Green Weekend is an annual volunteer project run in partnership with Icelandic upper secondary schools. Students from Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð and Fjölbrautarskólinn við Ármúla take part in the project in late summer, alongside volunteers from the Nature Conservation Agency of Iceland.
Around 20–30 students and their teachers participate each year, working in protected areas in Southwest Iceland. Projects have included maintaining marked hiking trails, closing informal paths and restoring damage caused by off-road driving.
An important part of the programme is education. Students learn how hiking trails are assessed and maintained and gain practical experience of nature conservation. The work is followed by an educational field trip focusing on the natural features of the surrounding area and the importance of protecting Iceland’s sensitive natural environment.
Through Green Weekend, the Nature Conservation Agency of Iceland aims to increase awareness of nature conservation and encourage greater participation in volunteering among local communities.
Through Green Weekend, the Nature Conservation Agency of Iceland aims to increase awareness of nature conservation and encourage greater participation in volunteering among local communities.