Building on the success of the past 4 years travelling and documenting the changes taking place on Baffin Island, I am delighted to announce that the Summer Baffin Island 2010 expedition is a go.

Last summer I was accompanied by Louise Biddle (Oxford University) and Josephine Beynon (Edinburgh University), who came out to experience the arctic, witness the changes taking place and help build up their personal cv’s by helping me develop my school outreach work.

Josephine Beynon reflected on last years trip:

“What an eye-opening trip, and what a humbling experience! Although it was absolutely fascinating to see the highly adapted flora and fauna, meet the Inuit and hear their stories, I couldn’t help but wonder how all this is changing. We filmed a glacier tumble before us and witnessed huge explosions of rock and ice as the moraines disintegrated before us. The change is happening fast; I question how the social difficulties the Inuit people are currently facing, coupled with a changing climate, will be tackled.

For me, the expedition has reinforced my ambition to pursue a career in documentary filmmaking, and I am inspired to explore the varying solutions that are currently being discussed and researched for curbing climate change.”

She since went on to work with Atlantic TV in London and now works at the Royal Geographical Society.

This August 2010, I will be joined by a team of 9 University students and graduates from a wide range of disciplines (including Earth Science, Geology, Geography, Zoology, Linguistics and Film Studies), trainee teachers and mountain guides. We will depart from the UK on an expedition in the Auyuittuq National Park, Baffin Island, Arctic Canada to continual my work witnessing how the landscape is rapidly changing. To meet the team please visit our official website “Baffin Island 2010″:http://baffinisland.moonfruit.com/

Ironically, ‘Auyuittuq’ is Inuktituk for “the land that never melts”. However climate change is having a significant impact on this arctic region over the past few years. Through collecting photographic evidence and film footage, as well as recording interviews and the opinions of the local Inuit communities, I will continue to take our findings into schools throughout the UK.

“Antony has been very successful in making expeditions to the Arctic and highlighting concerns about global warming particularly in Baffin Island. He has visited schools in and around Plymouth stimulating young people to learn more about climate change, the Inuit population, the Arctic and Antarctic and Scott’s centenary. He is committed to arousing the interest of young people through his community interest company Education through Expeditions and Plymouth is very pleased to be able to work with him. Several schools hope to contact him by satellite phone and blog during his expedition to the North Pole. He has agreed to be a keynote speaker at a regional conference for teachers organised through the south-west international education network.” February 18, 2010

Jill Bailey , International Development Officer , Plymouth City Council

One of the resources we aim to develop on this expedition is a virtual, Google Earth expedition for schools. We will build on previous expeditions by recording the position with GPS on every photograph, so that we can upload them upon return. This virtual map will allow students to plan and carry out their own arctic expedition from the classroom. It will also serve as documented evidence of the state of glaciers and permafrost during the summer of 2010 and a bench mark for future trips of how the landscape is changing.

This project is completely non profit and despite the reduced exchange rates and economic troubles over the past 12 months, the team has been able to work extremely hard in getting this project off the ground. If you would like to help contribute to this expedition, we would greatly welcome additional support.

Words of support to the team by Sir Ranulph Fiennes

“The Baffin Island 2010 expedition is an exciting and inspirational project. I am sure it will be a life changing experience for all involved, especially those setting out on their first expedition. We all start somewhere. Travelling to a remote area of the Arctic represents an opportunity to witness first-hand the beauty of nature, and the rapid changes taking place in the world as a result of human activity. You have all worked extremely hard in putting together this project and raising the funds; the school outreach work you will generate will in itself help inspire others. I wish you all the very best.”

Sir Ranulph Fiennes