"Since the first International Polar Year in 1882-83 there have been a number of major international science initiatives in polar regions. All of these events have been milestones in the history of mankind. Tangible evidence of many of these sites remains scattered around the frozen extremities of our planet.

The International Polar Heritage Committee (IPHC) has as one of its objectives;

…… “to promote international co-operation in the protection and conservation of non-indigenous heritage in the Arctic and Antarctic”

It is therefore both relevant and important that the IPHC promotes an IPY event and our intention is to host a conference at which a series of presentations on a variety of polar heritage subjects will be delivered by invited specialists. The format is intended to allow for discussion on specific issues.

The theme of the conference will be PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF SCIENTIFIC BASES IN THE POLAR REGIONS. esentations will focus on many sites, ranging from the heroic age historic huts of Antarctica, to the remains of scientific/exploratory bases in the Arctic. Many of these were former IPY stations.

Aspects to be discussed will be wide ranging and may include issues such as management, conservation techniques, accessibility and the recording and dissemination of data and information.

It is proposed that he IPHC will subsequently publish presentations and proceedings from the conference in book and possibly digital form to make them available for wider distribution to the polar heritage protection community and other interested persons.

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