MAY 2023

among people.

The main activities offered by WF in Iceland are Short- and Long-Term volunteering programs, summer camps for teenagers, exchange programs & educational tours.

Today the endeavor of attaining world peace has become a tangible possibility and the development and strengthening of bonds of cooperation and friendship through contact with people from other countries and cultures has proven to be one of the most fruitful means of achieving understanding and unity among nations.

Veraldarvinir‘s main aim is to increase intercultural understanding by offering international volunteers the opportunity to take part in nature and peace-related activities.

In the last 21 years we hosted 20.613 International participants in our programs in Iceland and they contributed 2.34 million hours to Icelandic nature.

A B O U T W O R L D W I D E F R I E N D S

CONTENTS

PAGE 3

MEET THE TEAM

PAGE 5

BEACH CLEANING PROCESS/REPORT

PAGE 8

NEW DATA APPLICATION

PAGE 11

THE EUROPEAN PROGRAMS ERASMUS+ AND ESC

PAGE 14

FORESTRY IN ICELAND

PAGE 16

FLORA DIVERSITY

PAGE 19

RECIPE COMPOTE

Patricia Beer

Hellou! My name is Patricia Beer, I'm from Lucerne (Switzerland). I like to travel, explore the world and meet new people. My month in Iceland was full of laughing, experience and reflection. The world need a change to stay save! And that's why I'm here.

Pia Ridder

Hello I'm Pia from Germany. I love to travel, meet new people and spend time in nature. That's why I decided to volunteer in Iceland with Worldwide Friends.

Here I learn a lot about protecting the environment and see the beautiful landscape of iceland.

Franziska Be

Hallo :) I‘m Franzi from Germany and I am staying a month in Iceland with Worldwide Friends. I really enjoy Iceland nature and landscapes and I'm glad to add my part to maintain this beauty and protect the environment while meeting very kind people!

Olimpia Heinecke

Hey! I'm Olimpia from Germany and I've stayed in Iceland for two months with WF. I really enjoyed Iceland's beautiful landscape and making friends from all over the world and also learning new things about the environment and how to protect it. I'm really grateful for all the memories I made.

RLDWIDE FRIENDS

am our environment, it was important to me to get involved in this area and support it through volunteering. With worldwidefriends i have not only found an organization that is committed to the preservation of nature and shares the same values, but also a great community with many like-minded people.

Olivia Drandi

Hi! I’m Olivia from Australia. Volunteering with WF has enabled me to explore my passion for nature and conservation, gaining a deeper understanding of environmental challenges worldwide. I love travelling and have had a great time in Iceland meeting like-minded people and learning about different approaches to sustainability!

Carole Guinard & Cléo Talarek

Hiiii!! We are Carole and Cléo and we come from Paris, we came to Iceland for an internship with our school. We chose this project because the environment is important to us ♡ . Iceland is also a country that interests us. xoxo

BEACH CLEANING PROCESS 2023

To begin, we will aware the volunteers about the importance of plastic pollution and beach cleanup.

The camp leader must ensure that all the necessary materials are prepared in the morning. These materials include bonus bags (reusable bags), working gloves, and knives for cutting the nets or anything that could be stuck.

It is essential for everyone to wear appropriate outdoor clothing. If the weather is cold, hiking boots and waterproof, warm outfit should be worn. On warm and sunny days, it is also important to wear a cap, sunscreen, and sunglasses.

Warm blue jackets, work gloves, and knives will be provided by WF.

Depending on the weather conditions, the duration of the cleanup can be either half a day or a full day. In the case of a full-day cleanup, volunteers should pack their own lunch.

Since Iceland is in the middle of strong oceanic currents, an important amount of trash ends up on the coasts. Most of the trash is coming from the fishing industry. You will find: ropes, nets, buoys, fishing boxes, fuel containers. Apart from this you can find a lot of different things, here is a non exhaustive list: microplastics, gun shells, pipes, shoes, toothbrushes, lighters, cigarette butts, tires, bottle caps and plastic packaging (e.g. hygiene products or food packaging)

CLEAN THE COASTLINE

with WF

The organization designates a specific global area for the project, and camp leaders are provided with a GPS location for the cleanup. The distance area covered during the cleanup can vary based on factors such as the number of participants, weather conditions, and the amount of trash present on the beach.

