Key Takeaways
- The Reality: Volcanic moss is not grass; it lacks roots and relies on fragile friction to survive.
- The Trigger: Viral music videos (like Bieber’s) can turn quiet canyons into “at-risk” zones overnight.
- The Damage: One footprint can kill moss for decades.
- The Solution: Stay on the path. No photo is worth destroying a century of growth.
Here is the hard truth: You can destroy 70 years of natural history in less than one second just by taking a step backward for a selfie. Volcanic moss is deceptively strong against the wind, but incredibly weak against the sole of a sneaker.
I have spent 15 years in the travel industry, booking trips to volcanic hotspots like Mt. Etna in Italy, Jeju Island in South Korea, and Taal in the Philippines. I always see the same thing: travelers treat moss like it’s suburban lawn grass. It isn’t. It is an ancient, fragile organism that holds the entire landscape together. When you step on it, it doesn’t just bounce back. It dies.
The most famous example of this destruction happened in Iceland, but the lesson applies to every volcanic destination I book for my clients. Let’s talk about how a pop star inadvertently closed a canyon and what that means for your next trip.
1. The “Justin Bieber Canyon” Incident
In 2015, Justin Bieber released the music video for “I’ll Show You.” It featured him rolling down mossy hills and skateboarding on top of a plane wreck in Iceland. The video was visually stunning. It was also an environmental disaster in the making.
The location was Fjaðrárgljúfur, a stunning, winding canyon that was relatively unknown before the video dropped. Suddenly, millions of fans saw the video. They didn’t just want to see the canyon; they wanted to recreate the video. They wanted to roll on the moss.
The Aftermath: Visitor numbers skyrocketed from a few thousand to over 300,000 annually. The infrastructure wasn’t there. Tourists hopped fences to get “the Bieber shot.” The moss turned into mud. The soil eroded. The authorities had to close the canyon entirely to save it from total ecological collapse.
This phenomenon isn’t limited to Iceland. I see the “Instagram Effect” threatening the fragile biodiversity of Jeju Island’s volcanic cones (Oreum) and the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. When an influencer goes off-path, thousands follow. The difference is, in a volcanic landscape, the scars don’t heal after a rainy season. They last for generations.
2. Why Volcanic Moss is Not “Just Grass”
To understand the damage, you have to understand the botany. This is the part I explain to every client who books a hiking tour with me. Volcanic moss (often Racomitrium lanuginosum) is not a plant with a deep root system like the grass in your backyard.
It is an organism that clings loosely to the jagged surface of lava rocks. It feeds on nutrients in the air and rain, not the soil. It acts as a “starter layer” for life. It traps dust and creates the very first layer of soil that allows other plants to eventually grow. It is the pioneer of the ecosystem.
Because it lacks roots, it doesn’t anchor into the ground. When you step on it, you don’t just bend it; you detach it from the rock. Once detached, it dries out and dies.
Furthermore, it grows at a glacial pace—often less than 1 centimeter per year. A patch of moss that is 10 inches thick represents nearly a century of undisturbed growth. When a tourist tramples it to get a better angle for a photo, they are effectively erasing a timeline that predates their own birth. It creates a “social trail” (a path made by feet), which rain then turns into a gully, accelerating erosion.
3. The Responsibility of the Traveler
We cannot blame Justin Bieber entirely. He was a tourist who didn’t know better, guided by a production team that prioritized aesthetics over ecology. But today, we do know better. The information is out there.
In my work at KRBooking.com, specifically with our Sustainable Trekking in Korea travel tips we emphasize “Leave No Trace” principles. It sounds cliché, but in volcanic regions, it is critical. “Stay on the trail” is not a suggestion; it is a preservation order.
When you visit these places, you are entering a harsh environment that is fighting to sustain life. The ropes and barriers aren’t there to ruin your view; they are there to keep the landscape alive. If you see a footprint in the moss, do not add yours to it. That footprint is a wound in the ecosystem.
Authentic travel isn’t about getting the shot that everyone else has. It’s about respecting the place enough to leave it exactly as you found it. If you want to roll down a hill, go to a city park. If you want to witness the raw power of nature, keep your feet on the gravel.
Travel with a Conscience
We specialize in eco-conscious itineraries for Italy, Korea, and the Philippines. We work with local guides who protect these environments. Don’t be a destructive tourist.
