ragnhildur

The second issue of the 2020 Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association (Skógræktarritið) has been published and posted to its subscribers. The issue contains a range of articles on diverse aspects of forestry, including outdoor education, the Tree of the Year 2020, the effect of pine wolly aphid on the survival and growth of scots pine in Iceland, whittling, mixed forestry, the foundation of Heiðmörk, the distribution and impact of broom moth on young forests and forestry statistics for 2019.

The cover picture is a painting by the artist Kristinn Már Pálmason, titled „Alien Hourgarden“.

Skógræktarritið (formerly Ársrit Skógræktarfélag Íslands) is the only regular journal about forestry in Iceland and the main forum of writing by Icelandic foresters and others interested in the various aspects of forestry. The content of the publication is therefore very diverse and extensive.

The Siglufjörður Forestry Association was founded on September 22, 1940 and thus just turned 80. The association initally got land in the eastern part of Hólsdalur and began planting there, but the land proved too difficult plant in, so the association moved to Skarðdsalur, which has been the main forestry site of the association since and is now the most northern planted forest in Iceland.

The Icelandic Forestry Association wishes the Siglufjörður Forestry Association a happy birthday!

A brief overview of the association‘s activities (in Icelandic) in honour of the birthday is available on the Trölli website.

The Hafnarfjörður Forestry Association hosts a Volunteer Day on Sunday September 20. Planting will be done at Hamranes between 11 and 13. The meeting point is near Hamranesflugvöllur on Hvaleyrarvatnsvegur.

Plants and tools on site, everybody gets a hot soup after the planting.

E-mail skoghf@simnet.is for further information or call phone numbers 555-6455 or 894-1268.

Everyone welcome!

The Iceland Forest Service and the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland have joined forces and launched a campaign of seed gathering from birch. Everyone in Iceland is encouraged to go out and gather seeds from birch – they will then be dispersed in specially chosen areas all over the country.

From the middle of September a special collection box will be available at the Iceland Forest Service and the Soil Conservation Service offices, at Terra and at Bonus stores.

More information on the campaign is available at the website birkiskogur.is.

The Akranes Forestry Association will hold its General Meeting at Frístundamiðstöðin Garðavöllum in Akranes on Monday, September 28 at 20:00. On the agenda are regular meeting activities (annual report, accounts and elections) and discussion of the association’s activities.

One seat on the board is vacant and are members interested in taking part in the association’s activities encouraged to run for office.

The General Meeting of the Icelandic Forestry Association (IFA) was held in Reykjavík on September 5, in a meeting room of Arionbanki. The General Meeting usually spans three days, with lectures and field trips and the IFA member associations take turns hosting the meeting. In view of restrictions due to Covid a decision was made to change the format of the meeting. Only elected representatives of the member associations were invited, in order to carry out the necessary duties of the meeting, such as electing the board of the IFA and approving the annual accounts. Some of the delegates attended the meeting remotely.

Jónatan Garðarsson was re-elected as chairman of the IFA. Two new board members were elected; Nanna Sjöfn Pétursdóttir from the Bíldudalur Forestry Association and Berglind Ásgeirsdóttir, from the Suðurnesja Forestry Association. The vice board members – Kristinn H. Þorsteinsson, Valgerður Auðunsdóttir and Björn Traustason – were all re-elected. One resolution of the meeting was passed, on the use of biological control of forest pests.

Sigrún Stefánsdóttir (left) and Laufey B. Hannesdóttir (right) left the board of the Icelandic Forestry Association after serving on it for years and were given a bouquet with thanks from Jónatan Garðarsson.