Tour operators and members of the tourism industry have asked the Ministry of the Environment look into placing stricter limits on traffic in the most popular tourist destinations inside the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV reports. The reserve, which was created in 1979, covers 45,000 hectares of the Central Highlands north of Eyjafjallajökull glacier. It includes popular destinations like the Landmannalaugar highland oasis and the popular hiking trail Laugavegurinn.
Read more: Fjallabak Nature Reserve badly marred due to illegal off road driving
At a public hearing held in the town of Hella in South Iceland by a task force created by the ministry to look working how to strengthen the Fjallabak Nature Reserve representatives of tourism companies in the region voiced their wish to see restrictions on traffic in the reserve. Parts of the reserve, especially Landmannalaugar, are under enormous stress from growing tourism the chairman of the task force told RÚV.
The task force was created in July 2015 to evaluate come up with ways to strengthen or expand the preserve to make it better capable of serving its purpose. Protecting the area is crucial, Sigrún Ágústsdóttir, the chairman of the task force tells RÚV. “The ministry considers many of the areas within the reserve to be among the most important natural jewels of Iceland,” she points out, adding that the government has considered applying for the reserve to be added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites.
Tour operators and members of the tourism industry have asked the Ministry of the Environment look into placing stricter limits on traffic in the most popular tourist destinations inside the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV reports. The reserve, which was created in 1979, covers 45,000 hectares of the Central Highlands north of Eyjafjallajökull glacier. It includes popular destinations like the Landmannalaugar highland oasis and the popular hiking trail Laugavegurinn.
Read more: Fjallabak Nature Reserve badly marred due to illegal off road driving
At a public hearing held in the town of Hella in South Iceland by a task force created by the ministry to look working how to strengthen the Fjallabak Nature Reserve representatives of tourism companies in the region voiced their wish to see restrictions on traffic in the reserve. Parts of the reserve, especially Landmannalaugar, are under enormous stress from growing tourism the chairman of the task force told RÚV.
The task force was created in July 2015 to evaluate come up with ways to strengthen or expand the preserve to make it better capable of serving its purpose. Protecting the area is crucial, Sigrún Ágústsdóttir, the chairman of the task force tells RÚV. “The ministry considers many of the areas within the reserve to be among the most important natural jewels of Iceland,” she points out, adding that the government has considered applying for the reserve to be added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites.
