Landvernd, the Icelandic Environment Association, is a national environmental non-governmental organization based in Reykjavík. Landvernd was founded in 1969 with the main emphasis on nature conservation, particularly on preserving soil and vegetation. In the last decades, Landvernd’s efforts have increasingly concentrated on protecting Iceland’s unique wilderness and landscapes, especially in the uninhabited central highlands of the country. This is not least due to the increasing demand for energy for heavy industry, notably aluminum, causing non-reversible destruction of large sensitive areas in Icelandic nature.
Landvernd is the home of Eco-schools in Iceland
In recent years, Landvernd has also expanded to become a leading NGO in environmental education and education for sustainability in Iceland, mainly focusing on children, teenagers, and adults. The association thus runs educational programs at all school levels, including programs for about half of all pupils in preschools and primary and secondary schools in the country. Landvernd is the largest service provider in the field of environmental education in Iceland and a pioneer of such projects in the country.
Climate action
In recent years, Landvernd has focused on climate change and the impact of the ever-increasing number of tourists visiting the delicate nature of Iceland. We offer action-based courses for the general public and distribute informative material on social media.
Public participation
Landvernd uses many different ways of conveying its message of nature conservation and environmental issues. First of all, Landvernd runs several educational programs. Second, public awareness campaigns include telling the story of the precious wilderness in Iceland and what is at stake. Third, a large part of the work involves writing reviews on parliamentary bills and motions and local, regional, and national planning of municipalities and the government. As such, the association provides a lot of service to society. Fourth, Landvernd organizes seminars and lectures on various conservation topics, and board and staff members write articles and blogs.
