#508: An island as old as me

Surtsey is a volcanic island which emerged from the sea in November 1963 off the southern coast of Iceland. I have mentioned it previously on the blog as it is a large natural laboratory.

This piece in the Guardian talks about its importance as a place which has been protected from human interference for over 60 years.

In 1965, Surtsey was placed under formal protection by the government. Only researchers and the odd journalist – under strict supervision – would be allowed to visit. No sheep would ever be allowed to graze there. 

It offers hope and practical lessons for rehabilitating ecosystems damaged by war, pollution or exploitation: if space is given, nature will always find ways to return, often faster and more creatively than we expect.

#267: New land

I'm working on a resource which looks at plant succession in areas where there is no previous history of plants and no seeds. 

Towards the end of last year, Japan gained a new island.

There are other examples, with one of the best known being Surtsey, which is as old as I am. I saw it earlier in the week as well during a trip to Iceland.

The book 'The Island' by Barry Smith covers some other examples, which have interesting and precarious geographies. Some of these are caused by volcanic activity, others by temporary deposition in bodies of water.

Read a sample of the book here.