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Atypical because there are actually trees to be seen in it.
Forestry in a treeless land | Skógrækt ríkisins
(This was the view from our window the first morning in northern Iceland.)
Forestry in a treeless land | Skógrækt ríkisins
Fossil evidence indicates that Iceland was generally forested during the mid to late Tertiary (5-15 million years ago), with tree genera including Sequoia, Magnolia, Sassafras, Pterocarya and many others, indicating that the climate was warm-temperate. Beech (Fagus sp.) forests seem to have been very common. By the late Pliocene, shortly before the onset of Pleistocene glaciations, boreal-type forests predominated including Pinus, Picea, Abies, Larix, Betula and Alnus, indicative of a cooler climate.
With succeeding glaciations, the Icelandic flora became ever morespecies-poor. Pinus survived the first few glacial periods up to about 1.1 million years ago and fossil evidence of Alnus is found during interglacials to about 500,000 years ago. The only forest forming tree species to return to the present interglacial is downy birch (Betula pubescens). Other native tree species found in Icelandic forests are rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), which is uncommon, and the extremely rare aspen (Populus tremula) found naturally in only 6 locations, along with abundant tea-leaved willow (Salix phylicifolia), which is usually a shrub but occasionally reaches tree size.
At the time of human settlement about 1140 years ago, birch forest and woodland covered 25-40% of Iceland's land area. The relatively tall (to 15 m) birch forests of sheltered valleys graded to birch and willow scrub toward the coast, on exposed sites and in wetland areas and to willow tundra at high elevations.
As in agrarian societies everywhere, the settlers began by cutting down the forests and burning scrubland to create fields and grazing land. Sheep were important as a source of wool from the outset, but by 1300 they had become a staple source of food for Icelanders as well. At the same time, the Catholic Church (also the political power at the time) started obtaining woodland remnants, a clear indication that they had become a rare and valuable resource. Sheep grazing prevented regeneration of the birchwoods after cutting and the area of woodland continued to decline. A cooling climate (the little ice age) is sometimes cited as a possible cause for woodland decline as are volcanic eruptions and other types of disturbance, but on closer inspection they can not explain the overall deforestation that took place. Cooling temperatures might have lowered tree line elevation, but they do not explain deforestation of the lowlands, where temperatures have been sufficient for birchwoods throughout historical times. Natural disturbance is sporadic and limited in area and thus cannot account for the permanent destruction of 95% of the original forest cover.
With succeeding glaciations, the Icelandic flora became ever morespecies-poor. Pinus survived the first few glacial periods up to about 1.1 million years ago and fossil evidence of Alnus is found during interglacials to about 500,000 years ago. The only forest forming tree species to return to the present interglacial is downy birch (Betula pubescens). Other native tree species found in Icelandic forests are rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), which is uncommon, and the extremely rare aspen (Populus tremula) found naturally in only 6 locations, along with abundant tea-leaved willow (Salix phylicifolia), which is usually a shrub but occasionally reaches tree size.
At the time of human settlement about 1140 years ago, birch forest and woodland covered 25-40% of Iceland's land area. The relatively tall (to 15 m) birch forests of sheltered valleys graded to birch and willow scrub toward the coast, on exposed sites and in wetland areas and to willow tundra at high elevations.
As in agrarian societies everywhere, the settlers began by cutting down the forests and burning scrubland to create fields and grazing land. Sheep were important as a source of wool from the outset, but by 1300 they had become a staple source of food for Icelanders as well. At the same time, the Catholic Church (also the political power at the time) started obtaining woodland remnants, a clear indication that they had become a rare and valuable resource. Sheep grazing prevented regeneration of the birchwoods after cutting and the area of woodland continued to decline. A cooling climate (the little ice age) is sometimes cited as a possible cause for woodland decline as are volcanic eruptions and other types of disturbance, but on closer inspection they can not explain the overall deforestation that took place. Cooling temperatures might have lowered tree line elevation, but they do not explain deforestation of the lowlands, where temperatures have been sufficient for birchwoods throughout historical times. Natural disturbance is sporadic and limited in area and thus cannot account for the permanent destruction of 95% of the original forest cover.
(This was the view from our window the first morning in northern Iceland.)
![[No title]](/data/xfmg/thumbnail/37/37113-886cb28b1e3fb197bdd00a9148269407.jpg?1734169831)
![[No title]](/data/xfmg/thumbnail/33/33873-e4eab8f61d68a145e3b86b7a7fca6372.jpg?1734164217)