Overview
About Icelandic Birch Woodlands
A formerly widespread ecosystem
The Icelandic Forest Service estimates that birch forest and woodland covered approximately twenty-five to forty percent of Iceland at the time of settlement. Birch was the principal woodland-forming tree of the present interglacial period. Native rowan, willow and a few aspen populations add diversity, but Iceland's native woodland history is primarily a birch story.
Clearance, grazing and erosion
Woodland clearance and sustained livestock grazing reduced tree cover after settlement. Around Hekla, the loss of vegetation also weakened the landscape's ability to retain volcanic ash. Wind and water could redistribute loose material, while nutrient-poor ground and frost disturbance made new seedlings difficult to establish. Woodland loss therefore affected soils and ecosystem resilience as well as trees.
Restoring woodland processes
Restoration can combine grazing management, soil stabilisation and the establishment of birch seed sources. The Hekluskógar project uses small planted groves to encourage later natural colonisation. Its aims include biodiversity, carbon storage and greater resilience to ash deposition, linking woodland recovery with the restoration of soil processes.
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