The board of the Icelandic Forestry Association (IFA) agreed at a board meeting on May 11 to offer, on behalf of its around 60 member associations, to lead a wide-ranging employment initiative in collaboration with municipalities and forestry associations all over Iceland.
The IFA and its member associations successfully led an employment initiative during the years 2009-2012, creating hundreds of jobs in the forestry sector in forest maintenance and building up recreation infrastructure in forests.
The present employment situation calls for cohesive action and projects that improve the local environment and provide opportunities for young people to work in nature for two to three months. The arrangement for the initiative could be like the arrangement that worked well previously. A trilateral agreement would be set up between the IFA, a local forestry association and a local municipality. The forestry associations would submit proposals for environmental and forestry projects in their areas. The IFA has applied for a 70 million ISK contribution from the government to help cover the cost of materials, facilities, and transportation. The local municipality would hire the workers and pay wages. Municipalities have the option of hiring people from the unemployment register and could request a contribution frome the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
Through this many jobs could be created at a relatively low cost.
