Short-term (2 to 4 weeks) "environmental" projects in Iceland

SEEDS volunteers will have the opportunity to contribute to this special art and culture project in the west part of Iceland. The aim of the project is to make an outdoor art exhibition, a geo-park, an art-residence, and a chapel for all types of religions.
Volunteers will help with various outdoors tasks such as building a stone wall in a garden with sculptures and outdoor artwork. The volunteers will be supervised by a professional stonewall maker and a nature scientist. Furthermore volunteers will make a walking path from the sculpture garden towards a small canyon where some outdoor artwork can be found. Volunteers will also help with setting up and moving the artwork.
Our host is taking the first steps towards making a Geo-park and volunteers will help with marking and registering locations and other related tasks.
If time and weather allows, volunteers will help building a chapel which is aimed to be for all religions and beliefs. Volunteers may also take down old fences and generally beautify the area.
The working plan will depend on the needs of our local host and the volunteers need motivation to work mainly outdoors on physical jobs and under changeable weather conditions.

SEEDS volunteers will stay in a local house; sleeping in shared rooms on mattresses in a sleeping bag accommodation. Please bring your own sleeping bag.
Volunteers receive food supplies and are mostly in charge of the cooking and cleaning activities. Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for an international evening.

The project takes place in the western part of Iceland, in a unique natural pearl with breath taking landscape, between glaciers and lava fields. The place is like an oasis in the desert, as the weather is often better than in the surroundings.
The place is ideal for hikers as walking paths and trails spread in all directions, beautiful waterfalls and one of the best known caves in Iceland is nearby. Every weekend there is a bonfire in the nearby camping area where visitors meet, sing, play games and enjoy the company.
Among the natural wonders nearby are the Hraunfossar waterfalls; where water comes out from a lava field over a length of 1 km. Additionally, the Hallmundarhraun lava field is among the best known and deepest in Iceland.
According to some of the oldest Icelandic sagas, this area is said to be inhabited since the very early settlement of the island. Dense forests, lava, water springs and torrential glacier rivers, mixed with a diverse fauna and flora makes this area a delightful place to stay.
In the area there are some small local services, including a convenience store, a swimming pool with Jacuzzis, a pit-stop joint with a gas station and a small restaurant.
The project is locaed close to Langjökull (Long Glacier), the second largest glacier in Iceland, it is 950 km2 and its highest point is 1355 m above sea level. Langjökull is surrounded by other small glaciers, Eiríksjökull, Þórisjökull, Hrútafell and the disappearing glacier Ok.

English will be the language in the camp; basic conversational skills are needed.

Closest international Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF). Bus station: Central Reykjavík (BSÍ).

Participation fee EUR 230 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

Volunteers have to bring good working shoes and clothes, even though it is summer, it might still be cold and hats and gloves might be necessary.
Volunteers applying for this project should have a motivation for working outdoors and do physical work. Our hosting partner will organise some free time activities in the area.

This is the sixth year that SEEDS volunteers will take part in a whale protection awareness project run in cooperation with IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare). The aim of the project is to raise awareness about whale protection in a friendly and peaceful manner.
The tasks of the project mainly consists of distributing information, conducting a survey, having people sign a protection petition that will be taken to the government at the end of the work camp, talking to people and having fun in Reykjavík!
Volunteers will also be given the opportunity to prepare and carry out acts or actions to grab attention and entertain passers-by. We encourage each volunteer to come prepared with some ideas of awareness rising for this project, to discuss them with the group and try to implement them.
SEEDS is looking for enthusiastic and open people for this workcamp. Volunteers have to be ready to approach people on the street and start conversations with them. Volunteers with passion for animal and environment protection are encouraged to apply as the work can become a bit repetitive.
Our goal is to raise awareness among tourists (and locals) that by tasting whale meat in Icelandic restaurants they encourage whaling. The truth is that most Icelanders have never tasted whale meat but with increasing tourism, local restaurants are increasingly including whale meat on their menu as an “exotic treat” for tourists.
Iceland was one of the first countries in the world to ban commercial whaling. We can help Iceland to make a positive decision again, by educating the growing number of people who eat up to 40% of the whale meat consumed in the country, but at the same time say they are against whaling.

