Antarctica’s brutal climate is taking its toll on the historic bases built by the original explorers and scientists. Now preservationists are working to preserve these important sites.
New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust, in partnership with our sister organisation, UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, have been carrying out conservation work on the historic bases on Stonington Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula. With its wild weather, rich wildlife, and breathtaking views, Stonington Island is a unique historic site, even by Antarctic standards! NZAHT was delighted to share its extensive knowledge with UKAHT around cold-climate conservation based on our experience of conserving the early explorer bases at Ross Island and the 20,000+ artefacts they left behind.
For some reason, this made me imagine museums built over spacecraft landing sites on Mars and the moon, preserving those for future generations.
• Stonington Island – Conserving the Historic Bases of the Antarctic Peninsula (YouTube / Antarctic Heritage)