The objective of support services is to ensure cooperation within those agencies providing such services.
Implementation
All services provided should be consistent with the management objectives. Facilities on the Islands must be properly maintained and serviced. Meteorological, scientific and other activities should be supported and coordinated with the tasks essential for the management of the Islands.
The Directorate: Antarctica and Islands will co-ordinate a series of planning committees to ensure that all essential tasks are co-ordinated and harmonised, and that visits to the Islands are effective. A summary of final arrangements will be forwarded to the Prince Edward Islands Management Committee for comment. The Committee will then ensure that activities are consistent with the management objectives.
4. MANAGEMENT ZONES Policy
The Islands will be demarcated into management zones in order to facilitate achievement of management objectives. Access to such zones will be restricted in accordance with their conservation status.
Implementation
It is desirable to demarcate the Islands for various activities in order to achieve the Plan's management objectives and to. afford maximum protection to species and ecosystems, natural features and historic sites. Four zones can be identified to allow for the attainment of the management objectives. A fifth zone, the Marine Zone, is considered under Section 18.
4.1 Zone 1 - Service Zone
The objective of the Service Zone is to centralize support and administrative facilities in one area so as to minimize their impact on adjacent or nearby protected areas.
This zone includes the area occupied by the present Base which has already undergone considerable modification. The Base is well established and well suited to support necessary scientific, meteorological and administrative programmes.
The Zone allows for the construction, i"emovaValteration and/or placement of necessary buildings, facilities and scientific/meteorological equipment to. conduct approved research and management programmes, to house support staff and support facilities for personnel working in the protected areas. The construction or extension, alteration/removal of buildings, facilities and/or the placement of scientific or
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meteorological equipment may only be carried out with the written approval of the Director General or his delegate acting, on the advice of the Management Committee.
Access to Zone 1 for re-supply and logistic purposes may be across the beach at Transvaal Cove or by means of helicopter or dinghy transfer from the supply ship.
Under normal circumstances, daily access of persons to Zone 1 will be limited to numbers compatible with the Zone's conservation status. Such numbers will be determined by the Departmental Co-ordinator in consultation with DEAT.
Overnight access, however, will be limited in strict accordance with the number of beds available to accommodate persons at the Base. For 1993/94, 64 beds were available.
The Prince Edward Islands Management Committee shall from time to time advise the Director General on the necessity of the construction or placement of equipment and on the necessity for an environmental impact assessment. Should an Environmental Impact Assessment be deemed necessary, the Management Committee will compile the brief and review the results of the assessment.
On the advice of the Management Committee, DEAT may exclude any area within ( the boundaries of the Service Zone from development or disturbance where it is
thought necessary to protect wildlife or historic sites of special significance.
The Prince Edward Islands Management Committee will define the boundaries of Zone 1 and submit its proposals to the Director General for approval. On approval, the boundaries of the zone will be incorporated into this Management Plan.
4.2 Zone 2 - Natural Zone
This is a buffer zone between the Service Zone and -Protected Area Zone. In this Zone, impact(s) will be carefully monitored and reported. Limited free walking in the area will be permitted and only development in accordance with the conservation status of the Zone will be allowed. The areas around each of the existing field huts will be zoned as Natural Zones. Should the huts be removed, their areas and environs will be re-zoned as Wilderness Zones.
The Prince Edward Islands Management Committee will define the boundaries of
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Zone 2 and submit its proposal to the Director General for approval. On approval the boundaries of the zone will be incorporated into this Management Plan.
4.3 Zone 3 -Wilderness Zone
The remainder of the Islands is demarcated as a Wilderness Zone, compatible with the high degree of protection afforded the Islands. Preservation of the natural resources and the character of the environment are the primary purposes of this Zone.
The Zone is open to research which has been approved by the management authority, but is normally closed to general access by members of the take-over and management teams. The designated officer-in-charge may issue permits to "permanent" staff to undertake certain activities in the Wilderness Zone. Permits may also be issued for special activities such as the rehabilitation of particular site(s). The Prince Edward
Islands Management Committee will advise the Director General on the use of this Zone.
4.4 Zone 4 - Protected Zone (Special Entry Areas)
All areas/sites potentially sensitive to human interference are to be demarcated for special protection. The Prince Edward Islands Management Committee will make recommendations on these areas/sites to the Director General. A proposed zone plan is given in Fig. 3.
No development or establishment of structures, either temporary or permanent, will be allowed in Special Entry Areas. Visits to these areas will be strictly controlled and will be limited in number and duration. They will also require permits from the management authority. Normally entry will only be for scientific purposes and will be limited to the researcher and support personnel of projects approved by the management authority.
All Prince Edward Island is demarcated as a Zone 4 - Protected Zone and all entry is prohibited subject to a Special Permit being issued by the Director General.
5. INFRASTRUCTURE
The construction of any facility must be carefully handled and facilities should be kept to the absolute minimum to support only those activities considered necessary for research and management.
Policy
The policy on infrastructure has a variety of objectives. These are:
To maintain properly existing facilities and structures and to permit the provision of new structures (including alteration/removal of old structures) and facilities necessary for the proper management of the Islands;
To ensure that all development is confined to the appropriate management zone;
To ensure that all facilities and structures are located where they will not cause undue disturbance to plants, animals or natural processes;
To ensure that all facilities and structures are located where they will not cause any disturbance to historic sites;
To ensure that all structures and facilities will be located and designed so as not to impact on the visual and aesthetic qualities of the Islands, and
To ensure that all redundant facilities and structures are removed and the sites rehabilitated as far as feasible to a pristine state.
Implementation
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) will be conducted for any new development. An EIA procedure will be established by the Prince Edward Islands Management Committee and after review will be recommended to the Director General.
A survey will be conducted by the Directorate: Antarctica and Islands and the Chief Directorate: Environmental Conservation on the adequacy of all facilities on the Islands. A long-term development plan will then be recommended to the Director General.
As far as possible, all redundant buildings and structures will be removed and all sites . will be rehabilitated (but also see Section 12).
5.1 Camping
Permission may be granted for research workers to erect a tent or temporary structure ( in the Protected Area if this will be of assistance in conducting the approved
study/project. All applications for such structures will be submitted to the Directorate: Antarctica and Islands at least four months prior to a relief voyage. If permission is granted, stringent precautions must be taken to ensure that equipment is free from any organisms which could be accidentally introduced to the Islands. All camping equipment will be fumigated before being allowed onto the Islands. The Conservation Officer, or as represented on the Islands in his/her absence by the Departmental Co-ordinator, will be responsible for ensuring that all camping equipment is adequately sterilised. The Conservation Officer will issue a permit to this effect.
6. WASTE AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL