Greenery on municipal land

Description of the action and objectives

Green Deal action

Reykjavík City aims to strengthen its role as a green city, as stated in the City's Municipal Plan. The Green City Policy is intended to serve as a driving force for a good urban life, promote better public health for city residents, and increase the green appearance of Reykjavík with trees and other vegetation. Construction on the Green Network project began in fall 2020. The project aims to increase sustainability and biological diversity in green spaces through a diverse selection of species in areas where tree cover dominates. It also supports stormwater management solutions and reduces the need for maintenance in green spaces, including mowing.

 

Implementation period

Planned completion in the second half of 2030

Status: In progress

Status report on July 1, 2025

Repairs completed on several older projects in the Green Network.

Older status reports

Below you can find older status reports with information on the progress of the action since its inception (if you're using your phone, it's better to turn it sideways).
  Timeline Progress description
  July 2024 In 2024, we replanted several areas from the previous phase where initial planting efforts had been less successful than anticipated.
  January 2024 In 2023, reviews of the older phases of the Green Network were conducted, and the priorities and guidelines were revisited based on the review outcomes. Trees were planted on Borgarvegur and Réttarholtsvegur, and the design of new green areas for the Green Network to be implemented in 2024 began. In 2023, the City’s nursery provided 5,059 trees and 795 perennial plants.
  July 2023 The results of the first phase from 2021-2022 were reviewed, and design strategies for the next phases were updated and redefined based on the outcomes. New planting beds from the Green Network were redone at Borgarvegur and Hallsvegur.
  January 2023 In 2020 to 2022, a diverse array of trees and shrubs, as well as perennials and bulbous plants, were planted across 24 areas within the municipal land. In total, around 2,200 trees and shrubs were planted, complemented by about 1,000 perennials and bulbous plants. Further planting of trees and shrubs is planned as part of the Green Network project in 2023. The experience gained from reviews and evaluations of previous stages of the project will be utilized.
  July 2022 Over 200,000 flowers in all the colors of the rainbow from the Reykjavík Nursery decorated Reykjavík this year. In addition, urban trees or city trees are also grown there. Urban trees are special in that they are particularly suitable for urban environments and do not obstruct the view for cyclists, drivers, and pedestrians. Urban trees also need to withstand various stimuli associated with living in densely populated areas.

 

 

 

Connection of action to Reykjavík City's policies:

 

Reykjavík City departments:

 

Related actions

The table below contains actions; more information can be accessed by clicking the "action title" in the table.
Action name Status Completion Updated Departments
Climate forests in Úlfarsfell In progress 2030 July 2025 Department of Environment & Planning
Development in Öskjuhlíð In progress 2024 July 2025 Department of Environment & Planning
Construction in Austurheiðar Completed 2024 July 2025 Department of Environment & Planning
Water Management Plan - Action Plan In progress 2025 July 2025 Department of Environment & Planning
Department of Service & Innovation
Greenery on municipal land In progress 2030 July 2025 Department of Environment & Planning