A large sign warns people that Iceland’s Fjadrrgljfur canyon is closed to visitors. Yet many people keep driving down the narrow road to the canyon. A ranger at a roadblock must explain to them why no one can pass: The area cannot support more visitors. Drivers try to persuade ranger Hanna Jhannsdttir into opening the entrance to the canyon. Some offer her money if she agrees to help. They should know that such a bribe will not work. “Food from people’s home country is the most common bribery,” said Jhannsdttir. She recently turned down a free trip to Dubai in exchange for letting trespassers past the roadblock. The problem is that the North Atlantic island nation may be too popular for its own good. Last year, 2.3 million people visited Iceland, compared with just 600,000 eight years ago. The number of visitors is out of proportion to the infrastructure needed to protect its countryside.
