About The Nauteyri Project

The Nauteyri Project

All about the who, the what, the where, the when, the why and the how

What is it?
The Nauteyri Project is a non-profit organisation set up to protect and utilise the land at Nauteyri. A large majority of the land will become a nature reserve and a small part of it will be turned into a sustainable tourism centre for environmentally friendly accommodation, as well as sports and activities on land and water. It will also become a field site for enthusiastic researchers from partner universities who share the Project’s goals.

Where is it?
Nauteyri is in Iceland’s stunning Westfjords region. The land for sale is just south of the existing Hornstrandir national nature reserve, which is currently the only place in Iceland where the Arctic fox is protected from hunting and one of the few remaining healthy wild populations anywhere. Nauteyri has natural hot water, beautiful fjord-side views and abundant history in its old church. Nauteyri is on the main road from Reykjavík to Ísafjörður and is conveniently located beside the first fjord after the town of Hólmavík. Its establishment as a new nature reserve would fit well with nearby Hornstrandir and constitute a victory for conservation.

Why bother?
We want to encourage and enable tourists to enjoy the Westfjords of Iceland in a manner that does not damage the environment. Tourism is increasingly important for Iceland and the world; but it has a nasty habit of destroying the very things it sets out to promote. The Westfjords have been struggling against depopulation for decades and see tourism as a useful tool. We want to help by protecting the environment and increasing the local economy.

We want to protect the land, the seashore and their inhabitants for future generations. As a beautiful location directly to the south of the Westfjords’ only glacier, with ample land, natural hot water and good connections, we feel Nauteyri is at risk from a variety of industries – not least irresponsible tourism. A controversial aquaculture project is already underway in the fjord and The Nauteyri Project would seek to work with the fishing company to minimise its impact and develop alongside The Project. The idea of a potential Westfjords oil refinery somewhere in the region also keeps popping up again and again and we believe other more sustainable revenue sources are a better option for the Westfjords.

How’s it going to be done?
Using second-hand or donated materials and even driftwood (which the Westfjords has an ample supply of) we can create an attractive assembly of unobtrusive buildings to serve as chalets and a dormitory; as well as campsite washing facilities and a general purpose room for meetings, exhibitions, meals and lectures etc.

The natural hot water will provide heating and bathing opportunities for visitors and the possibility of growing organic food all year round.

The landscape and nature reserve will provide hikers and birdwatchers with the chance to enjoy the plants, birds and animals in an environment where sheep do not overgraze and where birds, seals and foxes do not live in fear of humans.

The sea will be used for activities as diverse as sailing, kayaking, rod angling and even diving. Water based activities will be conducted in accordance with Nature’s daily and seasonal schedule; not just our own. This will be one of the areas our academic partners’ research will prove most useful.

Nauteyri’s environmental credentials will be backed up with real principles:

• Get local people involved as expert instructors, staff members and volunteers for special events
• Use local produce where it exists
• Be carbon neutral
• No sewage or other pollution into the sea
• No waste to landfill (unless no other option exists)
• Use second hand or hand-built wherever possible
• No artificial fertiliser or pesticide
• No motorboats other than the safety launch
• No recreational shooting or trapping
• Educate visitors to respect these principles and empower them to carry on at home
• Be research-friendly and encourage universities and their students to help us understand and protect Nauteyri
• Cater to visitors’ needs, whether they want a weeklong adventure, a sailing weekend, a nature retreat or a simple night in a tent at a great campsite
• Donate the land to the Icelandic state as a legally ensured reserve if and when The Nauteyri Project ever comes to an end

The Nauteyri Project is inclusive and wants to work with people from all over the world to reawaken pride in Mother Nature and generate ideas for a sustainable future that apply everywhere. The internet will be an important part of this strategy and our status as a non-profit organisation will make supporters feel like part of a club.

When is it happening?
The first goal was to collect enough funding to become a legally registered non-profit organisation, which has now happened. Next is to use this official status and the respectability it brings to help collect enough for the purchase of the Nauteyri site.

Next we need to get the campsite and chalets running in order to start generating income as soon as possible.

The eventual goal is for The Nauteyri Project to become self-sustaining, using ongoing donations and any profits to bring all the above goals to fruition and begin a programme of education and activities to spread the Nauteyri message far and wide.

With the generous help of our supporters we hope to open to visitors in 2011 or early 2012 and be fully operational within two years.

Why is The Nauteyri Project deserving of your support?
Aside from the fact that donations will go to support nature, rural development and sustainable tourism (worthwhile, we think!), your money will be wisely invested with The Nauteyri Project because it aims to become self-sustaining—which means that your donation will continue working long after it is made. Furthermore, as most of the money will be spent on real, physical things of value including land, chalets, furniture, boats and gardening equipment (largely second-hand and therefore cheaper and slower monetary depreciation) they will retain their value whatever happens.

Who is behind it?
The project was dreamt up by Alex Elliott and Brad Houldcroft, two Brits who have lived in Iceland for several years and appreciate the unique and beautiful country as much as everyone else lucky enough to live there.

They have been enthusiastically investigating starting “some sort of sustainable tourism project in the Westfjords” for some time; as the region has suffered from long term depopulation and is strongly focusing on future tourism – but also has fragile and unique nature. But when the massive 5,500 hectares of land at Nauteyri came to their attention the huge and ambitious Nauteyri Project slowly began to take shape!

Alex has a further motivation as a Master’s student in Coastal and Marine Management at the University Centre of the Westfjords. When looking for a good thesis topic, it suddenly struck him: “What better Coastal Management thesis topic could there be than to actually become a coastal manager myself?”

The Nauteyri Project is going to form the backbone of Alex’s thesis and he hopes it might one day be helpful to other rural tourism projects around the world. He also believes the thesis element gives The Nauteyri Project a little extra push to succeed and to stick to all its guiding principles.

Get in touch:

www.nauteyri.wordpress.com

Nauteyri@gmail.com

+354 846 9869