Tree Felling Begins At Öskjuhlíð

Preparations for logging in the area in Öskjuhlíð have begun, reports Vísir.

As previously reported, one of the runways at Reykjavík Airport was recently closed due to the tree growth in Öskjuhlíð. The height of the trees is said to affect passenger safety at Reykjavík Airport. The closure had been long in the making, and the issue has been one of several causing unrest at Reykjavík City Hall.

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Now, preparations for logging have begun with felling to start around noon. “The team responsible for managing city forests is out there in the woods now, making preparations,” says Hjalti Jóhannes Guðmundsson, office manager of Operations and Maintenance at the City of Reykjavík.

“The area needs to be marked, and various preparations must be completed before everything begins. The project will start within a few hours,” says Hjalti.

Einar Þorsteinsson, Mayor of Reykjavík, announced yesterday that the city planned to start by felling 23 trees in Öskjuhlíð today.