The next NordGen Forest thematic day will be held in Akureyri, Northern Iceland, the 11^th of April 2018 focusing on two areas, firstly seed production, collection, storing and handling and secondly tree breeding and the establishment of seed orchards.

Archeological evidence indicates that over a quarter of the island's countryside was covered with trees until the 9th century, when Viking settlers arrived and began chopping them down for timber and to clear space for farmland and grazing. Now the country's exotic, moonscape-like scenery is a lure for tourists. But the lack of trees has also caused problems – and now some Icelanders are committed to bringing them back.

What comes to your mind when you think about Iceland? “The land of fire and ice”, might a lot of people answer, “Cute puffins, Vikings, the Icelandic horse, more sheep than people ... ?” But you would certainly not associate Iceland with forests.

Icelandic Forest Research at Mógilsá celebrated its 50-year anniversary on August 20^th 2017. The jubilee included an open house at the station and the formal opening of the Mógilsá arboretum.

Cost-effective methods for providing vast numbers of identical Christmas trees from a single seed seem to be in sight. Automated technology for plant tissue culture-based (somatic embryogenesis) production of conifer trees is in great progress giving hope for the provision of a variety of seedlings with desirable properties. This was among the subjects discussed recently at the 13th Christmas Tree Research and Extension Conference.