To support our rewilding projects then please consider becoming a Mossy Earth Member here: www.mossy.earth *PS If you were wondering why it is 1,000,001 well that extra tree is for the one I planted wrong! - Cheers, Duarte
Great job, love the efforts. Have you all considered maybe transplant a mother tree ?! Maybe a red wood for its growth of old world species recovery. Just a thought, keep up the great work
Looking forward to seeing this grow in the future. A suggestion for the more baron areas, you mention about planting the tree next to the mossy islands as this helps anchor the routes. As these areas lack things for the tree routes to attach to and that the frost push's them out after a season. Why not create "artificial islands" by bringing some rocks & boulders, also some dead trees to help encourage moss growth and some more anchor points for the trees to bind to. This can also create areas where seeds & grasses can grow, maybe plating wild flowers in these areas as well to help build the top soil.
hello! i noticed the part about disturbing the moss and id like to submit a simple idea to effectively and efficiently disturb the moss! i noticed much of the ground around there seems to be gravely! we have property with some gravel roads and as they are only around 2 decades old they are prone to yearly potholes and odd settling! our simple quick fix solution for smaller potholes was to build a metal square frame using square steel tube. weld two more vertical steel tube supports in the middle. we then welded a few horizontal steel angle (angle iron) in an upside down L formation. (flip the L on the vertical plane and then turn upside down) basically the back of the angle iron will then support what is done next. the most tedious part (in my opinion) is what comes next. you can now take old railroad spikes and weld them to the angle iron. once that is done you weld a bar and hitch in the center and hook it up to a four wheeler. the atv allows you to go places a car/truck couldn't. you can choose how deep/intensly you wish to disturb the moss by adding large boulders on top of the frame whether by laying or bungeecording them on there. fair warning, the shoddier your welding and the more pressure you place the more likely a spike or two will break off but that's ok as they can simply be welded back on again! this method used extremely cheap or free materials for our area although I don't know if there are railroads out there lol! i also apologise if my explanation was confusing it is very late and I should be in bed! i can do a simple visual if you are actually interested in the project. we have a few different versions as they get old and break down over time usually due to our shoddy welding but we have experimented with a few designs. i can talk to my father and shoot you an email better explaining/showing you the design if you are interested in it for your project. its pretty easy and simple way to level/disturb gravel like surfaces. please let me know if you are interested! i think what you are doing is extremely important work and I really enjoy your videos!keep up the good fight, I'm cheering for you from the U.S. of A!!!
As an Icelander, this is beautiful! There is an old joke in Iceland that says "If you ever get lost in an Icelandic forest, just stand up!" Interesting to think that many decades from now I might be telling my grandchildren about how the land used to be barren in the middle of an actual Icelandic forest.
I hate to burst your bubble but its more like your grandkids might be able to tell their grandkids that if we are being optomistic about aforestation rates in iceland.
@@TBIcel some trees grow up quite fast, only 10 years or so. I remember a pine being planted when I was 10, and now it is towering above my house just 10 years later
@@TBIcel Well, it depends on the soil, but as a Finn from the countryside I've planted lots of trees, and in about 10 years most of them are much taller than people. In a very nutrient poor soil they'll of course grow slower and more crooked, but generally it only takes a couple of decades to have a pretty good forest. For it to transform into a very dense sort of natural Nordic forest type with lots of mosses, weeds, ferns, mushrooms, horsetails, berries and other typical plants will take significantly longer, however.
@@wardeni4806 @Tuff It eas not about the speed trees grow, iceland already has a handful of taller forests. It was more about the size of the island vs the pop and remoteness, throw in a lot of people who like the desolate look vs sheep farmers hating fences meaning iceland wont be anything more than a barren wasteland well into the foreseable future.
The reason I chose to sponsor Mossy Earth over other organisations is because you guys start small, make mistakes and learn how to do it right before expanding. It actually gives me more faith that you’ll make a genuine difference, even if it’s on a smaller scale, rather than take on a big bombastic project that fails utterly because there was no sense of scope.
Agreed. Mossy Earth knows how to learn and they focus on what realistically be done within their capabilities and they also do transparency reports and give us the data that allows us to also see how its going without trying to complicate things like most orgs or "charities" do. Like you can actually picture how they do things and how it does improve the environment. "We flood forest that needs flooding for better nurseries and biodiversity and to fend of invasives" "We plant more trees to increase the leeway for nature to bounceback and thrive as it was how it should have been and can be" very simple but straight to the point realistic
This is exactly how we are approaching this work and we really appreciate that you’ve noticed! Good projects have to be based on results and iteration. I shared this comment with the team and I am sure it will make everyone smile :) - Cheers, Duarte
there should be a group devoting this much energy, passion and transparency into creatively rewilding the US. we have many groups working on ecological restoration, but mossy earth is inspiring in its dedication to documentation + the support model.
in the FDR times, there was a programme to rewild the great plains with trees to stop the dustbowl's damage to the crops, it would be interesting to see something like that again
Very impressed by the transparency of commenting on the tree planting from last year. Although it had a million views, few would remember it by now. But this type of honesty is what will make me a supporter for the long run. Love your work!
Thank you for the kind words Per! We are doing our best to get solid results but sometimes mistakes are made which we learn from and we feel this is something we should share with everyone who supports our work. We have recently partnered with Conservation Evidence to get even better at sharing all the data behind the work. More on this in a future video. - Cheers, Duarte
You guys are rewilding a desert faster than UK's government can make a small woods, hat's off. I can't wait to see how it turns out along with the Scotland project
that's cause the UK gov is constantly lobbied by companies to not do it. Not only that but most of the country's rural landscape is privately owned. Here in Scotland nearly 60% of the rural area is in private hands, which the gov aren't allowed to make efforts to rewild - even if they were interested in it.
