Icelandic forestry on National Geographic's Short Film Showcase
10.01.2018
The video "Afforesting Iceland - a cause for optimism" flying high!
Iceland's trees are slowly beginning to make a comeback. EUFORGEN's new video on afforestation in Iceland has been acknowledged National Geographic Society with publication on it's Short Film Showcase web channel.
The landscape of Iceland has changed a lot in a thousand years. When the Vikings first arrived in the ninth century, the land was covered in 25 to 40 percent forest. Within a few centuries, almost all of the island's trees were slashed and burned to make room for farming. This rapid deforestation has resulted in massive soil erosion that puts the island at risk for desertification.
Today, the Icelandic Forest Service has taken on the mammoth task of bringing back the woodlands. With the help of forestry societies and forest farmers, Iceland's trees are slowly beginning to make a comeback. Watch this short film by Euforgen to learn more about how their efforts are working to benefit Iceland's economy and ecology through forestry. The film is produced by Duckrabbit and directed by Ewa Hermanowicz.
The Short Film Showcase spotlights exceptional short videos created by filmmakers from around the world and selected by National Geographic editors. These works affirm National Geographic's belief in the power of science, exploration, and storytelling to change the world.