Conservation volunteering in Iceland
| country: | Iceland |
| departures: | 2008: 6 Jul, 13 Jul, 20 Jul, 27 Jul, 3 Aug, 10 Aug |
| price: | From £350 (13 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
read 2 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
Probably the coolest holiday destination in Europe, Iceland boasts some of the most stunning National parks anywhere.
Boardwalk Construction
2008: 22 Jun, 6 Jul, 20 Jul, 3 Aug £350 (13 days) ex flights
Living and working in the heart of Iceland's stunning National Parks you'll amaze yourself with your own achievements. Our holidays in Iceland are the ultimate adventurous conservation experience!
Who we're working with: Iceland Conservation Holidays are run in partnership with the Icelandic Environment Agency, Umhverfistofnun (UST). The Agency operates under the Ministry of Environment and one of their key responsibilities is the management and protection of the country’s national parks and conservation areas. Iceland Conservation Holidays are managed by UST’s own team of local staff and international volunteer leaders. For 30 years, our volunteers have played an important role in this work. Volunteer teams work closely with local staff on a variety of practical management tasks, focussing on trail building and wilderness management projects. We stay in tents and live and work in these amazing areas throughout the summer months. The country’s harsh natural environment and unpredictable weather make our projects in Iceland both an adventure and a challenge.
Where we're working: Skaftafell National Park in southeast Iceland has been described as a green oasis surrounded by a landscape of snow-capped mountains, glaciers and vast black sand plains. This amazing scenery makes it one of the most beautiful and most visited places in the country. The area has been included in the new Vatnajökull National Park, which has recently been established and is the largest National Park in Europe.
What we'll be doing: This summer we will be working a variety of hiking trail construction and maintenance projects throughout the Skaftafell area. Our work may include building stone drains, resurfacing paths with gravel and the construction of timber bridges and boardwalks. We'll be focussing on repair work to a popular woodland trail overlooking the Skaftafell Glacier. No previous experience of this work is necessary as training will be provided by experienced leaders. The working day normally runs from 09:00 – 17:00 with breaks for lunch and coffee. However, please be prepared for some flexibility due to the nature of Iceland’s changeable weather.
Work on the Canyon Trails
2008: 29 Jun, 13 Jul, 27 Jul, 10 Aug £350 (13 days) ex flights
Living and working in the heart of Iceland's stunning National Parks you'll amaze yourself with your own achievements. The ultimate adventurous conservation experience.
Who we're working with: Iceland Conservation Holidays are run in partnership with the Icelandic Environment Agency , Umhverfistofnun (UST). The Agency operates under the Ministry of Environment and one of their key responsibilities is the management and protection of the country’s national parks and conservation areas. Iceland Conservation Holidays are managed by UST’s own team of local staff and international volunteer leaders.
Where we're working: These holidays are be based in Jökulsárglúfur in the north east of the country. The area became a national park in 1973 to protect the amazing Jökulsá canyon and the land surrounding it. It is an area of contrasting landscapes with spectacular waterfalls, native birch forests and dramatic "desert" landscapes. The area has been included in the new Vatnajökull National Park, which has recently been established and is the largest National Park in Europe.
What we'll be doing: This summer our work is focused on sections of hiking trails in the Park that have been damaged by erosion. Practical tasks may include constructing stone steps and drains and adding gravel or woodchip surfacing. Other work includes replanting vegetation in areas alongside sections of the paths that have been repaired. No previous experience of this work is necessary as training will be provided by experienced leaders. The working day normally runs from 09:00 – 17:00 with breaks for lunch and coffee. However, please be prepared for some flexibility due to the nature of Iceland’s changeable weather.
Boardwalk Construction
2008: 22 Jun, 6 Jul, 20 Jul, 3 Aug £350 (13 days) ex flights
Living and working in the heart of Iceland's stunning National Parks you'll amaze yourself with your own achievements. Our holidays in Iceland are the ultimate adventurous conservation experience!
