Access and Information
Viðey in the Þjórsá River is particularly distinctive due to the natural protection provided by the strong currents of the river surrounding it.
Access to the island is prohibited for everyone except landowners, unless permission has been granted by the Iceland Nature Conservation Agency for the purposes of research, monitoring, or environmental oversight.
Protection Status
Viðey in the Þjórsá River was designated a nature reserve on 24 August 2011.
The island covers approximately 3.37 hectares.
The purpose of the protection designation is to preserve the natural, minimally disturbed, and thriving birch woodland, together with the ecosystem associated with it.
Another objective is to protect the genetic characteristics and genetic diversity of the birch trees and other vegetation on the island.
The designation also seeks to strengthen the conservation value of Viðey in the Þjórsá River, particularly its scientific and educational significance.
More than 70 vascular plant species have been recorded on the island, including two species considered nationally rare.
The protection of Viðey in the Þjórsá River also aims to strengthen the biological diversity of the area’s habitats and ecosystems, through the protection of plant species, other organisms, their genetic resources, and associated habitats.
The terms of protection further state that if hydroelectric development takes place in the lower Þjórsá River, the Iceland Nature Conservation Agency will ensure that the reserve is fenced to protect its ecosystems from disturbance by humans and animals.