Sustainable Conservation Solutions in a Hostile Environment: The Historic Huts of Antarctica

ABSTRACT

Since 2003 the four surviving Ross Sea huts of the Heroic Era (1899 –1917) of Antarctic exploration have been the subject of a major programme of conservation by the Antarctic Heritage Trust of New Zealand, the Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project (RSHRP). This paper describes how the RSHRP came to be and the key components which were identified and put in place for the project at its outset. It then explores the learning from and challenges of this significant project, and it critically considers the way in which the programme has been developed and delivered. The example of Scott’s memorial cross is used to illustrate the innovative approach of the RSHRP, and through the case study, the authors share both the successes (and in some cases the lack of success) of treatments, and the learning which has come from this.

Desde 2003, las cuatro cabañas sobrevivientes de la Era Heroica (1899–1917) de exploración antártica en el Mar de Ross han sido objeto de un importante programa de conservación por parte del Fondo del Patrimonio Antártico de Nueva Zelanda, el Proyecto de Restauración del Patrimonio del Mar de Ross (RSHRP). El artículo describe cómo surgió el RSHRP y los componentes clave que fueron identificados e implementados para el proyecto desde sus inicios. Subsecuentemente se explora el aprendizaje y los desafíos de este importante proyecto y considera críticamente la forma en que se desarrolló y entregó el programa. El ejemplo de la cruz conmemorativa de Scott se utiliza para ilustrar el enfoque innovador del RSHRP y, a través del estudio de éste caso, los autores comparten tanto los éxitos (y en algunos casos la falta de éxito) de los tratamientos así como del aprendizaje que se ha obtenido de estos.

KEYWORDS:

• Antarctic exploration
• cold climate conservation
• heritage
• conservation management plans

 :

• Exploración Antártica
• conservación del clima frío
• patrimonio
• planes de gestión de conservación

Acknowledgements

We thank the following for their physical and intellectual contributions to the project: Antarctic Heritage Trust (NZ), Antarctica New Zealand, Pip Cheshire, Win Clark, Chris Cochran, Al Fastier, and Ben Gourley,

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Each hut has a series of floor and elevation plans created by Cheshire Architects, Canterbury Museum and Lizzie Meek, with codes for each area, shelf, hook, or other surface, allowing accurate location information for each object to be recorded in the Vernon database.