@Jake wait what? Please explain yourself, is it a forest as in made of concrete I mean there are parks that are really impressive but I wouldn't call it a forest
Really? I mean I live In England and there are quite a few of those in my area, although they are really small since they’re inside towns so I’m not sure If that counts.
@@Sarawarawara- I was being a bit hyperbolic but it stands that the UK really struggled doing rewinding work so it's usually charities such as RSPB that grow forest as natural England is always trying to stay on the side of shooting estates. And when imside town they are more like parks than actual reforestation
I have been in conservation for over 30 yrs and I think you are at the head of the curve. Most of my work is taken up with data management and modelling to aid in conservation and prevent bad human activities. This episode is a prime example of what people need to do or to encourage them to do something near them. Thanks, wish I was 30yrs younger but at least there is action where before there was just hope.
I'm in Svalbard at the moment and was having a conversation about the lack of trees here (understandable considering the environment), there are a couple of species that do exist here but their height is very limited. I mentioned your project in Iceland so it was a nice surprise to see this video when I got in.
@@scottslotterbeck3796Tromso has nearly 2 months of polar night every year and they have forests of trees. svalbard doesn’t seem all that different when it comes to daylight hours.
@@scottslotterbeck3796 Its amazing to think how flexible the climate is and how it changes over the millennia, once up on a time Svalbard had palm trees. But you are right until the permafrost in the ground is gone there wont be any significant vegetation permafrost is there 24/7 every day, every year no matter if the sun is up or not.
Ive only seen it on a "swing blanket" before (roughly translated from german), which is thick moss and other vegetation that grew over the top of a body of water in a wetlands area - if its thick enough you can even stand on it and its just as moveable as this weird jello ground. Id love to know how this jello ground works bc I know swing blankets work like a net of plants, but I cant see stones connect to a blanket like mosses and roots can
@@lagggoat7170 this happens (afaik) when the water saturation reaches a certain amount. It's basically the border between wet earth and really soil laden water.
@@tonisee2 Thats what I was thinking. Use willows in places like that to at least get trees there. If they can help dry it out so more trees can grow there great. I hope they aren't monocropping with clones. I see why it's done, but it may prove disastrous.
As an Icelander I'm super happy and proud to watch this, amazing effort! Is there a chance for the public to take part in any way other than financial backing?
I always watch the full ads on UA-cam to help Mossy Earth how I can. They’re doing so much for the nature and it makes me so happy and inspired watching these efforts. Please never stop your work. 😊
We really appreciate you joining Mossy Earth! We will do our best to deliver as much rewilding impact as possible with your contribution :) - Cheers, Duarte
@@irishfruitandberries9059 that's probably true, but an interesting note is that (at least here in Norway, people have almost stopped eating sheep, and if no one buys the meat, the farmers will have to do something else. :P
At the time of discovery, Iceland was 40% forested and greatly resembled Norway. The trees were mostly cleared for farmland in the ensuing centuries, and never came back. It's so heartening to know that humans are in fact capable of enriching their environments rather than just destroying them
I watched this story about using ½ million square miles in Africa to creat a solar farm to power a huge area in the NW. The rearch, done by environmentalists, blocking this project because it would cause the Amazon to eventually dry up. Goodbye earth. Point is, earth is in a delicate balance that does not support "fixing" as much as adapting as it does.
I love the work you guys do, I hope one day after high school and college I can take a road similar to yours it just makes me smile and feel so in awe with nature
Really looking forward to first results after the initial planting in a few years. Great project! I wonder if planting in just the small patches that are suitable among those completely eroded patches is also going to help fix that erosion. These trees (hopefully) cast wide root networks that should also help settle that spongy ground that currently is very difficult to take to
I hope so. Over time as the trees grow it will shelter the ground from the wind, fallen leaves etc will decompose and improve the soil and an understory can develop. Animals move in, more nutrients...
Been a member for almost a year and the transparency that y’all provide should be the benchmark for the rewilding community. Thank you for your vital work
What stood out for me in this video is the honest reflection of past mistakes with(!) video proof: how to, and how NOT to, plant trees in Icelandic soil. Indeed, that's what pilot projects are useful for, and that's why Mossy Earth is such a great organisation. I consider my money well spent with these guys.
I laughed at the comment that a million people had seen you plant in the wrong place. But I’d congratulate you on a million views showing the interest in your dreams. Keep on planting and educating us.
Its all about learning from your mistakes and of course admitting what went wrong too. That is the whole point of sharing these projects here. - Cheers, Duarte
what you guys are doing is fantastic & i hope more countries start taking notes, also congrats on owning up to the mistakes, disclosing & learning from them and yes i want to see the planting of this batch
Admitting mistakes is the first sign of honesty, and the ability to learn. That shows a lot more promise than some big corp projects that are more advertisement and virtue signalling than actual work.
Lupin has more benefits than negatives, I love it. I hate scotch thistle and even that has a place somewhere. You are all doing work that is awesome. 😊😊😊😊😊
Lupin is a declared noxious weed in rocky alpine areas in Australia as it destroys native plants. Hikers are required to report any sightings with a precise location.
So in the new area will other native species than Downy Birch be planted as well? Such as the Rowan, Tea-leaf Willow, and Aspen mentioned earlier in the video. I love yall's work and it's amazing that someone is actually working to help restore out planet and ecosystems :)
Iceland is a very particular case where the native forests are a less resilient monoculture. More of a coincidence than nature finding its balance. We made the decision to include alder to imitate birchwood in Norway with the same climate. - Cheers, Duarte
Here in Texas, my goat herd loves to eat bluebonnets, our local Lupin relative. You can tell a goat pasture from a cattle pasture by if it has bluebonnets in spring. I wonder if carefully managed grazing with sheep could knock back Lupin once it has done its work of colonizing, and allow native grasses to take over the improved soil?
