5 ms·
> Much of the landscape is virtually impassable. It's the first time I've really ever seen such a vegetatively sparse landscape that was so inaccessible simply
by radpanda 3y ago
> Much of the landscape is virtually impassable. It's the first time I've really ever seen such a vegetatively sparse landscape that was so inaccessible simply due to the terrain. In some areas, relatively "flat" landscapes were so rocky that I can't even imagine how one might traverse those.
There are certainly areas lacking in vegetation for natural reasons but much of the land is vegetatively sparse because the Vikings cut down all the trees:
> At the time of human settlement almost 1150 years ago, birch forest and woodland covered 25-40% of Iceland's land area
From: https://www.skogur.is/en/forestry/forestry-in-a-treeless-land/history-of-forests-in-iceland https://www.skogur.is/en/forestry/forestry-in-a-treeless-lan...
- conradev 3y agoWhich some are also trying to grow back: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/20/climate/iceland-trees-reforestation.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/20/climate/icela... A lot of the roughness in the terrain is because there are lots of old lava fields
- dreamcompiler 3y ago...but not old enough to have weathered down. Iceland is made of lava, as is Hawaii, but the Hawaiian islands are much older* which is why they are now a garden paradise. *Except the big island which is young enough to still have active volcanoes like Iceland.
- triyambakam 3y agoWhat is it about being made of lava that makes Hawaii now a garden paradise?
- SideburnsOfDoom 3y ago"Volcanic soil" is good for growing plants, it's full of useful minerals https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/why-is-volcanic-soil-so-fertile.html https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/why-is-volcanic-soil-so-fe...
- MrDresden 3y agoVolanic soil can be poor in nitrogen and if there are no native nitrogen fixers, and or top soil erosion, then it will be hard for anything to grow. That is why the alaskan lupin was introduced to Iceland, as it can grow in nitrogen poor volcanic soil to halt the erosion and do nitrogen fixation.