Reykjavík Grapevine - 04.07.2008, Blaðsíða 22

22 | REYKJAVÍK GRAPEVINE | ISSUE 09—2008
we bring the o to sush
O s u s h i L æ k j a r g a t a 2 a Og B o r g a r t ú n 2 9 I S í m i : 5 6 1 0 5 6 2
Akureyri
Vík
Egilsstaðir
Selfoss
Hveragerði
Hafnarfjörður
Neskaupstaður
Grundarfjörður
Stykkishólmur
Súðavík
Ísafjörður
Akranes
Njarðvík
Sandgerði
Hreðavatnsskáli
Reykjavík
You save at the pink stationsAkureyri, Egilsstaðir, Selfoss,
Hveragerði, Reykjavík,
Akranes, Hafnarfjörður,
Njarðvík, Sandgerði,
Kópavogur, Neskaupstaður,
Grundarfjörður,
Stykkishólmur, Súðavík,
Ísafjörður, Vík í Mýrdal
and Hreðavatnsskáli have
more than just stunning
nature and beautiful
people in common!
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E
Y
K
JA
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The Orkan network is growing steadily, offering more savings
throughout Iceland. Keep an eye out for the Orkan petrol stations and
take advantage of our lower prices.
www.orkan.is
ICELAND SuRVIVAL GuIDE
This fierce island of ours in the North can be a
tough resort to say the least. Over the last few
weeks we have witnessed recurrently what seems
to be amongst the seamiest hazards known. In
our last issue, Grapevine explained thoroughly
what is most wise to do in the event of meeting
a full grown polar bear while exploring Icelandic
nature and now we keep up the good work for the
frightened nation. Over the years it hasn’t
Only been the dire encounters of polar bears
that has made Icelanders as coarse as their incum-
bent condition can well be described as, but also
the constant fear of earthquakes; one of nature’s
most incessant powers. This spring we witnessed
a few and another one can be expected at any
time, therefore we have summed up a few point-
ers so we can all be as prepared as possible.
ONE To begin with, when you feel the earth
shaking beneath your feet it is most likely your
imagination playing tricks on you or your next-
door-neighbour is having a raver in the next room
causing your underlay to shake a little. To exam-
ine if this is the case, simply close your eyes for a
second as if this was a bad dream.
TWO If the earthquake scenario is still factual
when you open your eyes and you are indoors –
drop, cover and hold on. The wisest thing is to get
under a table or bench to avoid any objects fall-
ing on you, and if there are no benches or tables
in the room sit up against a wall, most preferably
holding on to your legs. Wait until the ground has
stopped shaking and then check if you’re hurt.
THREE If you are outside when you realise the
earthquake is not a figment of your imagination,
stay outside.
fOuR After quakes are so common subsequently
to earthquakes that they can almost be consid-
ered inevitable, so don’t get back to your daily
routine just yet. You might have to return to your
save spot in a few minutes.
Hopefully these pointers are useful when the next
one shakes our beloved ground. If not, at least we
tried.
How to Survive
an Earthquake
By SigurÐur kJartan kriStinSSon
INTERVIEW By Steinunn JakoBSdÓttir — pHoto By gaS
You might not realise when hiking
in Skaftafell or climbing Mt. Esja
that the trails you are walking on
were all built by The Environment
Agency Conservation Volunteers.
Every summer, a group of interna-
tional volunteers arrive in Iceland
from all over the world to work
on nature conservation, build-
ing walking paths and helping
park rangers across the country.
Each year sees between 150 to 200
volunteers from the ages of 20 to
60 completing up to 600 weeks of
work for free. Anyone can volun-
teer, even tourists on a weekend
trip who want to experience some-
thing more of Iceland than party-
ing in Reykjavík or looking outside
the bus.

The programme, organised and sponsored by
the Environment Agency in partnership with the
British conservation volunteer organisation, is
celebrating its 30th year this July. In 1978, the first
team of volunteers built a wall in Jökulsárgljúfur,
leading to many teams living and working in some
of the country’s most beautiful places. This event
will be celebrated with a grand birthday party in
Ásbyrgi this weekend. Grapevine caught up with
the project’s supervisor, Chas Goemans, and three
of his newly arrived volunteers before they headed
out into the highlands.
What is the nature of your work?
Mostly it’s trail repairs. That is about 90% of what
we do. We have looked to other countries for how
to fix these trails and make them strong. We take
these skills from Europe or North America but
because Iceland is unique in its ecology we have
to consider other factors. We have to consider for
example what the frost will do and in England we
don’t have geothermal areas. So we design new
things in the areas here. We take these core skills
and develop them for the conditions in Iceland.
What is your agenda? Is it nature conserva-
tion or making nature more accessible to
tourists?
It’s a little bit of both but I have to say that the heart
of it is nature conservation. We feel that if we make
good paths it can help protect the more fragile
areas. In Dimmuborgir, for example, there were
damages on the lava formations but one strong
path improves safety for visitors and also protects
the fragile area. Most often we make the paths
because of people, repairing damage that has al-
ready been done. We don’t go into a pristine area,
like Hornstrandir for example, and build paths ev-
erywhere. It’s more a response to damage.
How many volunteers come each year?
This summer we will have about 200 volunteers.
Some stay for four months and others only a few
days. Some come as part of their school or job
training, others because they want to experience
Iceland’s nature. We therefore build our pro-
gramme so people can travel around. The fun is to
see something different. Our volunteers can spend
a week on Esja, a week in Laki and maybe two
weeks in Ásbyrgi and so forth. We provide a place
to stay, usually camping in the highlands, and food
and travel is included.
Working in the outdoors with a team of interna-
tional volunteers and working with nature is a dif-
ferent experience of Iceland. 15-20% of the people
we have this summer are volunteers who have
worked here before so they must find something
they like. Not many tourists spend a weekend in
Laki working with the rangers who can tell you
everything about the area. I think that’s what a lot
of volunteers appreciate; it’s not the same as other
forms of tourism. It’s a whole other level.
If a tourist is getting bored of Reykjavík and
would like to volunteer, can he or she just
show up?
Yes. You just simply contact us at The Environment
Agency and we can organise something. Most of
the projects are residential so it would be at least a
weekend but they would be welcome to join in.
Conservation Volunteers
A different experience of Iceland’s nature
martHa from spain, racHel, clair and cHas Goemans from enGland.
We don’t go into a priStine area,
like HornStrandir For exaMple,
and Build patHS everyWHere. it’S
More a reSponSe to daMage.”