Since the weather improved and the sun begun to shine in the beginning of week 4 of my training period, time is flying by really fast and there’s not enough time for me to write about events as they happen. In the past weeks I’ve been doing a lot of different things, it seems like I learn a new thing every day. Here is a short summary of my activities:

Week 4:

In the 4th week of my training period I’ve learned how to drive different tractors and make firewood with a splitting machine. I’ve begun to learn practical work with the chainsaw (from the thinning champion of Iceland!) and chainsaw maintenance. I’ve also been driving the pick-up truck a lot and did some brush cutting. On the weekend I’ve stayed in Thjorsardalur and helped with various tasks (collecting fares, maintenance etc.) on the Forest service’s campsite.

Posing :)

Starting the chainsaw

Magnus, my co-worker

Equipment for thinning

Picture of the stand

A video of me cutting one of my first spruce trees:

Week 5:

On week 5 I’ve continued work with the chainsaw and have been thinning some stands in Thjorsardalur. We’ve also been applying a protective layer of paint on the bridges on the forest educational path. It is a very basic one with signs for tree species, but the infrastructure and location are amazing. I might be getting some more pictures in the future weeks if I get some time.

In the middle of week 5 my mentor Hreinn granted my wish and had relocated me to Thorsmork to check out and participate in the hiking trail volunteers project. I cut some of the trees in the tallest spruce stand I have seen in Iceland this far to give the volunteers material to work with. I have also done one day of work on the trails, carrying big rocks and and building path drainage systems.

Painting the sign

Trail volunteers sign

Chaz, Trail volunteer leader, explaining some details about building the drain

Analyzing the situation

Some rocks and other tools of the trade

Shifting a boulder into the ideal position

Shoveling the earth back onto the drain

Good view of the drain, before it gets hidden by earth

Almost done

Week 6:

Week 6 of my training period was dedicated to trekking from Laugavegur to Thorsmork . The trek was beautiful and I will be writing more about it in seperate posts. On Friday I did some more thinning in the spruce stand in Thorsmork and got ready to leave back to Thjorsardalur, which I did in the evening.

Cutting in Thorsmork

Freshly felled spruce

A picture of work in progress