SEEDS volunteers will stay in a house in Reykjavík. The facilities are fairly basic and volunteers are expected to show consideration for their fellow camp mates. Volunteers will sleep in shared rooms in a sleeping bag accommodation. Please bring your own sleeping bag.
Volunteers will receive food supplies and be in charge of the cooking and cleaning activities. Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

The camp is located in Reykjavik, Europe's most northern capital, a friendly and vibrant city that manages to combine the intimacy of a small-town atmosphere with all the qualities of a modern, trendy city. Here you can leisurely stroll around the lovely little streets of the town centre with its many renovated old houses and there's no hustle and bustle.
The visitor to Reykjavik is simply spoiled when it comes to things to do. There is the National Gallery and a range of other small avant-garde galleries for the art lover. The National Museum provides an exciting insight into Iceland's history and heritage, as does the Arbaer Folk Museum, which is an open-air museum with a collection of old Icelandic houses and artifacts.
In the area closer than 100 km from Reykjavík, there are several spectacular waterfalls, geysers, impressive coastlines and the well-known geothermal Blue Lagoon spa to visit.

English will be the language in the camp; good conversational skills are needed.

Closest international Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF). Bus station: Central Reykjavík (BSÍ).

Participation fee EUR 220 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

SEEDS will provide volunteers with passes to go on free whale watching trips. Other tours and excursions (e.g. Golden Circle, Blue Lagoon, Snaefellsnes or South Shore) can be arranged for SEEDS volunteers at discount fares.

This is the sixth year in a row SEEDS offers projects in the Botanic Garden in Reykjavík. The Botanic Garden is an outdoor collection of living plants founded in 1961, celebrating its 55th anniversary in 2016. The garden’s main role is to conserve plants for education, research and delight. It conserves some 5000 plant species in eight plant collections.
SEEDS volunteers will be doing general gardening work, attending the flowers, trees and other plants. Volunteers will assist in organising and carrying out special events that might be planned with a short notice but they will all be related to the general aim and work of the garden.
This workcamp is a family camp, meaning volunteers can bring children (preferably, older than 4 years old) to the camp. There will be 1-2 leaders, depending on the number of children, helping parents to take care of activities for the children during working hours.
The work may be repetitive as general gardening tasks tend to be. The project starts early every week day, working hours are from 8:00 - 15:30, so volunteers have to be motivated to work early in the morning.

SEEDS volunteers will stay in a well-equipped house, in a beautiful setting inside the Botanic Gardens of the city of Reykjavík, which are located about 4 kilometres from the centre of the city.
Volunteers will be sleeping in shared rooms/dorms in a sleeping bag accommodation. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Please note that volunteer from other projects will also be staying in the house. Volunteers will receive food supplies and be in charge of the cooking and cleaning activities. Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

Reykjavik is a dynamic, modern city which lives in harmony with beautiful nature, using renewable energy sources such as geothermal power. About two thirds of the population of Iceland live in Reykjavik including the metropolitan area, or over 200,000 people.
Visitors to Reykjavík experience easily the pure energy at the heart of Iceland's capital city - whether from the boiling thermal energy underground, the natural green energy within the city and around it, or the lively culture and fun-filled nightlife. In the summer, you can sit by the harbour at midnight and watch the sun dip slightly below the horizon before it makes its way up again.
In the area closer than 100 km from Reykjavík, there are several spectacular waterfalls, geysers, impressive coastline and the well-known geothermal Blue Lagoon spa to visit.

English will be the official language in the camp; high proficiency is not a requirement.

Closest International Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF).

Participation fee is EUR 120 per participant older than 14; those 14 or younger the fee is EUR 60. Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

Volunteers will have free access to one of the largest swimming pools in Iceland, which is only a few minutes’ walk from the house. Free access is only provided for the volunteers, there is a small entrance fee for children between 6-18 years (€1 as of November 2015).
Volunteers have to bring good working shoes and clothes, even though summer is coming, it might still be cold and hats and gloves might be necessary.
Excursions (Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, South shore, etc) can be arranged for SEEDS volunteers at discount fares.

