Moving into the new millenial calendar, besides seeking to progress technologically and socially we should not forget to slot in the issue of conservation.

The Antarctic is the planet’s last great unknown wilderness, almost completely untouched by human influence. However, things are rapidly changing, not exactly for the better, as tourist levels rise dramatically and the continent finds itself thronged with increasing numbers of visitors each year. A decade ago, the figure stood at a mere 500 people, last year, numbers were expected at an astonishing 15 000 and more.
The ecosystem of Antarctica is a fragile one, consequently any disturbance is likely to be long-lived.
Because of its extreme conditions that renders growth
excruciatingly slow, Antarctica's terrestrial life is radically
sensitive to change. Moss that is trampled by visitors and dies may
take 20 years to fully recover its original size. Footprints left
on the ground can be preserved for decades. Such is the vulnerability
and susceptibility of the driest, highest, coldest and windiest continent.

Already the continent is suffering the impact of human influence, as investigation teams leave behind piles of junk and garbage. Areas occupied by whaling stations in the early 19th century are most affected. Today the abandoned stations, rusty, derelict and weatherbeaten, are relics of the immense human exploitations of the Antarctic.

Taking steps to protect the Antarctic also means making an effort to guard the Antarctic wildlife. Previously the whale and fish stocks were almost completely depleted by commercial fishing activities and are only slowly beginning to recover recently due to concerted conservation efforts of some developed nations. As the millenium approaches we should take care not to repeat the mistakes of the Industrial Age --- of relentlessly taxing the natural environment to the point where it stands no chance of recovery.

By bringing the issue of Antarctica into the limelight, the expedition helps Singapore learn the vast importance of conservation as a whole. The dangers of global warming and ozone depletion remind us that what Antarctica suffers is not merely a localised, isolated problem, but a worldwide, planetary issue. The breathtaking beauty of the land combined with the knowledge of its vulnerability and subsequently mankind's ability to ravage it will most definitely inspire a love for the natural environment.
 

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