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Untouched Antarctica: mapping a finite and diminishing environmental resource

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2011

Kevin A. Hughes ,
Peter Fretwell ,
Joanna Rae ,
Keith Holmes  and
Andrew Fleming
Kevin A. Hughes*
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
Peter Fretwell
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
Joanna Rae
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
Keith Holmes
Affiliation:
3 Capel Close, Oxford OX2 7LA, UK
Andrew Fleming
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
*
kehu@bas.ac.uk
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Abstract

Globally, areas categorically known to be free of human visitation are rare, but still exist in Antarctica. Such areas may be among the most pristine locations remaining on Earth and, therefore, be valuable as baselines for future comparisons with localities impacted by human activities, and as sites preserved for scientific research using increasingly sophisticated future technologies. Nevertheless, unvisited areas are becoming increasingly rare as the human footprint expands in Antarctica. Therefore, an understanding of historical and contemporary levels of visitation at locations across Antarctica is essential to a) estimate likely cumulative environmental impact, b) identify regions that may have been impacted by non-native species introductions, and c) inform the future designation of protected areas under the Antarctic Treaty System. Currently, records of Antarctic tourist visits exist, but little detailed information is readily available on the spatial and temporal distribution of national governmental programme activities in Antarctica. Here we describe methods to fulfil this need. Using information within field reports and archive and science databases pertaining to the activities of the United Kingdom as an illustration, we describe the history and trends in its operational footprint in the Antarctic Peninsula since c. 1944. Based on this illustration, we suggest that these methodologies could be applied productively more generally.

Keywords

cumulative environmental impactfootprintinviolatenational Antarctic programmepristineprotected areas
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 23 , Issue 6 , 22 November 2011 , pp. 537 - 548
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2011

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