9421481 Wharton An invitational workshop focusing on the environmental management of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica will be held March 14-17, 1995 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The purpose of the workshop is to bring together 30-40 scientists with expertise in the Antarctic and comparable ecosystems in Arctic and temperate regions to discuss the approaches to management of the McMurdo Dry Valleys in an environmentally responsible manner. Workshop discussions will encompass the conduct of research, environmental monitoring, and potential effects of tourism. The impetus for holding this workshop includes: (1) assessing the potential environmental impact of the on-going research programs in the dry valleys, (2) the current ratification process for the Environmental Protocols of the Antarctic Treaty System, and (3) the arrival in 1992 of the first tourists to visit the McMurdo Dry Valleys. The major objectives of the workshop will be to develop: (1) an ecosystem- based approach for managing the conduct of scientific activities in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, (2) a code of environmental conduct for scientists working in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, (3) recommendations for an environmental monitoring program, including suitable indicators, that can address project specific impacts and cumulative impacts, and (4) recommendations for management plans for regions within the dry valleys or for the McMurdo Dry Valleys as a whole. In addition to scientists from the United States, numerous foreign scientists will be invited. The workshop will be structured to allow participants an opportunity to provide input and discussion on each topic. A report will be published and distributed following the workshop.