I'm so excited to see this! This channel is so great for showing me how there are some places I consider 'natural landscape' that are actually heavily degraded. Keep up the amazing work :D
I'm thinking that the climate conditions there probably wasn't the same as the ones today, when redwood grew there. So they might not thrive or even survive there.
Planting a lot of trees is great, what are you doing to make sure they survive? Many trees need up to 7 years of care before they can survive on their own. This has been noted in other UA-cam videos about mass tree plantings. (Some plantings without care in England have a 1% survival rate, meaning 99 of 100 trees died.)
This depends on the size of the tree no? Dormant seedlings hardly need any care, especially if the climate is moist. 99% mortality sounds like a botched planting or poor species selection to me.
We are ensuring the trees are protected from sheep by planting them in the fence and we are also making sure they are planted in the right place. Long term we will have some mortality but we can replant these lost trees with new saplings as we go along. The goal here is to create a forest and not just plant trees. We are also targeting the natural spread of these “tree islands” in the landscape to maximise the long term impact. - Cheers, Duarte
@@MossyEarth could you use branches from the non native forest on the open spongy ground? Gives some cover to the saplings, treat the ground like sand similar to how culbin and roseisle forests in Scotland were planted
Make it flourish again, guys It is kinda *wild* to have an anticipation of how that area will look like in next 10-20 years, but I guess it is a part of beauty of such projects.
It's smart using plants that can spread and colonize on it's own like Lupine. Because while manual intervention is good. The best way to make a big impact if we can start something, that will spread on it's own. Giving tree's a chance to take root on their own thanks to Lupine, you get exponential growth. Suddenly the birds come in that they help spread tree's seeds.
como pode se observar o lupim faz uma espécie de agasalho para as mudas das Bétulas no inverno, protegendo-as do frio. jogar um pouco de palha em cima das mudas pode ajudar a protege-las do vento e frio.
I admire taking responsibility and admitting to your mistake of planting some trees not ideally! Too little people commit to their mistakes, but we all grow because of them! Thanks again for being transparent and honest! One more reason to support you! 🙂
This problem is endemic in the UK. Dartmoor, Lake District, and the Scottish Highlands to name a few, in a country that is in the top 10 globally for nature depletion. Most people think these areas look beautiful and natural. Far from it, they are simply denuded for timber and even worse sheep grazing, often known as wet deserts.
We’ve had some projects in Ireland in the past. Currently we do not have anything upcoming but would love to work there if the opportunity is good. - Cheers, Duarte
Planting 1,000,000 trees in Iceland could have a number of potential benefits for the environment and for the people who live there. Trees help to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which can help to mitigate the effects of climate change. They also help to prevent soil erosion, improve air and water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife. In addition to the environmental benefits, planting trees could also have economic and social benefits for Iceland. Trees can be used for timber and other forest products, which could create jobs and stimulate economic growth. They can also provide recreational opportunities for locals and tourists, which can help to boost the tourism industry in Iceland. However, it's important to note that planting trees alone is not a silver bullet solution to environmental challenges. It's important to also take other actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect biodiversity, and address other environmental issues. It's also important to carefully consider the types of trees being planted and the potential impact on local ecosystems and communities. Overall, planting 1,000,000 trees in Iceland could be a positive step toward addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable development, as long as it is done thoughtfully and in conjunction with other efforts to protect the environment. By Ask AI
I'm curious about how your selection of seed sources and the genetic diversity within each species will look like. Are you choosing a single seed source for each species in a comparable climate and collecting seeds there, or do you plan to have several collection sites for each species to improve the genetic diversity, and thus resilience of the forest? Also curious about why you are not planting more diverse species wise and include aspen, rowan and tea leaved willow? Wouldn't the aspen make for good shelter trees for the Alders, for instance?
First: Why planting only trees, not berries like blueberries which can be food for the birds? Second: No forest without mushrooms. You need islandic funghi which live in partnership with trees. Third: Collect the lupine seats and seat them there where you cannot plant trees.
Another comment for the algorithm,I hope more people will see this channel!I would really love to become a member if I can,but I’ll have to wait a few years cause I’m only 13😅
The history is absolutely false. There were no actual trees when the Vikings found the island. The only trees were small bushes. That's why they had to improvise and started living in "holes". In my opinion, the trees ruin what is special about Iceland's nature.
You should go to Portugal and try to replace the nasty, non-native, invasive Eucalyptus with the native species: the much more beautiful and pleasant oak and pine trees. The forest of the entire country was pretty much destroyed by the plantation of Eucalyptus for use in industry, such as production of paper.
It's not enough to "plant" a million trees. It's better to "grow" a million trees. And aid them growing for at least 10 years then they really should be ok on their own. In Australia I've seen every few years or so planting campaigns and the vast majority, if not all the seedlings, die.
I have visited Iceland a couple of times and the lack of trees is so noticeable, this is a fantastic thing you are doing and will be great for the wildlife to provide shelter.
Like Icelandic i asking Why? Why someone push trees to Iceland! We love our country! We dont need some strange guys say us what we must do or not. 😓😓😓😓
Always in forestry this "native species" dogma, ok Birch Willow and Aspen are pioneer species and will be best to establish forest in a degraded landscape but your plans need to include succession or you just have half a plan.