Plan Your Sustainable Trip With UsFrequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What exactly is the “Justin Bieber Canyon” effect?
The “Justin Bieber Canyon” effect is a term used in the travel industry to describe the rapid degradation of a natural site following viral exposure in pop culture or social media. It specifically refers to the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon in southern Iceland.
Before 2015, this canyon was a quiet, off-the-beaten-path destination. After Justin Bieber filmed his music video for “I’ll Show You” there—which featured him stomping on moss, rolling down hills, and dangling his legs over cliffs—the site exploded in popularity. Fans and influencers flocked to the site to recreate his dangerous and environmentally damaging stunts.
The massive influx of foot traffic overwhelmed the simple dirt paths. Tourists ignored rope barriers to get “the shot,” trampling the vegetation that holds the canyon walls together. The Environmental Agency of Iceland was forced to close the canyon to the public repeatedly to allow the nature to heal. It serves as a stark case study of how unchecked tourism promotion can destroy the very beauty people come to see.
2. Why is volcanic moss so much more fragile than regular grass?
To the untrained eye, moss looks like a soft, green carpet, similar to grass. Biologically, however, they are completely different. Grass has a root system that penetrates deep into the soil, allowing it to regrow quickly even after being stepped on or mowed.
Volcanic moss (like the Woolly Fringe Moss found in Iceland, or similar varieties in Jeju and Etna) is a non-vascular plant. It does not have true roots. Instead, it has rhizoids—tiny hair-like structures that lightly anchor it to the abrasive lava rock. It draws its moisture and nutrients directly from the air and rain, not from the ground.
Because it is so loosely attached, a single footstep can shear the moss off the rock. Once that connection is broken, the moss cannot feed itself and dies. Furthermore, volcanic soil is often loose and sandy (ash); the moss acts as a “glue” holding the soil down. When the moss dies, the soil washes away, leading to rapid erosion that makes regrowth impossible.
3. How long does it really take for the moss to grow back?
The recovery time for volcanic moss is one of the most shocking statistics in nature tourism. In optimal conditions, some species of moss grow only 1 millimeter to 1 centimeter per year. In harsh volcanic environments—where temperatures are low, wind is high, and nutrients are scarce—growth is even slower.
If you trample a patch of moss, you aren’t just killing this season’s growth. You are destroying a colony that may have started growing during World War II. To regenerate a thick, spongy layer of moss can take anywhere from 70 to 100 years. In some cases, if the underlying soil erodes away after the moss is killed, the damage is permanent, and the rock will remain bare forever.
This is why guides and rangers are so strict. They aren’t being “fun police”; they are protecting a century-long biological process from a two-second mistake.
4. Does this fragility apply to other volcanic destinations like Jeju or Italy?
Absolutely. While the “Bieber” example is Icelandic, the biological reality applies to all volcanic landscapes. As a specialist in Italy and Korea, I see this constantly.
In Jeju Island, South Korea, the volcanic cones (Oreum) have very specific vegetation that protects the porous volcanic scoria (rocks) from washing into the sea. Hikers going off-trail damage this layer, causing the cones to erode. In Mount Etna and Vesuvius in Italy, the pioneer plants that manage to take root in the fresh lava flows are fighting a daily battle for survival against the heat and lack of water.
The specific species of moss or lichen might differ, but the mechanism is the same: life on a volcano is tenuous. It hangs by a thread. Any disruption by human feet breaks that thread. The “Leave No Trace” rule is universal, whether you are in the Arctic circle or the Mediterranean.
5. How can I get good photos without destroying nature?
You can still get incredible photos while being a responsible traveler. The key is perspective and patience. The most stunning photos of volcanic landscapes usually show the scale of the environment, which can easily be captured from the designated viewing platforms and marked trails.
Use a zoom lens or the zoom feature on your phone to capture textures of the moss or distant peaks without physically moving closer. Use the “foreground” technique by placing a rock or a legal trail marker in the front of your frame to create depth, rather than standing in the moss yourself.
Avoid the “lone explorer in the wild” cliché shot if it requires hopping a fence. Not only is it destructive, but it’s also inauthentic. Be honest in your photography. Capture the trail. Capture the other hikers. Capture the reality of the place. And if you see others stepping on the moss for a photo, kindly (and safely) remind them of the damage they are doing. We are all stewards of these places.
