Wikipedia
Skálanes Nature and Heritage Centre is a 1250 hectare nature reserve situated on a peninsula 17km east of Seyðisfjörður, East Iceland.
The nature reserve and centre are owned and managed by Ólafur Pétursson and his family. The day-to-day running of the reserve is undertaken by Ólafur with the help of a wide variety of people from the local Icelandic community and from overseas. The reserve is home to extensive bird, plant and animal life, including a large Eider Duck colony, farmed sustainable each year for Eider down. Ólafur's intention was to create an "open laboratory in an experimental site focusing on practical solutions in sustainability and species diversity.” In doing so Skálanes has become a hub for scientific, social and cultural exploration and has subsequently evolved into a place for diverse, enthusiastic and interested people.
Skálanes has been established by the continuous evolving relationships between the local community and researchers from overseas. Over the years, collaborations have been developed between educational establishments such as: Southern Connecticut State University, Earlham College, University of Liverpool, Wellesley College and University of Glasgow. Skálanes has provided the foundations for a wide variety of research topics in the fields of: natural history, linguistics, genealogy, archaeology, anthropology, conservation, ecology and local culture.