My understanding is that when the Viings first went to Iceland, they found the island to be thickly forested with pine and birch trees.
Later, the settlers chopped down the trees, and the arctic winds blew the soils away.
Could these forests be re-established? Or is the soil so degarded that it would be impossible?
I have seen a few small trees in Iceland-why not forests?
Reforestry has already been taking place for over a hundred years. For example, Iceland’s largest forest, Hallormsstaðarskógur, was begun in 1903, though most of the trees have been planted in the last 60 years.
[QUOTE=ralph124c;13825821I have seen a few small trees in Iceland-why not forests?[/QUOTE]
There’s an old joke: “What do you do if you’re lost in the forest in Iceland?” “Stand up”.
Obviously no longer true now, judging by the very un-Icelandic scenes in psychonaut’s link.
Jared Diamond explains the problem with Icelandic soil in very much detail in his Book “Collapse”. I can’t check right now, but from what I remember, normal soil, like the Vikings knew from Norway and similar, was the result of glaciers and was heavy, rich, dark real soil (loam). By contrast, Icelandic soil was thin and accumulated over centuries; it was light, so it flew away. Coupled with a short growing period, which means plant have a hard time, it’d difficult/ impossible for nature to re-populate the rock on its own again.
However, depending on how much money and effort you want to throw at the problem, I’m sure you could find a way today. Most obvious solution: set up compost heaps in warmer climate (so that the process happens quicker) to produce earth, ship that earth to iceland, plant already sprouted plants into that earth (selected suitable for that climate, obviously), build wind-breakers (woven from organic materials, like willow mats) and stone walls (catch sun warmth and moisture) and cover with porous foil to keep the wind from blowing away.
Once a thin cover of grass (generic) has been established, you plant (again, ready-grown) bushes, that stop the wind. After a couple of years of this, when the bushes have reached sufficient height, you plant little trees.
You could also look into the current research on “Terra preta” (black earth), a special method used by Amazon indians to increase soil fertility.
Lupins. For some reason, a key stage in the revegetation of Iceland seems to involve covering vast tracts of the country in lupins. Millions and millions of lupins (or so it seems, anyway, it may be exaggerated in my memory).
Lupins are legumes and are therefore good things to plant to help build up nitrogen in soils. But there also tend to be a bit invasive in spots (due to being able to grow on poor soils, of course). So it wouldn’t be clear whether the ones you saw were deliberate or volunteers.