Hafnarfjörður receives the Hope from the Wetlands Fund

Wetland Fund presents Hope on the International Day of the Earth

On the International Day of Earth, Friday 22 April, the President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, presented „Hope“, the Wetlands Foundation's award of appreciation for the year 2021. The award was presented for the first time last year, when it went to artists and scientists who have supported the Fund. This year, the recipients of the Hope are the owners of the first parcels of land that the Fund has completed restoration on. 

Wetland restoration, one of humanity's main weapons in the fight against global warming  

Friday was Earth Day, and it is fitting to present The Hope on that day, as the restoration of wetlands is one of humanity's main weapons in the fight against global warming. At the same time, it is the restoration of ecosystems and the strengthening of natural diversity. In total, all the farms amount to a sequestration of 5,800 tonnes – which is the equivalent of the emissions from 2,900 cars. The owners of the landholdings of Hof, Bleiksmýri, Krísuvíkurmýri, Grafarkot, Gottorp, Kirkjuból in Korpudal, Horn and Skógar within Dynjandi, and Fífustaðadal by Arnarfjörður are receiving The Hope this year. In total, the farms account for a reduction of 5,800 tonnes – the equivalent of the emissions from 2,900 cars.

More about the owners of the lands

• The couple Jófríður Gilsdóttir and Þorfinnur S. Hermannsson are the owners of Hof. It was the first estate that the Wetlands Fund restored, and Thorfin himself carried out the work. On their behalf, Gudmundur Freyr Kristjansson is taking on Vonin. In total, the area is 16 hectares, representing a reduction in emissions of 320 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
• Hafnarfjörður Municipality is the owner of Bleiks- and Krísuvíkurmýri. These were estates 2 and 3 that the fund restored. This involves 29 hectares in Bleiksmýri and 24 hectares in Krísuvíkurmýri. A total of 54 hectares and a reduction in emissions of 1,060 tonnes per year – for comparison, that is the equivalent of 530 passenger cars per year. It is Mayor Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir who receives the thank-you award.
• The brothers Kristmann Örn Magnússon and Leifur Ragnar Magnússon, along with their families, are the owners of Grafarkot. The land was reclaimed at the start of the Covid year, 2020, and the work was completed in April of that year. In total, there are around 30 hectares, and 600 tonnes of annual emissions have been stopped. Kristmann Örn receives the award on behalf of the owners.
• Steinþór Hjaltason's family are the owners of Gottorp. They reclaimed this ancient estate in the summer of 2020. Steinþór is a contractor himself in Kópavogur and carried this out in consultation with advisers from the Land Restoration Authority. In total, this involves 33 hectares, which represents 660 tonnes of annual emissions that have been stopped.
• Páll Á. R. Stefánsson and family are the owners of Kirkjuból in Korpudal. Restoration work was carried out there in the autumn of 2020. It was the contractors Thotunn in Bolungavík who carried out that project, and the land was drained in 1972. There, 24 hectares were reclaimed, and a total of 480 tonnes of emissions were prevented.
• Viðir Birgisson and his family are the owners of the Horns and Skógar farms. In total, they cover about 26 hectares and produce 1,040 tonnes. The work was completed on the winter solstice in December 2020 and was quite an adventure, as the area is uninhabited at that time.
• Ragnheiður Guðmundsdóttir is the owner of Fífustaðadalur by Arnarfjörður. Restoration work was carried out there in the autumn of 2021. It was a joint project between the contractors Þotunn and Suðurverk, as well as a member of staff from the Land Restoration Authority. This is by far the fund's largest project to date, covering nearly 60 hectares in total and involving around 1,200 tonnes of stabilisation.

More about the Wetland Fund

The Wetland Foundation is a non-profit organisation funded by contributions from socially responsible companies, charities and individuals. Wetland restoration stops the release of carbon dioxide equivalents, enhances biodiversity and birdlife, and improves water management in fishing rivers.