Soil Conservation Service of Iceland

the soil conservation service of iceland (scsi, landgræðsla ríkisins) was founded in 1907. it is a governmental agency under the ministry for the environment. the main tasks of the scsi include combating desertification, sand encroachment and other soil erosion, promotion of sustainable land use and reclamation and restoration of degraded land. the work is on different levels, from policy making and research, to extension services and management of large- and small-scale reclamation projects. ecosystem degradation is by far the largest environmental problem in iceland. vast areas have been desertified after over-exploitation – the speed of erosion magnified by volcanic activity and harsh weather conditions. scsi is dedicated to the prevention of erosion and to reclamation of eroded land. the scsi has five divisions: land protection, research and development, public relations and administration. the agencies headquarters are at gunnarsholt in s-iceland, and district offices are located