For how long would the lupen have to be in iceland, before it would be considered native? At some point native species of plants, animals and insects will come to depend on it (all species were invasive at some point after all). So I just wonder if in the fight against invasive species, it's worth considering letting some invasive species stick around, 'cause while they do not belong there, they do fill a niche that's greatly beneficial to all the other plants in that area.
This was also a problem in Easter Island. Easter Island used to have a lot of trees, and maybe it should as well have a reforestation? The Toromiro is still around, extinct in the wild and very endangered. Perhaps it could be used.
When Mossy Earth is planting trees in the patches in frost-heaving areas that can support a tree, it might be a good idea to see if lupine seeds could be scattered around them in the areas that are not suitable for tree planting. If they take, they could prepare those places to become eventual forest, as well. It may be a good idea, too, to see if seeds from the Scots Pines that survived the aphid epidemic, as detailed in Skógræktin's videos, could be obtained to plant some groves of pine in the forests. That would increase diversity as would planting some aspens. The greater the number of different tree species, the more wildlife the forest will be able to support.
@@joaquimbarbosa896 Thanks so much. Planting lime grass in some of the areas around the trees would be a good experiment to see if it could survive and grow in an inland area. I do like the idea of planting a few patches of Scots Pine, grown from the seed of those that survived the massive aphid infestation that killed most of their kind, both because it is likely similar to the pines that once grew in Iceland in warmer periods and, also, because the Goldcrest, descended from a flock that was blown to the island in 1996, prefer conifers. These little birds eat aphids, as well.
Iceland covered in redwoods, magnolias, yellow aspen and white birch would be amazing. Would be similar to western Canada or even give Middle-Earth vibes
Wonderful explanation of the history of forests and of deforestation in Iceland, and of your project. My grandparents on one side were Icelandic, so it has a special place in my heart. Glad that you will be helping forests return to this landscape.
Carbon sequestration is just an illusion to allow continued mining and burning of fossil fuel. The answer, surprisingly, is nuclear. Modern plants are safe, clean efficient, always on. And, of course, carbon-free.
To support our rewilding projects then please consider becoming a Mossy Earth Member here: www.mossy.earth
*PS If you were wondering why it is 1,000,001 well that extra tree is for the one I planted wrong! - Cheers, Duarte
great work guys
Great job, love the efforts. Have you all considered maybe transplant a mother tree ?! Maybe a red wood for its growth of old world species recovery. Just a thought, keep up the great work
Looking forward to seeing this grow in the future. A suggestion for the more baron areas, you mention about planting the tree next to the mossy islands as this helps anchor the routes. As these areas lack things for the tree routes to attach to and that the frost push's them out after a season. Why not create "artificial islands" by bringing some rocks & boulders, also some dead trees to help encourage moss growth and some more anchor points for the trees to bind to. This can also create areas where seeds & grasses can grow, maybe plating wild flowers in these areas as well to help build the top soil.
Is it possible to help you guys direktly. I want to travel to Iceland and plant the trees myself with you
hello! i noticed the part about disturbing the moss and id like to submit a simple idea to effectively and efficiently disturb the moss! i noticed much of the ground around there seems to be gravely! we have property with some gravel roads and as they are only around 2 decades old they are prone to yearly potholes and odd settling! our simple quick fix solution for smaller potholes was to build a metal square frame using square steel tube. weld two more vertical steel tube supports in the middle. we then welded a few horizontal steel angle (angle iron) in an upside down L formation. (flip the L on the vertical plane and then turn upside down) basically the back of the angle iron will then support what is done next. the most tedious part (in my opinion) is what comes next. you can now take old railroad spikes and weld them to the angle iron. once that is done you weld a bar and hitch in the center and hook it up to a four wheeler. the atv allows you to go places a car/truck couldn't. you can choose how deep/intensly you wish to disturb the moss by adding large boulders on top of the frame whether by laying or bungeecording them on there. fair warning, the shoddier your welding and the more pressure you place the more likely a spike or two will break off but that's ok as they can simply be welded back on again! this method used extremely cheap or free materials for our area although I don't know if there are railroads out there lol! i also apologise if my explanation was confusing it is very late and I should be in bed! i can do a simple visual if you are actually interested in the project. we have a few different versions as they get old and break down over time usually due to our shoddy welding but we have experimented with a few designs. i can talk to my father and shoot you an email better explaining/showing you the design if you are interested in it for your project. its pretty easy and simple way to level/disturb gravel like surfaces. please let me know if you are interested! i think what you are doing is extremely important work and I really enjoy your videos!keep up the good fight, I'm cheering for you from the U.S. of A!!!
As an Icelander, this is beautiful! There is an old joke in Iceland that says "If you ever get lost in an Icelandic forest, just stand up!" Interesting to think that many decades from now I might be telling my grandchildren about how the land used to be barren in the middle of an actual Icelandic forest.
I went here in march and I heard that joke! haha
I hate to burst your bubble but its more like your grandkids might be able to tell their grandkids that if we are being optomistic about aforestation rates in iceland.
@@TBIcel some trees grow up quite fast, only 10 years or so. I remember a pine being planted when I was 10, and now it is towering above my house just 10 years later
@@TBIcel Well, it depends on the soil, but as a Finn from the countryside I've planted lots of trees, and in about 10 years most of them are much taller than people. In a very nutrient poor soil they'll of course grow slower and more crooked, but generally it only takes a couple of decades to have a pretty good forest. For it to transform into a very dense sort of natural Nordic forest type with lots of mosses, weeds, ferns, mushrooms, horsetails, berries and other typical plants will take significantly longer, however.
