A recent memo from Land and Forest Iceland to its Ölfus municipality partner in the Þorláksskógar project details project information and associated costs for 2023 and 2024. The municipality's collaboration formally began in 2016 with the predecessor organisations, Landgræðslan (Icelandic Soil Conservation Service) and Skógræktin (Icelandic Forest Service).

Land reclamation

Over the two-year period, the primary objective was to apply fertilisers to trees to optimise growth conditions. This fertiliser application targeted degraded, sandy land to mitigate sand movement and improve tree planting suitability. The majority of operations concentrated on the area west of the old Hafnarsandur road, covering approximately 440 hectares. Additionally, fertilisers were applied to the Kamburinn area east of Þorlákshöfn to reduce sand migration toward the town and its golf course. In total, 24 hectares in Kamburinn received fertiliser treatment during 2023 and 2024.

In the spring of 2024, bone meal application was implemented across 43 hectares adjacent to the Óseyrarbrú bridge, opposite the Hraun farm sand mine, to address vegetation degradation.

Planting of trees

In 2023 and 2024, 166,710 tree seedlings were planted in the Hafnarsandur area. Volunteer and sports group participation, including fundraising initiatives, comprised the majority of the planting effort. Priority was given to areas previously reclaimed using lupine, grass, and fertilisers. Mixed tree species were utilised in select planting plots.

Cost of operations

Land and Forest Iceland's combined operational expenditure for the Þorláksskógar project in 2023 and 2024 totaled slightly over ISK fifty-one million. The most significant expense was tree planting, at approximately ISK twenty-six million. Distribution of both organic and synthetic fertilisers constituted the second largest expense, totaling approximately ISK twelve million.