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Kirkjubaejarklaustur Grove

The forest at Kirkjubaejarklaustur was planted by the families at Kirkjubaejarklaustur farm with help from local people from nearby farms. At the same time the farmers were fighting soil erosion east of Kirkjubaejarklaustur that threatened the farm. The first trees were planted in 1945, 60,000 downy birch seedlings, followed by planting of other species such as Sitka spruce, larch and pine trees in the following years. This was one of the largest private forests in Iceland. In 1966 The Icelandic Forest Service took over the supervision of the forest and has since been building trails, planting various tree species and setting up benches.The tallest trees in Iceland are growing within the forest. The tallest one, Sitka spruce planted in 1949, measured 27 meters in 2015.

Iceland’s tallest tree

Iceland’s tallest tree, a Sitka spruce in Kirkjubaejarklaustur Grove,
measuring 27 meters in 2015.

Camping

Nice grove with quite a number of tree species in beautiful landscape. Icing on the cake is the waterfall Systrafoss (Sister’s Waterfall).
The history of the forest at Kirkjubaejarklaustur

 

This article is based on information from www.skogur.is, with the kind permission from The Icelandic Forest Service.

Iceland forest

Photo Credit: Hreinn Oskarsson