Iceland forms Europe’s largest national park

From June 7, 2008, an area encompassing 13 per cent of Iceland´s landmass, and encapsulating unparalleled geographical diversity will become the largest protected wilderness in Europe. Volcanoes, lava flows, vast glaciers, powerful waterfalls, canyons and calderas, sand flats, rivers, lakes and lush vegetation are just some of the natural wonders contained within Vatnajökull National Park’s 13,000 sq kms.

The park’s boundaries will incorporate previously unprotected land as well the existing Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur national parks, the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss and the entire Vatnajökull glacier (Europe’s largest).

The Icelandic government is initially investing ISK1,150 million, around £8 million, in a network of visitor centres and park rangers’ work stations due to be completed in 2012. An existing visitor centre at Skaftafell will be joined by five new facilities including one currently under construction at Ásbyrgi. Ranger’s stations will also increase from four to 11.

It is estimated that by 2012, the new national park could increase visitors to Iceland by between five and seven per cent over and above levels already projected – accounting for some 30,000 – 42,000 tourists.

Ólöf Ýrr Atladóttir, Director General of the Icelandic Tourist Board vice chairman of the board of Vatnajökull National Park is herself a former ranger in the Vatnajökull area: “Visitors are a vital part of Iceland’s rural economy and contribute positively to the protection and sustainability of our magnificent landscape.

“Personally, I see a myriad of possibilities for all sorts of activities opening up such as action tours, eco-recreation, study visits and learning experiences as well as the chance to experience the nurturing silence of Iceland’s highlands.”

Volunteering projects enabling UK travellers to take part in the conservation of areas contained within the new national park are operated by Iceland Conservation Holidays, bookable through Responsibletravel.com and Working Abroad (workingabroad.co.uk). Schemes are managed by the Environment Agency of Iceland (ust.is).