Skógræktarritið - 15.05.2001, Page 86

creased dramatically during tha
last decade, the main rationalle
being rural development aid and
carbon sequestration. Because of
this, planting has increased to
about 5 million seedlings annu-
ally and is set to continue to
increase during the next decade.
At the same time, increased
consideration of environmental
issues has led to changes in both
afforestation planning and
implementation. Exotics are no
longer planted into birchwoods,
wetlands are not drained for
forestry, species mixtures are
now planted instead of monocul-
tures and in 1999, the native
downey birch was the most
planted tree species in lceland
for the first time since 1951.
The major tree species used in
lceland
Downy birch (Betula pubescens
Ehrh.) and its hybrid complex
with Betula nana (L.)
This is the only native species
that forms continuous forests or
woodland. The total area of
birchwoods is about 120,000 ha,
of which 20,000 ha are birch
forests taller than 5 m, reaching a
maximun height of 12-13m, and
100,000 ha are scrub. This
amounts to about 1.2% of the
land area of lceland, compared
to an estimated 25-30% (basical-
ly the entire lowland area) forest
and woodland cover at the time
of settlement in the late 9th cen-
turyAD.
Most of the birch scrub is a
hybrid complex between Betula
pubescens and B. nana. Most of the
birch in S- and W-Iceland is very
low-growing, whereas true
forests can be found in N- and
E-Iceland.
The birch woodlands were an
essential resource to the Ice-
landic people for 1000 years;
being utilised for fuel, charcoal
(for iron smelting and tool mak-
ing), building material and fod-
der for cattle and sheep. The
demise of forests was the main
cause of both general poverty
and the incredible soil erosion
that has taken place.
The birchwoods are no longer
economically important but their
preceived importance as habitat,
for soil protection and for recre-
ation and landscape is increas-
ing. Planting of native birch has
been increasing in recent years,
comprising 37% of the total
planted in 1999 or 1.2 million
seedlings. Atotal of 14.7 million
downy birch seedlings were
planted in lceland between 1945
and 1998, making it the second
Icelandic downy birch at Hallorms-
staður. Height 11-12 m.
(Photo: T. Eysteinsson)
most planted species, after larch.
Efforts are under way to improve
native birch through selection
and breeding.
Russian (Larix suíiaczewii Dylis)
and Siberian larch (L. sibirica
Ledeb.)
Taxonomists disagree as to
whether these are one or two
species. Their destinction is how-
ever useful for Icelandic forestry.
Siberian larch from southern
Siberia and the Altai mountains
was most planted earlier, but
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SKÓGRÆKTARRITIÐ .2001 l.tbl.