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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1999-2000: VUWAE 44

15 Environmental Impact

15 Environmental Impact

Information from this section helps us to assess the environmental (including cumulative) impacts and overall environmental performance of New Zealand's activities each year. This reporting is a requirement of the legislation which implements the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty in New Zealand. It also forms the basis for annual input into Antarctica New Zealand's environmental database. Please be as specific as possible. For locations occupied, provide the site or protected area name, and GPS coordinates or map references where appropriate.

i.From your event diary, please summarise for each site visit made:
  • Location (for field camps please give coordinates)
  • Dates occupied
  • Total days (or part days) spent at site
  • Maximum number of people at site
  • Total person-days spent at site (e.g. 5 people on site for 3 days = 15 person days)
  • Main activity undertaken (e.g. soil sampling, penguin census, hut maintenance)

If possible, please provide a map of the sites visited, particularly for any rarely visited sites which may not be in the database. For field camps, indicate whether an existing campsite was used.

1)Site 1: location - Camp Valley (76°41′42″ S, 159°39′36″ E); occupied -20/11/99 to 21/01/00; total days – 63; maximum personnel – 7; total person-days - 217; activities - geological mapping, outcrop description and rock sampling.
2)Site 2: location - Trudge Valley (Beta camp) (approx. 76°42′18″ S, 159°47′24″ E); occupied - 4/01/00 – 20/01/00; total days – 17; maximum personnel – 2; total person-days – 20; activities - geological mapping, outcrop description and rock sampling.
ii.

For any protected areas visited (including historic huts), provide details of:

No protected areas were visited.

iii.

Detail any interference with terrestrial, freshwater or marine plants or animals or animal parts (e.g. shells, bones, feathers etc). For each site and/or species sampled or disturbed, provide:

No animals or animal parts were sampled or disturbed.

iv.Detail any collection of geological material (including meteorites, ventifacts, fossils or sub-fossils) or soil. For each sample (or group of samples) taken describe the location, specimen type and quantity in kg.

VUW

40 samples in total were taken.

Location # of samples Type Total mass (kg)page break
outcrop in Camp valley 3 rock 8
outcrop on platform northwest of Camp valley 2 rock 5
outcrop on platform west of Camp valley 2 rock 5
outcrop in Camp valley 2 rock 5
outcrop on ridge on west side of central Allan Hills 1 rock 3
outcrops in south central Allan Hills 4 rock 10
outcrop on ridge on west side of central Allan Hills 4 rock 10
outcrop on lower north flank of Trudge valley 1 rock 3
south end of Trudge valley floor 1 rock 3
floor of valley at edge of ice cliff imm. south of Trudge valley 3 rock 8
outcrop on rim of gully in southeast corner of Trudge valley 3 rock 8
outcrop in gully in southwest corner of Trudge valley 2 rock 5
outcrop on rim of gully in southeast corner of Trudge valley 4 rock 10
outcrop on north flank of Trudge valley 4 rock 10
small outcrop in cirque on south flank of Trudge valley 1 rock 3
outcrop in gully in southwest corner of Trudge valley 3 rock 8

Univ. of Amsterdam

All samples taken, both from the Allan Hills and Taylor Valley, were thought to be glacial diamicts. The combined weight was 259 lbs. The table below lists the majority of samples taken in the Allan Hills only and their respective triangulation (an in some cases GPS) result. Cairns were placed at all these sights. A more complete table will be available upon request.

[Allan Hills and Taylor Valley Samples]

[Allan Hills and Taylor Valley Samples]

page break
[Allan Hills and Taylor Valley Samples Continued]

[Allan Hills and Taylor Valley Samples Continued]

page break
[Allan Hills and Taylor Valley Samples Continued]

[Allan Hills and Taylor Valley Samples Continued]

v.For each chemical (including radionucleides) taken to Antarctica, provide details of the chemical form and quantity and locations of use. Include details of use of fuel, paints, solvents etc in the field. If unused chemicals were not returned to New Zealand, provide details of location and quantities of material released or stored.

No chemicals or radionucleides were taken to Antarctica.

vi.Detail any use of explosives in Antarctica, including:
Date
Locations of use
Explosive type
Size of charge (kg)
Number exploded

No explosives were used in Antarctica.

vii.

Detail importation to Antarctica of any animals, plants (including any seeds), micro-organisms or soil, including any inadvertent introductions. Note the name and quantity of the species or substance(s), all the locations they were taken to, and whether they have been returned to New Zealand.

No animals, plants, micro-organisms or soil were imported into Antarctica.

page break
viii.

List any equipment markers, stakes or cairns installed in the field during your visit If any remain in the field, provide details of the location, size and number of items. Note any plans for their retrieval, including the date they will be removed.

After receiving permission over the radio from Antarctica New Zealand (Emma Waterhouse), we left two 60 L drums of kerosene at our main camp in Camp valley. The drums were strapped together and placed upright in a spill-tray. Neither drum had been opened. The kerosene will be used by our party next year.

Lloyd-Davies erected cairns as he outlined in his sample list above. These cairns will be dismantled at the end of the 2000/2001 season.

ix.

Provide details of any other environmental impacts of your activities including disturbance by trampling, sampling, use of vehicles (including aircraft), camp operations (including waste disposal), installation of equipment and buildings and/or cumulative impacts.

Note any incidents which occurred or were observed (e.g. fuel spills, wildlife disturbance, inappropriate vehicle or aircraft use) and what reports or records have been made. If unreported, detail the date, time, location and nature of incident, and any action taken.

We did not experience any fuel spills or any other event which would produce an environmental impact. We pitched our tents on snow patches and removed all equipment with the exception noted above.

x.If the activities described above differ from the Preliminary Environmental Evaluation (PEE) completed for this event (and any approved changes), or from the Environmental Authorisation issued to it, explain how and why they differed.

None.