In this project SEEDS volunteers will be doing environmental tasks in the municipality of Fjarðabyggð, supporting the environmental department of the district.
The municipality was formed in 1998 with the union of the former municipalities of Eskifjörður, Neskaupstaður and Reyðarfjörður. Austurbyggð, Fáskrúðsfjarðarhreppur and Mjóafjarðarhreppur, merged into Fjarðabyggð in 2006.
The project will take place in the Hólmanes nature reserve, part of Hólmháls peninsula, designated as a protected area in 1973, it is a country park to the north and a nature reserve to the south. The flourishing bird life and unusual rock formations make the area popular for outdoor recreation.
The main duties will be connected to reconstruction tasks in the surroundings of Hólmanes. SEEDS volunteers will for example mark hiking trails on the north area of Hólmaháls, from existing viewing points and resting places to a path leading into the reserve to old ancient ruins.
Additional tasks may be connected to removing and stopping the spread of lupine from and around the protected areas. The lupine plant (originally from Alaska) is/was used to control soil erosion and re-vegetate eroded areas. In some parts of Iceland, lupine has spread to a greater extent than desired, endangering native plant species; so it must be removed from certain areas.
The project can be physically demanding and might require a good physical condition. Weather conditions in Iceland are unpredictable, so be prepared to experience all kinds of weather and be sure to bring warm clothing since most of the activities will take place outdoors.

SEEDS volunteers will be hosted in a house in the municipality of Fjarðarbyggð. Volunteers will sleep on mattresses on the floor. Please bring your own sleeping bag.
The house is equipped with a kitchen. Volunteers will share the duties of preparing food, cooking meals and cleaning. Volunteers will have access to showers in the local swimming pool.
Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

The project takes place in the municipality of Fjarðabyggð, East of Iceland in a beautiful area surrounded by mountains, fjords and the sea. The East Fjords are, geologically speaking, one of the oldest parts of Iceland, around 13,5 million years old.
Fjarðabyggð is comprised of six fjords, Mjóifjörður, Eskifjörður, Reyðarfjörður, Norðfjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður and Stöðvafjörður. The name of the municipality, which is the most easterly one in Iceland, has a strong fjord connection, meaning the people/or the settlement of the fjords. Of the municipality's six villages the most populous one, is Neskaupstaður, with about 1,400 residents.
Magnificent mountains and picturesque fjords are just part of what Fjarðabyggð has to offer. The attractions are a combination of landscape, history and easy going attitude towards life. Fjarðabyggð has two officially protected areas; one was the first to be protected in Iceland. This park extends to the base of Mt. Nípa sea promontory and has been protected since 1972. Hólmanes, the other park, is located on the peninsula between Eskifjörður and Reyðarfjörður.

English will be the language in the camp; basic conversational skills are needed.

Closest international Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF).
SEEDS organises a “minibus option”, a shared transport from Reykjavík to the camps and back. Apart from being cheap and convenient, it allows volunteers to meet fellow campers and have a relaxed trip, while stopping on the way for interesting sites.

Participation fee EUR 140 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

Our host will organise free time activities for SEEDS volunteers, short excursions and hikes in the area.

This is a unique, demanding and rewarding opportunity for volunteers to gain new skills and ecological perspectives through working and living closely to the land. This project is organised with our host, Wildfjords Restoration located in the Westfjords of Iceland.
The main project activity is restoration of cairns in an area in the south of the Westfjords. Cairns are piles of carefully constructed rock that have historically been used to help people find their way in difficult weather conditions on mountainous walking routes. The cairns to be restored are situated in high and harsh land. A trained wilderness guide and another leader will be working with the group to ensure quality of craftsmanship and to ensure everyone's safety.
Running alongside the cairn restoration activities will be a programme of creative-led discussions and activities, designed to create a space to help you experience a connection to the earth and sea, allow you to relax and be present, connect back to your natural rhythms, and find inspiration and insight. The approach draws on storytelling, outdoor education, experiential learning, eco-psychology and traditional healing systems.

SEEDS participants will predominantly be camping near Latrabjarg in the Westfjords. Other wild camping sites may also be used, meaning you may be away from modern amenities for a number of days.
Food will be supplied for volunteers and they will help cook and clean in camp and be in charge of cooking when staying at the hostel. Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for an international evening.

The project is situated in the Westfjords of Iceland, which is a distinct region that very few travellers to Iceland visit. The landscape is a mixture of sea-cliffs, huge beaches, many rivers, vegetated valleys, snowy/rocky mountains and moss-covered hill sides. Camping and accommodation is situated in remote locations.
The nature in the area is untouched and almost uninhabited. The cliffs and valleys are packed with birds, the uninhabited fjords offer a moment of silence and tranquillity, and the Arctic fox proudly roams the mountains and inlets. The waterfalls are high and the streams pure.