If necessary, the group has the flexibility to return to a previously cleaned location if they observe that there is still more trash to be collected. The main goal remains to clean the entire accessible selected area.

When the group comes back from the beach, they place all the collected trash in the garage without sorting it.

Later that day, volunteers participate in the sorting process with the data management officer. All the trash picked-up is weighed all together before the sorting and a second time after being sorted by categories.

Once sorted, the trash is stored in separate categories until a sufficient quantity is accumulated to fill up the trailer. At that point, the categorized trash can be transported to the recycling center.

APRIL-MARCH REPORT 2023

2,05Tons

Total trash amount March and April in Brù

17 Volunteers in a week on average

14,72KM

Total KM March and April in Brù coastline

This report provides an overview of the data collected during the months of March and April in 2023. It is important to note that the data presented here may not accurately reflect the actual collection due to factors such as weather conditions and the varying number of volunteers involved. Despite these fluctuations, we will highlight what can be harvested, based on the available informations.

NEW DATA APPLICATION

In several camps of the organization, in Brú, Siglufjörður and in the East, one of the activities is to do beach cleaning. We go to a beach and pick up the garbage found there.

We collect several types of waste, mainly plastic, but also metal, glass, wood, rubber, etc.

Before we take everything we have collected to the recycling center, we sort it to collect data on our beach cleaning activities. The idea behind the data collection is to enrich our knowledge in the field with facts and figures.

Classification for trash sorting

The collection of data on beach cleaning is based on two issues.

First of all, it is important to know the general information about the activities led by the organization. In this purpose, we record each beach cleaning. We know the date and the place of each beach cleaning, how many volunteers participated and for how long. Knowing all this, it is possible to choose the next areas where to realize a beach cleaning, or to communicate about our activities to inspire other people to do the same.

On the other hand, knowing the details of what we collect during these beach cleanings gives us the opportunity to analyze the data and to know what are the most common wastes according to the areas, or be aware of the type of material or the industry responsible for the majority of the wastes found on the Icelandic beaches.

In addition, we can quantify the scope of the problem, how much waste is present on the beaches, in total and by type of waste. This knowledge is crucial to enable action on a larger scale and to try to solve the problem at the source.

By having access to this data, we can raise awareness of the scope of the problem beyond the people directly involved in beach cleaning activities.

We inform people via the social networks of the organization. It will also be possible to send reports to the main actors of the most polluting industries or to inform the governmental actors so that decisions are taken at the highest level.

I came to help the organization facilitate and improve their data collection process. Initially, they were using a shared Excel spreadsheet on a Google Drive to record data from Beach Cleaning.

Page to record trash sorting data

This solution did not allow for easy analysis of the data since knowledge of Excel was required. Moreover, for the collection of the data itself, this format was not the easiest: the recording of the data is usually done during the trash sorting, on the small screens of the smartphones.

So I chose to develop another solution to facilitate this process and coded a website for this purpose. The first version of this website allows volunteers to log in as a group from one of the camps to record and visualize the beach cleaning activities carried out in that camp. Being accessible online and adapted to the smartphone format, any volunteer can access it with a simple internet connection. A simple form allows to create a beach cleaning activity while another one is designed to help sorting the waste while allowing to record the data resulting from this sorting.

A second version of the app is under development. This update will facilitate the analysis of the collected data by automatically generating reports on the data of interest to the users (totals collected for a camp during a period for a specific type of waste). Thus, the organization will have a tool to efficiently collect beach cleaning data and facilitate the analysis and use of this data.

By Maï

Meet Sebastian, Maï, Ivan, Olivia and Héloïse

My name is Sebastian, I am Guatemalan and Italian. I spent my first 18 years in Guatemala and then I moved to Italy to study. I have a bachelor’s degree in international relations and politics from the University of Padova. I am currently studying for my master’s degree at the University of Iceland in environment and natural resources. I came to Iceland in February 2020 as a camp leader for Worldwide Friends. My 3 months program was cut short due to the pandemic but it gave me the opportunity to stay in Iceland. When my volunteering ended I started working full-time for the organization and now I am the European program coordinator.