@@wardeni4806 @Tuff It eas not about the speed trees grow, iceland already has a handful of taller forests. It was more about the size of the island vs the pop and remoteness, throw in a lot of people who like the desolate look vs sheep farmers hating fences meaning iceland wont be anything more than a barren wasteland well into the foreseable future.
The reason I chose to sponsor Mossy Earth over other organisations is because you guys start small, make mistakes and learn how to do it right before expanding. It actually gives me more faith that you’ll make a genuine difference, even if it’s on a smaller scale, rather than take on a big bombastic project that fails utterly because there was no sense of scope.
Agreed. Mossy Earth knows how to learn and they focus on what realistically be done within their capabilities and they also do transparency reports and give us the data that allows us to also see how its going without trying to complicate things like most orgs or "charities" do. Like you can actually picture how they do things and how it does improve the environment.
"We flood forest that needs flooding for better nurseries and biodiversity and to fend of invasives"
"We plant more trees to increase the leeway for nature to bounceback and thrive as it was how it should have been and can be"
very simple but straight to the point realistic
A perfect exemple is the kelp project
And they also are not involving big corporations to fund them. Once you get a corporation involved in your work, it all turns to crap
This is exactly how we are approaching this work and we really appreciate that you’ve noticed! Good projects have to be based on results and iteration. I shared this comment with the team and I am sure it will make everyone smile :) - Cheers, Duarte
there should be a group devoting this much energy, passion and transparency into creatively rewilding the US. we have many groups working on ecological restoration, but mossy earth is inspiring in its dedication to documentation + the support model.
in the FDR times, there was a programme to rewild the great plains with trees to stop the dustbowl's damage to the crops, it would be interesting to see something like that again
I'm hoping that as Mossy Earth continues to grow and expand, they will eventually start a U.S. based chapter here.
you could start it..
just saying
@@martinwinther6013 right with my 30k a year salary.... i mean in a perfect world that would be great but not possible rn
@@cartermize6651 With donations?
Very impressed by the transparency of commenting on the tree planting from last year. Although it had a million views, few would remember it by now. But this type of honesty is what will make me a supporter for the long run. Love your work!
Thank you for the kind words Per! We are doing our best to get solid results but sometimes mistakes are made which we learn from and we feel this is something we should share with everyone who supports our work. We have recently partnered with Conservation Evidence to get even better at sharing all the data behind the work. More on this in a future video. - Cheers, Duarte
Really happy to hear about conservation evidence, love what they do. Fantastic that you will be contributing!
You guys are rewilding a desert faster than UK's government can make a small woods, hat's off. I can't wait to see how it turns out along with the Scotland project
Yes!
that's cause the UK gov is constantly lobbied by companies to not do it. Not only that but most of the country's rural landscape is privately owned. Here in Scotland nearly 60% of the rural area is in private hands, which the gov aren't allowed to make efforts to rewild - even if they were interested in it.
@Jake wait what? Please explain yourself, is it a forest as in made of concrete I mean there are parks that are really impressive but I wouldn't call it a forest
Really? I mean I live In England and there are quite a few of those in my area, although they are really small since they’re inside towns so I’m not sure If that counts.
@@Sarawarawara- I was being a bit hyperbolic but it stands that the UK really struggled doing rewinding work so it's usually charities such as RSPB that grow forest as natural England is always trying to stay on the side of shooting estates. And when imside town they are more like parks than actual reforestation
I have been in conservation for over 30 yrs and I think you are at the head of the curve. Most of my work is taken up with data management and modelling to aid in conservation and prevent bad human activities. This episode is a prime example of what people need to do or to encourage them to do something near them. Thanks, wish I was 30yrs younger but at least there is action where before there was just hope.
Thought the same, I'll never see this come to fruition which is a real shame. I love what these blokes are doing.
Its that extra 1 thatll make the difference
It is for the one I planted wrong! - Cheers, Duarte
It is for the one I planted wrong! - Cheers, Duarte
Haha I love this channel 😁 keep up the good work
I'm in Svalbard at the moment and was having a conversation about the lack of trees here (understandable considering the environment), there are a couple of species that do exist here but their height is very limited. I mentioned your project in Iceland so it was a nice surprise to see this video when I got in.
I was in Longyearbyen several years ago and I think it's simply to inhospitable for forests. It's in the polar darkness for months.
@@scottslotterbeck3796Tromso has nearly 2 months of polar night every year and they have forests of trees. svalbard doesn’t seem all that different when it comes to daylight hours.
@@scottslotterbeck3796 Its amazing to think how flexible the climate is and how it changes over the millennia, once up on a time Svalbard had palm trees. But you are right until the permafrost in the ground is gone there wont be any significant vegetation permafrost is there 24/7 every day, every year no matter if the sun is up or not.
That jello ground effect is crazy, I've never seen anything like it. Will be curious to see what it's like after some trees take in the sturdy patches
I was quite interested if willows as true survivals could grow in those places even if frost lift disturbs them seriously during first years...
Ive only seen it on a "swing blanket" before (roughly translated from german), which is thick moss and other vegetation that grew over the top of a body of water in a wetlands area - if its thick enough you can even stand on it and its just as moveable as this weird jello ground. Id love to know how this jello ground works bc I know swing blankets work like a net of plants, but I cant see stones connect to a blanket like mosses and roots can
@@lagggoat7170 this happens (afaik) when the water saturation reaches a certain amount. It's basically the border between wet earth and really soil laden water.
You can see this near Lake Tahoe in the Taylor Creek wetlands area. The ground is super saturated.
@@tonisee2 Thats what I was thinking. Use willows in places like that to at least get trees there. If they can help dry it out so more trees can grow there great.
I hope they aren't monocropping with clones. I see why it's done, but it may prove disastrous.
As an Icelander I'm super happy and proud to watch this, amazing effort! Is there a chance for the public to take part in any way other than financial backing?
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I always watch the full ads on UA-cam to help Mossy Earth how I can. They’re doing so much for the nature and it makes me so happy and inspired watching these efforts. Please never stop your work. 😊
Thank you for the support! - Cheers, Duarte
We need more environmental groups like you, ones that restore landscapes. Even if it will take many years to accomplish it.
I became a member only a couple of days ago, but seeing your work makes it feel 100% worth it! Keep up the great work!
We really appreciate you joining Mossy Earth! We will do our best to deliver as much rewilding impact as possible with your contribution :) - Cheers, Duarte
This project has huge potential, cool to see you guys taking on bigger and bigger projects
Amazing journey, I cant wait for this island to get completely reformed
Will take a long time for us to see some meaningful change but the time for action is now :) - Cheers, Duarte
With the amount of sheep there it'll never be 'completely' reformed
@@irishfruitandberries9059 that's probably true, but an interesting note is that (at least here in Norway, people have almost stopped eating sheep, and if no one buys the meat, the farmers will have to do something else. :P
@@Glundberg84 really, why have they stopped eating sheep?
@irishfruitandberries9059 I'm not sure. It's not popular anymore, I guess.
Your efforts are such a gift to all of us! I can't thank you enough for helping to restore our precious mother earth.
firsttt
You won this time Rob!
At the time of discovery, Iceland was 40% forested and greatly resembled Norway. The trees were mostly cleared for farmland in the ensuing centuries, and never came back. It's so heartening to know that humans are in fact capable of enriching their environments rather than just destroying them
Love these vids and love to see you revisit Iceland with a plan 👍
It is a big part of our plans for the next couple of years! More videos this Summer :) - Cheers, Duarte
Need more channels like this taking initiative to rebuild earth
I cant wait to see how it will turn out over the coming years!
Same here! Excited to see Iceland become more and more forested :) - Cheers, Duarte
I watched this story about using ½ million square miles in Africa to creat a solar farm to power a huge area in the NW. The rearch, done by environmentalists, blocking this project because it would cause the Amazon to eventually dry up. Goodbye earth.
Point is, earth is in a delicate balance that does not support "fixing" as much as adapting as it does.
I love the work you guys do, I hope one day after high school and college I can take a road similar to yours it just makes me smile and feel so in awe with nature
Really looking forward to first results after the initial planting in a few years. Great project!
I wonder if planting in just the small patches that are suitable among those completely eroded patches is also going to help fix that erosion. These trees (hopefully) cast wide root networks that should also help settle that spongy ground that currently is very difficult to take to
I hope so. Over time as the trees grow it will shelter the ground from the wind, fallen leaves etc will decompose and improve the soil and an understory can develop. Animals move in, more nutrients...
Showing that you made mistakes but are correcting it is what i love about this group❤
Almost certainly more effective use of money than team trees I'm pretty sure they were just planting a monoculture
Been a member for almost a year and the transparency that y’all provide should be the benchmark for the rewilding community. Thank you for your vital work
Awesome work❤❤
Thank you FinJH! We are doing our best :) - Cheers, Duarte
What stood out for me in this video is the honest reflection of past mistakes with(!) video proof: how to, and how NOT to, plant trees in Icelandic soil. Indeed, that's what pilot projects are useful for, and that's why Mossy Earth is such a great organisation.
I consider my money well spent with these guys.
Really excited to see how this turns out - great stuff!
Thanks! We appreciate the support :) - Cheers, Duarte
Iceland is what I imagine terraforming Mars would look like. Mossy Earth is terraforming Iceland.
I laughed at the comment that a million people had seen you plant in the wrong place. But I’d congratulate you on a million views showing the interest in your dreams. Keep on planting and educating us.
Great that you are learning from last year! I had to laugh when you showed yourself planting a tree in the 'less optimal' places 😂
Its all about learning from your mistakes and of course admitting what went wrong too. That is the whole point of sharing these projects here. - Cheers, Duarte
When you calculate the carbon absorption, do you calculate for the 1 millnio trees, or do you estimate how many will die before reaching adulthood
I cant support economically and thats annoying, but I love your work and in a future you will have my support!
Keep it up guys
Man, I feel your pain
what you guys are doing is fantastic & i hope more countries start taking notes, also congrats on owning up to the mistakes, disclosing & learning from them
and yes i want to see the planting of this batch
I love your transparency -- even showing us the video of you learning how not to plant the trees in the frost heaves!
Your work is amazing!
Admitting mistakes is the first sign of honesty, and the ability to learn. That shows a lot more promise than some big corp projects that are more advertisement and virtue signalling than actual work.
Lupin has more benefits than negatives, I love it. I hate scotch thistle and even that has a place somewhere. You are all doing work that is awesome. 😊😊😊😊😊
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Lupin is a declared noxious weed in rocky alpine areas in Australia as it destroys native plants. Hikers are required to report any sightings with a precise location.
@@Dave_Sissoni guess lupin is good for places that basically doesnt have native plants to kill.
Love what you guys are doing, crazy to see how many new projects you’re taking on and the progress you’re making, keep it up!
Keep up the good work!
