Developing iceland’s protected areas: Taking stock and looking ahead

Abstract

With about 20 per cent of Iceland’s land area protected under formal mechanisms, this paper outlines the current position and discusses some factors in the transition from traditional to current approaches. It reviews elements of the development of Iceland’s protected areas over recent decades, specifically large-scale, landscape connectivity approaches, innovative governance structures to engage local stakeholders, and new mechanisms of conflict resolution between protection and development. Some important challenges for the future are identified, comprising the need for a systematic review of nature as a basis for developing the protected areas network, dealing with increasing visitor numbers, developing new mechanisms for financing protected areas and improving inter-organizational collaboration in the management and governance of protected areas.