HOW MANY ESC VOLUNTEERS DO YOU WELCOME IN ICELAND EVERY YEAR APPROXIMATELY ?

SEBASTIAN: Each year we host approximately 15 ESC volunteers, most of the participants are from Italy, France, Spain, Ireland, Germany, or Poland

HOW DID YOU ESTABLISH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH ERASMUS+ AND ESC?

SEBASTIAN: We have been working with the Erasmus+ program for years. We started when the program was called European Voluntary Service (EVS). It is very easy for organizations to join the ESC program, the first step is to contact the National Agency of the country where they operate. Then they must apply to get the quality label and once they have it they can start hosting or sending volunteers abroad. All of the applications can be done online through the ESC portal.

WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR JOINING THE ESC? WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES?

SEBASTIAN: For volunteers to be eligible they must be between 18 – 30 years old. They must live in a European country or a neighboring one or they should be citizens of one of these countries. Those are the main requirements but each volunteering offer has different additional requirements. Some may ask you to speak a particular language at a certain level or to have experience in a specific field. There are hundreds of offers available and there are plenty to choose from

HOW DO YOU LEARN ABOUT ESC PROGRAM ?

HÉLOÏSE: I start with a short term volunteering in Portugal and was ready for a long term one. My sending organisation told me about ESC and helped me to find one that suited my studies.

MAÏ: I chose to take a gap year before my final year of study to travel while making myself useful. I looked for ways to volunteer internationally without spending too much money and quickly found the opportunity to volunteer with the ESC.

OLIVIA: In 2018, I was a volunteer with Erasmus+ in Slovenia for 2 months, then the program was called European Voluntary Service At the time I was doing a gap year and was looking for volunteering opportunities abroad and found out about EVS online.

IVAN: I learned about it by the youth center of my community

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO APPLY FOR ESC ?

HÉLOÏSE: I’m passionate about volunteering, languages and travelling I always wanted to make the world a better place and want to contribute to this achievement

MAÏ: I chose to go through ESC because I found it very reassuring that my experience was supervised by a European program. Moreover, I was looking for an experience abroad and with ESC you can find it everywhere in Europe.

OLIVIA: The short-term program I was part of in Slovenia was such an amazing experience, I met so many nice people and learned so much, I always wanted to do another one. Since my project in 2018 ended, I promised myself I would do a long term one before I turn 30 (the age limit for ESC programs).

IVAN: Because I think is an incredible project by the European Union and I would be an idiot if i dont take the opportunity.

WHAT INTERESTS YOU ABOUT VOLUNTEERING WITH WF AS AN ORGANISATION ?

HÉLOÏSE The first reason was to help the environment especially in beautiful places like Iceland but also improve my English and meet people from all over the world At the same time, I wanted to improve my professional experience.

MAÏ: I was very interested in volunteering with WF because I am sensitive to environmental issues and wanted to have a positive impact in this area. In addition, the association is multicultural, which is something I wanted to experience because I find it very rewarding.

OLIVIA: I was looking for opportunities in Iceland and WF looked like the perfect match to me. I was also really interested in working in an environmental organisation, I was willing to work in the management of volunteers and the fact that WF has several houses all around Iceland sounded like a really good way to visit Iceland and it's amazing landscapes.

IVAN: Nothing in specific, was the only enviromental project avaible in Iceland.

My name is Héloïse, I’m from the south of France. I am currently on a gap year to travel the world and gain more professional experience! It’s already been 4 months I’m in Iceland.

Hi, I'm Maï, I come from France and I'm a student in engineering school. I am in Iceland for 5 months as a Data Management Officer.

Hi, my name is Olivia, I'm 27, I come from France (Toulouse) and I have a master degree in social and organisational psychology. I love to travel, meet new people, spend time in nature and take pictures.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN WORLDWIDE FRIENDS ?

HÉLOÏSE: I’m Community Manager and Journalism Officer I update the social media every day and I also create monthly the UNA magazine for the organisation

MAÏ: I am the Data Management Officer I am in charge of helping the association to improve the process of data collecting from beach cleaning I am developing a web application to collect and use the data Having this data is very important to have an impact on a larger scale by raising awareness of the problem of plastic in the ocean.