Thank you R W H ! - Cheers, Duarte
So in the new area will other native species than Downy Birch be planted as well? Such as the Rowan, Tea-leaf Willow, and Aspen mentioned earlier in the video. I love yall's work and it's amazing that someone is actually working to help restore out planet and ecosystems :)
Algorithm gang
Wow. These will look amazing in the future. I am excited just by imagining how it will look
why plant non-native species?? That sounds fishy, just saying//troutbumandsam
Iceland is a very particular case where the native forests are a less resilient monoculture. More of a coincidence than nature finding its balance. We made the decision to include alder to imitate birchwood in Norway with the same climate. - Cheers, Duarte
This is one of the few channels I'd love to see daily videos from. It's always so cool to see the ways the earth can be healed.
Healed? From what?
What type of birch species are you planting? How long will they take to mature in the depleted soils?
Betula pubescens is the birch species. I think we can expect them to take at least 50 years to mature. - Cheers, Duarte
@@MossyEarth Thanks for the response! Keep up the good work! I look forward to enjoying these forests with my future family!
Here in Texas, my goat herd loves to eat bluebonnets, our local Lupin relative. You can tell a goat pasture from a cattle pasture by if it has bluebonnets in spring.
I wonder if carefully managed grazing with sheep could knock back Lupin once it has done its work of colonizing, and allow native grasses to take over the improved soil?
I love to think that my contribution that month went to plant that specific tree that Duarte planted on camera for 1M ppl to see
I'm so excited to see this! This channel is so great for showing me how there are some places I consider 'natural landscape' that are actually heavily degraded. Keep up the amazing work :D
Since redwoods once lived there, would it break the rules to reintroduce them?
I'm thinking that the climate conditions there probably wasn't the same as the ones today, when redwood grew there. So they might not thrive or even survive there.
Climate conditions have changed and they are no longer suitable for redwoods I’m afraid :( - Cheers, Duarte
Awesome video, guys. I enjoyed every minute of it. Now the question is, what will come first, one million subscribers or one million trees planted? :D
6:13 wrong translation its supposed to be þrjátíu eða fjörtíu milljónir not 30 and 40 million
Planting a lot of trees is great, what are you doing to make sure they survive? Many trees need up to 7 years of care before they can survive on their own. This has been noted in other UA-cam videos about mass tree plantings. (Some plantings without care in England have a 1% survival rate, meaning 99 of 100 trees died.)
This depends on the size of the tree no? Dormant seedlings hardly need any care, especially if the climate is moist. 99% mortality sounds like a botched planting or poor species selection to me.
We are ensuring the trees are protected from sheep by planting them in the fence and we are also making sure they are planted in the right place. Long term we will have some mortality but we can replant these lost trees with new saplings as we go along. The goal here is to create a forest and not just plant trees. We are also targeting the natural spread of these “tree islands” in the landscape to maximise the long term impact. - Cheers, Duarte
@@MossyEarth could you use branches from the non native forest on the open spongy ground? Gives some cover to the saplings, treat the ground like sand similar to how culbin and roseisle forests in Scotland were planted
Make it flourish again, guys
It is kinda *wild* to have an anticipation of how that area will look like in next 10-20 years, but I guess it is a part of beauty of such projects.
Another comment!
Great work! Have been in Iceland 20 y ago. Fascinating landscape. But kindof depressing without sun.
So much hope for the future!
Go to California for sun. However, you will be murdered.
It's smart using plants that can spread and colonize on it's own like Lupine. Because while manual intervention is good. The best way to make a big impact if we can start something, that will spread on it's own. Giving tree's a chance to take root on their own thanks to Lupine, you get exponential growth. Suddenly the birds come in that they help spread tree's seeds.
Together We Will Save The Planet👍👍👍💜💜💜
como pode se observar o lupim faz uma espécie de agasalho para as mudas das Bétulas no inverno, protegendo-as do frio. jogar um pouco de palha em cima das mudas pode ajudar a protege-las do vento e frio.
I would Dearly Love to see a Proper Redwood Forest growing in Iceland Again!!! 🤠👍
P.s. I Loved seeing the TEXAS Bluebonnet's!!!
I love what you do, thanks
Lupin is a miracle plant! The best thing that has happened to Iceland.
Love from england
Thank you Daniyal! - Cheers, Duarte
I admire taking responsibility and admitting to your mistake of planting some trees not ideally! Too little people commit to their mistakes, but we all grow because of them! Thanks again for being transparent and honest! One more reason to support you! 🙂
This problem is endemic in the UK. Dartmoor, Lake District, and the Scottish Highlands to name a few, in a country that is in the top 10 globally for nature depletion. Most people think these areas look beautiful and natural. Far from it, they are simply denuded for timber and even worse sheep grazing, often known as wet deserts.
Can you do rewilding Ireland?
We’ve had some projects in Ireland in the past. Currently we do not have anything upcoming but would love to work there if the opportunity is good. - Cheers, Duarte
Planting 1,000,000 trees in Iceland could have a number of potential benefits for the environment and for the people who live there. Trees help to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which can help to mitigate the effects of climate change. They also help to prevent soil erosion, improve air and water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife.
In addition to the environmental benefits, planting trees could also have economic and social benefits for Iceland. Trees can be used for timber and other forest products, which could create jobs and stimulate economic growth. They can also provide recreational opportunities for locals and tourists, which can help to boost the tourism industry in Iceland.
However, it's important to note that planting trees alone is not a silver bullet solution to environmental challenges. It's important to also take other actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect biodiversity, and address other environmental issues. It's also important to carefully consider the types of trees being planted and the potential impact on local ecosystems and communities.
Overall, planting 1,000,000 trees in Iceland could be a positive step toward addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable development, as long as it is done thoughtfully and in conjunction with other efforts to protect the environment.