English will be the official language in the camp and a good conversational level of English is required.

Closest International Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF). Once you've arrived in Reykjavik, you will be transferred by bus to the Westfjords.

The participation fee is EUR 250 (Euros). Please note that this fee is to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

Volunteers need to be prepared for physical and demanding work, working and camping in a wild landscape and sometimes cold weather. Bring warm winter clothes as the project takes place outside and the weather can be very cold. You will need to bring warm under-layers, waterproofs, walking boots, a good sleeping bag, sleeping mat and gloves. Tents will be provided.
Free time activities are mostly hiking and trekking in the area as there is no transportation available. There is also a programme of group activities volunteers will be offered.

00 in the morning from Reykjavík on the first day of the camp.

There is an application process for those wishing to join this volunteer experience. To apply, please submit an additional motivation letter, stating your relevant experience and reasons for wanting to join and your CV/Resume. To apply, please click 'ask for more information' and we will then contact you and provide details of how to submit.

April 2nd; successful applicants will be informed April 4th.

20+

This is the sixth year in a row SEEDS offers projects in the Botanic Garden in Reykjavík. The Botanic Garden is an outdoor collection of living plants, founded in 1961 and will celebrate its 55th anniversary in 2016. The garden’s main role is to conserve plants for education, research and delight. It conserves some 5000 plant species in eight plant collections. The collections give an idea of the enormous diversity of vegetation in the northern temperate zone.
SEEDS volunteers will be doing general garden work, attending the flowers, trees and other plants. Volunteers will assist in organising and carrying out special events that might be planned with a short notice but they will all be related to the general aim and work of the garden.
The work may be repetitive as general gardening tasks tend to be. The project starts early every week day, working hours are from 8:00 - 15:30, so volunteers have to be motivated to work early in the morning.

SEEDS volunteers will stay in a well-equipped house, in a beautiful setting inside the Botanical Gardens of the city of Reykjavík, which are located about 4 kilometres from the centre of the city.
Volunteers will be sleeping in shared rooms/dorms in a sleeping bag accommodation. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Please note that volunteers from other projects will also be staying in the same house.
Volunteers will receive food supplies and be in charge of the cooking and cleaning activities. Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

Reykjavik is a dynamic, modern city which lives in harmony with beautiful nature, using renewable energy sources such as geothermal power. About two thirds of the population of Iceland live in Reykjavik including the metropolitan area, or over 200,000 people.
The world’s northernmost capital bridges the Atlantic, between Europe and North America. Reykjavík is spread across a peninsula with a panoramic view of the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean on almost all sides.
Reykjavik is often called “the nightlife capital of the North”. But there is more to Reykjavík than pubs and clubs. Reykjavík also gathers the most interesting of Icelandic culture. It is an incubator of new ideas and styles which often indicates new global trends.
In the summer, you can sit by the harbour at midnight and watch the sun dip slightly below the horizon before it makes its way up again.
In the area closer than 100 km from Reykjavík, there are several spectacular waterfalls, geysers, impressive coastline and the well-known geothermal Blue Lagoon spa to visit.

English will be the official language in the camp; high proficiency is not a requirement.

Closest International Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF).

Participation fee EUR 220, - (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

Volunteers will have free access to one of the largest swimming pools in Iceland, which is only a few minutes’ walk from the house.
Volunteers have to bring good working shoes and clothes, even though summer is coming, it might still be cold and hats and gloves might be necessary.
Excursions (Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, South shore, etc) can be arranged for SEEDS volunteers at discount fares.

This is the sixth year that SEEDS volunteers will take part in a whale protection awareness project run in cooperation with IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare). The aim of the project is to raise awareness about whale protection in a friendly and peaceful manner.
The tasks of the project mainly consists of distributing information, conducting a survey, having people sign a protection petition that will be taken to the government at the end of the work camp, talking to people and having fun in Reykjavík!
Volunteers will also be given the opportunity to prepare and carry out acts or actions to grab attention and entertain passers-by. We encourage each volunteer to come prepared with some ideas of awareness rising for this project, to discuss them with the group and try to implement them.
SEEDS is looking for enthusiastic and open people for this workcamp. Volunteers have to be ready to approach people on the street and start conversations with them. Volunteers with passion for animal and environment protection are encouraged to apply as the work can become a bit repetitive.
Our goal is to raise awareness among tourists (and locals) that by tasting whale meat in Icelandic restaurants they encourage whaling. The truth is that most Icelanders have never tasted whale meat but with increasing tourism, local restaurants are increasingly including whale meat on their menu as an “exotic treat” for tourists.
Iceland was one of the first countries in the world to ban commercial whaling. We can help Iceland to make a positive decision again, by educating the growing number of people who eat up to 40% of the whale meat consumed in the country, but at the same time say they are against whaling.