OLIVIA: I am the placement officer, I am the main point of contact of the organisation for international volunteers and partner organisations. I prepare and distribute documents for the placement procedure, deal with applications of foreign volunteers and maintain databases about the placements.

IVAN: I'm a camp leader, I lead the volunteers in the camps and in the main project, so a bit of everything. Trying to be my best self for any situation.

WHAT DO YOU GAIN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE ?

OLIVIA: I learn a lot from living in a multicultural environment, about volunteer management and about how to take concrete environmental action by cleaning the coast line. The most important skill I need here and am developing is flexibility. In the future I would like to work in other non profit organisations and I think that the work I do here is going to be needed and helpful in any type of NGO.

Hey! I am Iván from Spain I have 27 years old, younger at heart than age and I'm here to challenge myself, peace.

HÉLOÏSE I make good friends here that I will see again somewhere for sure I also learn so many different languages: Icelandic, German, a bit of Japanese! And of course I improve a lot my English

MAÏ: This experience offers me the opportunity to evolve in a multicultural context and practice my English It also allows me to use my knowledge and time for something that makes sense to me, the environment Without forgetting all the great people we meet here and the discovery of the impressive landscapes of Iceland !

IVAN: More internal growth confidence and experience in life.

SHARE A PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT FROM YOUR TIME IN ICELAND…

HÉLOÏSE: Travelling to many awesome places in Iceland! One of my goals was to do something for the planet and make friends from all over the world, I believe that I have achieved those two things and I’m happy to know that I can return there and feel at home.

MAÏ: I have always been very enthusiastic about visiting the Nordic countries, especially Iceland I will never forget the feeling of immensity when traveling in the eastern fjords It is absolutely beautiful.

OLIVIA: Seeing auroras was really a dream come true to me, and the feeling of freedom I get when I'm out in nature here is very fulfilling. But the most important part is the connections I made with people. Sharing this kind of experience with others makes really strong bonds.

IVAN: The close contact to so many different cultures with the volunteers I have met from all the world

FORESTRY IN ICELAND

At the time of human settlement approximately 1150 years ago, a significant portion of Iceland's land area was covered by birch forests and woodlands.

The early settlers cleared the forests to make way for fields and grazing land.

Sheep played a crucial role from the beginning, providing wool and becoming a staple food source for Icelanders around 1300. The continuous grazing of sheep prevented the regeneration of birchwoods after cutting, leading to a decline in woodland areas.

While factors such as cooling climate during the Little Ice Age, volcanic eruptions, and other disturbances have been suggested as potential causes for woodland decline. Natural disturbances, cannot explain the permanent loss of 95% of the original forest cover. Instead, the principal cause of deforestation in Iceland, as in other places, was due to livestock grazing.

Birch trees had multiple functions: they provided firewood, building materials and food for livestock. However, the most important forest product was charcoal, essential for the production of iron and tools.

Wood continued to be used as a source of fuel until 1940, both for cooking and heating the new wooden and concrete houses, which were colder than the traditional mud houses in which Icelanders had previously lived.

FORESTRY IN SOLHEIMAR

Tree coverage in Iceland just reached 2%, although it is estimated that 1100 years ago it was between 25-40%.

Ölur: the forestry project in Sólheimar

In Sólheimar, the eco-village where WF hosts one of the work camps, there is a forestry project, Ölur, whose objective is to accelerate reforestation in Iceland. Just last year, Ölur grew over 600.000 trees.

"Ölur" is the Icelandic name of the tree "Alnus", reintroduced a few decades ago in Iceland. The main tasks developed there are growing and planting trees and taking care of the Sólheimar forest. Then, the trees are distributed by the Icelandic Forest Service to combat soil erosion, neutralize carbon footprints and produce timber.

The volunteers tasks here consist of collecting branches to grow new trees from them, removing moss from around the sprouts and sorting sprouts growing together in trays. From time to time, it is also necessary to water the trees, cut the branches smaller, sow new trees and classify the trees by size. Working here allows us to make the planet a better place while listening to the best music and having interesting conversations.

