural beauty of the trip around the country.”

Jónatan Garðarsson, chairman of the Icelandic Forestry Association and Helga Dís Jakobsdóttir, marketing manager for Nettó, signing the cooperation agreement.

The General Meeting of the Eyfirðingar Forestry Association, the oldest forestry association in Iceland, was held on Monday, May 8. The meeting passed the following resolution:

The General Meeting of the Eyfirðingar Forestry Association, held on May 8, 2023, expresses full confidence in the work of the Board and Director of the association with regards to activities in Vaðlareitur and potential contracts regarding the site. The meeting emphasises that public interest will be taken into account in terms of access to the association’s forests, now as in the past.

For more information, visit the company’s website: https://www.kjarnaskogur.is/post/alyktun-adalfundar-2023

The Mosfellsbær Forestry Association will hold its annual general meeting on Wednesday April 26^th, at 20:00 at the hall of Björgunarsveitin Kyndill at Völuteigur 23.

Programme:

1. Election of chair and secretary of the meeting
2. Board report 2022
3. Associations account 2022
4. Membership fee for 2023
5. Board and auditor elections
6. Other items

The meeting will conclude by a presentation by Auður Kjartansdóttir, manager of the Reykjavík Forestry Association, on land roughness, i.e. surface roughness and its connection to forestry.

Refreshments on offer

Kids and their families are invited to come to the Reykjavík Botanic Garden for the Children’s Culture Festival. On Tuesday, April 18th between 17:00-18:00 kids can come to our display greenhouse and learn how to sow summer flowers and edibles and how to prick out seedlings. The kids and families can take the plants home after the workshop.
Entry is free and all are welcome to join!

„Forests and Health” is the theme for the International Day of Forests 2023. For this reason, the Reykjavík Forestry Association is offering an educational walk through Kálfamói by Keldur in Grafarvogur, on Tuesday, March 21st, at 18:00, starting point in the parking lot near the main entrance.

Kálfamó is a remarkable forest in the urban area with rich and varied vegetation. The first trees were planted in 1947, when Jóhann Pálsson, who later became the city’s horticultural manager, used his vacation money to buy three sitka spruce plants. He was only 15 years old, but he would do well in the following decades. Over the years he added an astonishing array of different species of trees, shrubs, and other plants to make for a beautiful site. Kálfamói includes tall trees, ornate bushes, and beautiful plants of berries that please both people and birds.

The area of Keldur is being planned for a residential area and with a positive emphasis is on respecting and using the area’s natural quality for future development. Kálfamói is a resource for the future  people in the neighbourhood as the positive impact of green areas on public health is unambiguous.

The walk will be short and easy and everybody is welcome

For more information, see the Reykjavík Forestry Association’s website: www.heidmork.is.