The total continent of Antarctica, from its massive mountains to the seas replete with blue whales, emperor penguins and leopard seals, is, by means of international agreement, classified as a wilderness preserve.This agreement has been in effect since 1998. Plus, mining and oil drilling have been banned in this region for 50 years. This is the coldest place on Earth and is the most pristine ecosystem around.The protection focuses on conservation rather than developing the continent.Pesticides and dogs are included in the wide range of prohibitions, as they present threats to the the indigenous wildlife.

The accord is called the Environmental Protection Protocol to the Antarctica Treaty.The treaty is basically an agreement made by nations of the world to leave this place free of all industrial and commercial development. Approved in 1991, this treaty has the support of the leading 26 nations including the United States, Japan, India, China, Brazil, Argentina, and the majority of all European nations. To find affordable antarctica tours information see this resource.

The treaty stopped the arguing that was going on for more than 15 years about regulating the area.In addition to making the mining and drilling of natural resources illegal, all of the scientific stations in Antarctica must dispose of their trash properly.Scientific stations and tourist ships are also not allowed to dump an raw sewage in to the Arctic waters.

The first person to get to the South Pole was Norwegian Roald Amundsen in 1911 and he used sled dogs to get around.However, the accord prohibits dogs specifically since recently some scientists’ pets were known to have killed penguins and other native birds.Pesticides, non-sterile soil and polystyrene packaging are not allowed to be brought into Antarctica either.

Since Antarctica’s land is buried under a mile of ice, most kinds of plants are not able to grow there, with the exception of moss and grass, and only close to the ocean.The ice that covers the land of Antarctica has 70 percent of the freshwater of the earth.It is encircled by a rich web of whales, sea birds, fish and seals.If you want more comprehensive info on adventure antarctica tours that site will help you.

The Antarctic ecosystem can be easily damaged, more so than many other areas of the planet.Due to the constant below zero temperatures, any growth if slow. Recovering from trauma can take years.As an example, a footprint in a moss bed could remain unaltered for a decade.

The original treaty, which was signed in 1959, also banned any military activity and nuclear testing near the Arctic area. The treaty also declares Antarctica independent of any nations and also establishes guidelines for research. Even though there is no nation that claims ownership of the continent, every inch is claimed by overlapping countries.

Scientists discovered offshore oil reserves as well as coal, copper, gold, zinc, iron and other minerals in the early 1980s prompting some conservationists to push for laws to protect the resources.When the world saw an energy crisis in the 1970s, many companies considered drilling in Antarctica.Drilling for oil in Antarctica will probably become a highly-debated topic if the cost of oil continues to go up.

Each of the 26 nations involved will enforce the rules on their own.If the country’s government refuses to intervene when its citizens violate the rules, the other nations would apply pressure to solve the issue.A lot of people think that this treaty is a great achievement for the environment.