Gardener Adrian Walder wants to reforest Iceland by planting millions of trees. Here's the plan

As the negative effects of mass tourism intensify all over the globe, communities and individuals are looking into ways of promoting sustainable tourism initiatives. Adrian Walder, a 52-year-old gardener from the UK, has an interesting idea about how to promote "green" tourism in a northern tourist hot spot - Iceland. 

The Viking Herald reached out to Mr. Walder to get more information on his reforestation plan and the "Birch Tree Yurts" project.

TVH: Hello, Adrian! Can you briefly introduce yourself to our audience?

AW: I'm Adrian, a 52-year-old gardener from the UK. I've been gardening professionally for about six years, and I have traveled around with the job working in some very lovely private gardens and country estates. During this time working with nature, I developed an interest and love for restoring habitats. In the past, I was a tree surgeon working closely with trees and the environment every day.

I have always had an interest in history, the environment, and sustainable living. I spend most of my spare time enjoying the outdoors and have a passion for Nordic history.

TVH: How did you get the idea to start the Birch Tree Yurts Iceland project?

AW: The idea for Birch Tree Yurts came about over a couple of years, really. I had been watching a TV show called 'new lives in the wild,' a show about regular people giving up their traditional lives and going into the wilds to lead a new life, a simpler life. A couple of these shows were set in Iceland, and my son and I decided we should go there. We went there in 2019 on a week-long road trip, and we both fell in love with the country.

When we got home, I couldn't wait to book another trip; then, in 2020, the world came to a halt with COVID.

I spent the two years of turmoil researching as much as I could about Iceland, its history, and the effects of tourism and climate change. I became determined to try and combine all my dreams into one project. Birch Tree Yurts was born out of my passions and crazy dreams.

After a brief COVID-era hiatus, Adrian is chasing his dreams again. Photo: Adrian Walder / The Viking Herald

TVH: How is the project progressing? 

AW: I'm currently working on trying to raise a small amount of funding to help create the business as a legal entity in Iceland. Once this is done, I will be able to move on to stage 2 funding, hopefully by applying for either a grant or crowdfunding again.

The timeliness depends, really, on fundraising. Having an Icelandic business partner has helped greatly, especially with the land. I plan to relocate to Iceland in 2023. Once there, it will be a lot easier to organize this project.

In an ideal world, if I had the finance in place, I'd like the project to be open for summer 2023. The long-term vision for the project is to be an integral part of reforestation efforts in the north of the island. There is the opportunity to reforest 6000 hectares over the coming years, with an estimate of over 12 million trees possibly getting planted. This will be a combination of planting funded by my project, planting on behalf of Icelandic companies for carbon offsetting, and the Icelandic government, helping the country reach its carbon neutrality target by 2040.

TVH: It seems you feel quite a deep connection to Iceland? 

AW: I've touched on it previously, but it was love at first sight for me, and during my research, I discovered the damaging effects of mass tourism, both on the infrastructure of the island and its environment. It seemed the obvious place to undertake this idea. 

TVH: In your opinion, why should people support the project?

AW: I feel very passionately that this project will be a force for good. Plans are in place with many people there to grow this to make a real difference to the island and, in a small way, the planet. Donations will ensure we can get going and start planting trees straight away. It's a good cause for people who want to help fight climate change and those who love Iceland.

You can find more information on Adrian's "Birch Tree Yurts" project on the project page.

We get to provide readers with original coverage thanks to our loyal supporters. Do you enjoy our work? You can become a PATRON here or via our Patreon page. You'll get access to exclusive content and early access.