Who we're working with: Iceland Conservation Holidays are run in partnership with the Icelandic Environment Agency, Umhverfistofnun (UST). The Agency operates under the Ministry of Environment and one of their key responsibilities is the management and protection of the country’s national parks and conservation areas. Iceland Conservation Holidays are managed by UST’s own team of local staff and international volunteer leaders. For 30 years, our volunteers have played an important role in this work. Volunteer teams work closely with local staff on a variety of practical management tasks, focussing on trail building and wilderness management projects. We stay in tents and live and work in these amazing areas throughout the summer months. The country’s harsh natural environment and unpredictable weather make our projects in Iceland both an adventure and a challenge.
Where we're working: Skaftafell National Park in southeast Iceland has been described as a green oasis surrounded by a landscape of snow-capped mountains, glaciers and vast black sand plains. This amazing scenery makes it one of the most beautiful and most visited places in the country. The area has been included in the new Vatnajökull National Park, which has recently been established and is the largest National Park in Europe.
What we'll be doing: This summer we will be working a variety of hiking trail construction and maintenance projects throughout the Skaftafell area. Our work may include building stone drains, resurfacing paths with gravel and the construction of timber bridges and boardwalks. We'll be focussing on repair work to a popular woodland trail overlooking the Skaftafell Glacier. No previous experience of this work is necessary as training will be provided by experienced leaders. The working day normally runs from 09:00 – 17:00 with breaks for lunch and coffee. However, please be prepared for some flexibility due to the nature of Iceland’s changeable weather.
Work on the Canyon Trails
2008: 29 Jun, 13 Jul, 27 Jul, 10 Aug £350 (13 days) ex flights
Living and working in the heart of Iceland's stunning National Parks you'll amaze yourself with your own achievements. The ultimate adventurous conservation experience.
Who we're working with: Iceland Conservation Holidays are run in partnership with the Icelandic Environment Agency , Umhverfistofnun (UST). The Agency operates under the Ministry of Environment and one of their key responsibilities is the management and protection of the country’s national parks and conservation areas. Iceland Conservation Holidays are managed by UST’s own team of local staff and international volunteer leaders.
Where we're working: These holidays are be based in Jökulsárglúfur in the north east of the country. The area became a national park in 1973 to protect the amazing Jökulsá canyon and the land surrounding it. It is an area of contrasting landscapes with spectacular waterfalls, native birch forests and dramatic "desert" landscapes. The area has been included in the new Vatnajökull National Park, which has recently been established and is the largest National Park in Europe.
What we'll be doing: This summer our work is focused on sections of hiking trails in the Park that have been damaged by erosion. Practical tasks may include constructing stone steps and drains and adding gravel or woodchip surfacing. Other work includes replanting vegetation in areas alongside sections of the paths that have been repaired. No previous experience of this work is necessary as training will be provided by experienced leaders. The working day normally runs from 09:00 – 17:00 with breaks for lunch and coffee. However, please be prepared for some flexibility due to the nature of Iceland’s changeable weather.
travellers' tales
The most memorable part was going to an open air concert in one of the national parks and also travelling overland for 2 days and staying in a mountain hut by a lake fed by 2 glaciers and watching the moon rise on one side and the sun set on the other. (more)
volunteer travel - what's it all about?
Are you are looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world. Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Now one of the coolest holiday destinations in Europe, Iceland is receiving ever increasing numbers of visitors. As tourism grow, the pressure on Iceland’s fragile natural ecology increases. The challenge is to protect both vegetation and geological formations from damage and this is done through the construction and maintenance of hiking trail networks. Well maintained paths enable people to visit these amazing areas without damaging them and this important work also helps to improve safety for visitors.
As the UK's biggest environmental volunteering charity, our aim is to make the maximum contribution to the communities and places we work in and we always work with a local partner organisation. These are unique holidays in a unique place. Working directly with the Environmental Agency staff, volunteers and local people you'll have the chance to experience Iceland in a way no other holiday can offer. Living, laughing and working as a group, you're not only changing the world, you'll change your life. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |