THE ICELANDIC INSTITUTE OF NATURAL HISTORY

The Icelandic Institute of Natural History is a public institution and comes under the Ministry for the Environment. Jón Gunnar Ottósson is the Director General.

More than 50 people work at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, both in Reykjavik and Akureyri, carrying out diverse research and monitoring of nature. The Institute conducts basic and applied research on the nature of Iceland with emphasis on botany, ecology, taxonomy geology and zoology. It maintains scientific specimen collections and databases, assembles literature on the natural history of Iceland, operates the Icelandic Bird-Ringing Scheme and participates in environmental consultant work. The institute advises on sustainable use of natural resources and land development, and assesses the conservation status of species, habitats and ecosystems.