ABSTRACT
Wilderness has played a central role in Icelandic environmental debates for decades, but it is only in the last 20 years that the outlines and implications of wilderness conservation as such have begun to emerge. Icelandic wilderness debates have mainly concerned the central highland, a large and uninhabited interior plateau which covers around 40 per cent of the island. It is highly dynamic in terms of geomorphological processes, with pronounced geological and landscape diversity. In contrast, biodiversity and ecological values are less prominent in the highland as its vegetation is limited and wildlife almost non-existent. These characteristics, along with a harsh climate, are the main reasons why the highland has not been able to sustain permanent human habitation. As a result, the central highland remained largely undeveloped until the mid-nineteenth century. Even though a legal definition of wilderness has existed in Iceland since 1999, Icelanders still struggle with capturing the wilderness values of the highland. A large part of this problem lies in its unusual natural characteristics. The conservation of the central highland wilderness is further complicated by the region’s cultural legacy, present-day debates between different groups of users and the lack of concepts to properly describe and express its wilderness values.