By Ask AI
Amazing stuff ❤
I'm curious about how your selection of seed sources and the genetic diversity within each species will look like. Are you choosing a single seed source for each species in a comparable climate and collecting seeds there, or do you plan to have several collection sites for each species to improve the genetic diversity, and thus resilience of the forest? Also curious about why you are not planting more diverse species wise and include aspen, rowan and tea leaved willow? Wouldn't the aspen make for good shelter trees for the Alders, for instance?
for the algorithm
Much appreciated :D - Cheers, Duarte
First: Why planting only trees, not berries like blueberries which can be food for the birds? Second: No forest without mushrooms. You need islandic funghi which live in partnership with trees. Third: Collect the lupine seats and seat them there where you cannot plant trees.
Amazing project! Can't wait to follow this going forward 😊
Another comment for the algorithm,I hope more people will see this channel!I would really love to become a member if I can,but I’ll have to wait a few years cause I’m only 13😅
Awesome work;' well done!
The history is absolutely false. There were no actual trees when the Vikings found the island. The only trees were small bushes. That's why they had to improvise and started living in "holes".
In my opinion, the trees ruin what is special about Iceland's nature.
In my area a plant called lespedeza or bushclover is used on roadsides for soil restoration. Its non native but it works.
You should go to Portugal and try to replace the nasty, non-native, invasive Eucalyptus with the native species: the much more beautiful and pleasant oak and pine trees. The forest of the entire country was pretty much destroyed by the plantation of Eucalyptus for use in industry, such as production of paper.
Great job
Thanks Niels! - Cheers, Duarte
It's not enough to "plant" a million trees.
It's better to "grow" a million trees. And aid them growing for at least 10 years then they really should be ok on their own.
In Australia I've seen every few years or so planting campaigns and the vast majority, if not all the seedlings, die.
Hold
Not sure what this means but thank you for the support :) - Cheers, Duarte
The names of those three guys, 'Throstur, Trausti and Hreinn' sounds like an Icelandic translation of Huey, Dewey and Louie.
I have visited Iceland a couple of times and the lack of trees is so noticeable, this is a fantastic thing you are doing and will be great for the wildlife to provide shelter.
It's beautiful, isn't it?
@@scottslotterbeck3796 certianly is! I love it
@@eilidhwatson8406 TBH, if I was able to, I'd move. Reykjavik is a wonderful town. Learning Icelandic might prove difficult, though!
Like Icelandic i asking Why? Why someone push trees to Iceland! We love our country! We dont need some strange guys say us what we must do or not. 😓😓😓😓
Hope to see this come together!
A seriously ambitious goal! I wish you the best of luck :)
🌲🌲🌲
🌳 :)
Always in forestry this "native species" dogma, ok Birch Willow and Aspen are pioneer species and will be best to establish forest in a degraded landscape but your plans need to include succession or you just have half a plan.
Keep up the good work👍
Thanks ! We will do our best! - Cheers, Duarte
For how long would the lupen have to be in iceland, before it would be considered native? At some point native species of plants, animals and insects will come to depend on it (all species were invasive at some point after all). So I just wonder if in the fight against invasive species, it's worth considering letting some invasive species stick around, 'cause while they do not belong there, they do fill a niche that's greatly beneficial to all the other plants in that area.
love your work
Thanks Bianfa! - Cheers, Duarte
This was also a problem in Easter Island. Easter Island used to have a lot of trees, and maybe it should as well have a reforestation? The Toromiro is still around, extinct in the wild and very endangered. Perhaps it could be used.
Invasive doesn't necessarily mean bad. Lupin where nothing grows is better than having places where nothing grows.
Invasive literally means ecologically bad
Do y’all plant any native bushes? Bushes work well with trees and some animals use bushes for shelter. Thank you for your hard work.
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:)
It's always best to do things on a small level and not depend on the corporations. Big corporations ruin everything. May God bless what you're doing
When Mossy Earth is planting trees in the patches in frost-heaving areas that can support a tree, it might be a good idea to see if lupine seeds could be scattered around them in the areas that are not suitable for tree planting. If they take, they could prepare those places to become eventual forest, as well. It may be a good idea, too, to see if seeds from the Scots Pines that survived the aphid epidemic, as detailed in Skógræktin's videos, could be obtained to plant some groves of pine in the forests. That would increase diversity as would planting some aspens. The greater the number of different tree species, the more wildlife the forest will be able to support.
Thats genius, and maybe the lime grass to (nitrigen fixing plant native to the island)
@@joaquimbarbosa896
Thanks so much. Planting lime grass in some of the areas around the trees would be a good experiment to see if it could survive and grow in an inland area. I do like the idea of planting a few patches of Scots Pine, grown from the seed of those that survived the massive aphid infestation that killed most of their kind, both because it is likely similar to the pines that once grew in Iceland in warmer periods and, also, because the Goldcrest, descended from a flock that was blown to the island in 1996, prefer conifers. These little birds eat aphids, as well.
Iceland covered in redwoods, magnolias, yellow aspen and white birch would be amazing. Would be similar to western Canada or even give Middle-Earth vibes
Wonderful explanation of the history of forests and of deforestation in Iceland, and of your project. My grandparents on one side were Icelandic, so it has a special place in my heart. Glad that you will be helping forests return to this landscape.
Please find fungi and bugs from similar climates and other woods in Iceland and move it to your area! 🙏🏾❤️
Excellent work! More organizations should focus on rewilding instead of carbon sequestration.
Carbon sequestration is just an illusion to allow continued mining and burning of fossil fuel.
The answer, surprisingly, is nuclear. Modern plants are safe, clean efficient, always on. And, of course, carbon-free.
The funny thing is that proper rewilding is, in fact, carbon sequestration.
Great project, youtube algorithm worked well and recommended me this video and your channel