Justin Bieber's Purpose may have been released 2015, but the album's impact is still being felt in Iceland.
For Purpose's promotional single, 'I'll Show You,' Bieber took to Iceland’s Fjadrárgljúfur canyon for a cinematic video that shows him running through the lush landscape, admiring the canyon's natural waterfalls, and taking a dip in a glacier-filled body of water in a pair of Calvin Klein boxer briefs.
The video, which has 444 million views, naturally inspired fans to follow in his footsteps—overwhelming the delicate terrain.
According to a report by The Associated Press, the Environment Agency of Iceland reported that Fjadrárgljúfur canyon has seen over 1 million people visiting the site since the release of "I'll Show You," 'leaving deep scars in the vegetation.'
In an attempt to correct the environmental damage, the canyon has remained closed for most 0f the year with the exception of five open weeks, and will plan to reopen only if the weather conditions are stable enough to allow new visitors. Land ranger Hanna Jóhannsdóttir says that the desire to visit the canyon is so high that tourists will ignore signs, hop fences and offer bribes to gain entry.
'Food from people’s home country is the most common bribery,' she said.
Still, Environment Minister Gudmundur Ingi Gudbrandsson argues that it would be 'a bit too simplistic to blame the entire situation on Justin Bieber.'
'Rash behaviour by one famous person can dramatically impact an entire area if the mass follows.... In Justin Bieber’s defence, the canyon did not, at the time he visited, have rope fences and designated paths to show what was allowed and what not,' Gudbrandsson concluded.