What else can we wish for?

By Marina in Solheimar

FLORA IN ICELAND

Iceland's flora is truly unique and fascinating. Situated below the Arctic Circle, the island faces challenges for a diverse and abundant biodiversity. The climate in Iceland is characterized by cold and harsh conditions influenced by polar winds, necessitating adaptations for life to thrive in this inhospitable environment.

The landscape of Iceland is marked by changing volcanic activity, hazardous lava fields, wild highlands, and imposing glaciers, resulting in large uninhabited areas.

Despite the arid regions, Iceland's vegetation exhibits surprising diversity. The island is home to approximately 440 species of plants, with the majority being non-endemic, meaning they are not exclusive to Iceland. Almost half of these 440 species are survivors of the Ice Age.

In summary, Iceland's flora is impressive, see the ability of life to adapt in challenging environments.

Land of ice and fire, Iceland has almost no forest (2% of the territory).

In this island, most plants tend to grow close to the ground. Lava fields, in particular, are adorned with carpets of moss, contributing to the unique scenery.

During the summer months, the meadows come alive with a multitude of wildflowers: gentians, silenas, veronicas, cottongrass and the famous purple lupines...

When we think of Iceland we imagine volcanoes, waterfalls, craters and lunar landscapes. However, when summer arrives we can see the expanses of colourful lupines. Over the years, this flower has become a fixture of the Icelandic landscape despite the fact that it is not native to the island.

The introduction of lupines to Iceland can be traced back to 1945 when the Icelandic Forestry Department deliberately planted them to combat desertification in certain areas. Originating from Alaska, the lupines were imported to improve soil fertility. However, Icelandic soil is significantly different from that of continental Europe, being highly susceptible to erosion and unsuitable for intensive cultivation.

Lupines bloom in June and July, and their purple flowers create a spectacle that attracts tourists. While visitors appreciate the splendor of the lupines covering the meadows, some Icelanders have mixed feelings as the lupines dominate the landscape during the summer months.

However, some local farmers find several advantages to the plant. It creates vegetated land and improves the growth of trees in a much cheaper way than, spreading chemical fertilizers. Additionally, farmers can allow their sheep graze on lupine-enriched land.

LUPINES IN THE EAST

Why is lupines now called an invasive and harmful plant?

Lupines, over the years, has started to damage the Icelandic ecology. Originally from North America, this plant is a threat to other plants such as the Icelandic moss. Conservationists are working to destroy the lupin plant as it crosses the Eldhraun lava field in southern Iceland.

Snorri Baldursson, a biologist of the Icelandic Environmental Association, tells the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that it seems that someone has planted lupines along the road east of the river Brestur. He expects a total victory in the war against lupines.

Encouraged by global warming, lupines continues to spread even to the interior of the country, which at the time seemed too arid and cold for this plant. Within 30 years lupines could colonise most of the highlands, which could have a huge impact on the local flora.

"Fjarðabyggð" is a collective of villages situated in the Eastern fjords of Iceland. Among these villages is Stöðvarfjörður, which is home to the WF House. The primary focus of the project in this area is the removal of lupines to create space for the growth of other plant species. Additionally, efforts are being made to plant trees and assist in reforestation.

APPLE COMPOTE

Anti-waste tip: there are different ways to avoid wasting food and use your damaged apples. You can cook them and make a smoothie or juice, compote, jam... Good recipes that will allow you to not throw anything away!

By Héloïse in Brù

Preparation time : 3 mn

Cook time : 17 mn

Total time : 20 mn

Ingredients :

For 8 peoples

8 apples diced

4 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

4 tablespoons brown sugar

Here is a simple recipe

Recipe :

In a small bowl add diced apples. Add the cinnamon and mix. Set aside.

On medium heat, using a medium size pot melt your butter. Add brown sugar and mix until the sugar has dissolved. Add cinnamon and apples. Let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes or until apples are soft. Store in refrigerator for up to a week!

Some ways to use your apple compote : Pancakes, Yogurt or Skyr, Crepes, Waffles...

Enjoy your breakfast or snack !

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SEE YOU IN JUNE EDITION