Volunteers at work on one of the various hiking trails in the Thórsmörk area. Photo: trailteam.is
Volunteers at work on one of the various hiking trails in the Thórsmörk area. Photo: trailteam.is

The Iceland Forest Service coordinates trail maintenance and wilderness management projects with international volunteers in Thórsmörk, Goðaland and beyond, a stunningly beautiful nature resort in Southern Iceland. 

The teams include volunteers who join the programme for 2-week or 6-week placements. Our ‘Operations team’ includes the volunteer team leaders and is responsible for project support, logistics and the day to day running of the programme.

No previous experience of trail construction work is necessary as practical training will be provided. We are looking for participants who have some experience of camping and hill walking, enjoy wilderness landscapes and are ready for a challenge. Iceland’s notoriously changeable weather means that our teams have to be well prepared with warm clothing, good waterproofs and sturdy tents. Due to the strenuous nature of our work, participants must be physically fit and as many of our work sites are in remote locations, we do a lot of hiking to get to them!

Our international volunteer teams include volunteers from all over the world and the working language on the programme is English. Participants must be 20+ years of age. Participants organise and pay their own travel to and from the meeting point in Thórsmörk and are also responsible for organising their own travel insurance. Once volunteers have joined the programme, food and campsites are provided throughout the placements (including weekends). There is no participation fee.

Placement dates, details and application forms for 2019 are now available on our homepage:

Open for applications

We have just started putting together an international volunteer team that will join us in Thórsmörk next summer. We have volunteer placements for two and six weeks and there are longer placements for volunteer team leaders with our Operations team. No previous experience of trail construction is necessary as training will be provided. Participants organise their own travel plans and join us at the meeting point. As always, there is no participation fee.

Places are limited and we will start allocating placements as soon as applications reach us, so if you would like to join us in Thórsmörk next summer, don’t delay!

Applications will be open until January 31st.