Contractors who were installing water pipelines in the outdoor recreational area Heidmörk on behalf of Reykjavík suburb Kópavogur ruined some of its forests.
According to ruv.is, the contractors did not follow instructions while digging ditches for the pipelines which were originally supposed to be 10-meters wide. They ended up being much wider than expected in some places.
Mayor of Kópavogur Gunnar Birgisson said these work methods were unacceptable and said the damage would be compensated. The City of Reykjavík had not given formal approval of the installation of water pipelines in the area, as ruv.is reports.
RÚV reported yesterday that Reykjavík Energy Company had investigated the work methods in Heidmörk and discovered that large areas were covered with soil, where children had planted trees on behalf of Unicef last spring.
The contractors had also dug a ditch trough a small forest known as Thjódhátídarlundur (“National Holiday Forest”) and had let a dog run loose near the wells of the Energy Company.
Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir, head of the City of Reykjavík’s planning committee, said the City was grieved by such work methods in this important outdoor recreational area. She plans to discuss the incident with the Reykjavík Forestry next week.