SEEDS volunteers will stay in a house in Reykjavík. The facilities are fairly basic and volunteers are expected to show consideration for their fellow camp mates. Volunteers will sleep in shared rooms in a sleeping bag accommodation. Please bring your own sleeping bag.
Volunteers will receive food supplies and be in charge of the cooking and cleaning activities. Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

The camp is located in Reykjavik, Europe's most northern capital, a friendly and vibrant city that manages to combine the intimacy of a small-town atmosphere with all the qualities of a modern, trendy city. Here you can leisurely stroll around the lovely little streets of the town centre with its many renovated old houses and there's no hustle and bustle.
The visitor to Reykjavik is simply spoiled when it comes to things to do. There is the National Gallery and a range of other small avant-garde galleries for the art lover. The National Museum provides an exciting insight into Iceland's history and heritage, as does the Arbaer Folk Museum, which is an open-air museum with a collection of old Icelandic houses and artifacts.
In the area closer than 100 km from Reykjavík, there are several spectacular waterfalls, geysers, impressive coastlines and the well-known geothermal Blue Lagoon spa to visit.

English will be the language in the camp; good conversational skills are needed.

Closest international Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF). Bus station: Central Reykjavík (BSÍ).

Participation fee EUR 220 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

SEEDS will provide volunteers with passes to go on free whale watching trips. Other tours and excursions (e.g. Golden Circle, Blue Lagoon, Snaefellsnes or South Shore) can be arranged for SEEDS volunteers at discount fares.

40+

This is the sixth year in a row SEEDS offers projects in the Botanic Garden in Reykjavík. The Botanic Garden is an outdoor collection of living plants, founded in 1961 and will celebrate its 55th anniversary in 2016. The garden’s main role is to conserve plants for education, research and delight. It conserves some 5000 plant species in eight plant collections. The collections give an idea of the enormous diversity of vegetation in the northern temperate zone.
SEEDS volunteers will be doing general garden work, attending the flowers, trees and other plants. Volunteers will assist in organising and carrying out special events that might be planned with a short notice but they will all be related to the general aim and work of the garden.
The work may be repetitive as general gardening tasks tend to be. The project starts early every week day, working hours are from 8:00 - 15:30, so volunteers have to be motivated to work early in the morning.

SEEDS volunteers will stay in a well-equipped house, in a beautiful setting inside the Botanical Gardens of the city of Reykjavík, which are located about 4 kilometres from the centre of the city.
Volunteers will be sleeping in shared rooms/dorms in a sleeping bag accommodation. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Please note that volunteers from other projects will also be staying in the same house.
Volunteers will receive food supplies and be in charge of the cooking and cleaning activities. Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

Reykjavik is a dynamic, modern city which lives in harmony with beautiful nature, using renewable energy sources such as geothermal power. About two thirds of the population of Iceland live in Reykjavik including the metropolitan area, or over 200,000 people.
The world’s northernmost capital bridges the Atlantic, between Europe and North America. Reykjavík is spread across a peninsula with a panoramic view of the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean on almost all sides.
Reykjavik is often called “the nightlife capital of the North”. But there is more to Reykjavík than pubs and clubs. Reykjavík also gathers the most interesting of Icelandic culture. It is an incubator of new ideas and styles which often indicates new global trends.
In the summer, you can sit by the harbour at midnight and watch the sun dip slightly below the horizon before it makes its way up again.
In the area closer than 100 km from Reykjavík, there are several spectacular waterfalls, geysers, impressive coastline and the well-known geothermal Blue Lagoon spa to visit.

English will be the official language in the camp; high proficiency is not a requirement.

Closest International Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF).

Participation fee EUR 220, - (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

Volunteers will have free access to one of the largest swimming pools in Iceland, which is only a few minutes’ walk from the house.
Volunteers have to bring good working shoes and clothes, even though summer is coming, it might still be cold and hats and gloves might be necessary.
Excursions (Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, South shore, etc) can be arranged for SEEDS volunteers at discount fares.