Anyone who is concerned with polar regions will come across two names automatically. On the one hand, South Georgia, the British overseas territory and unique natural paradise in Antarctica. On the other hand, Dr. Frederik Paulsen, the Swiss-based entrepreneur and polar enthusiast who has supported and promoted many projects in the Arctic and Antarctic. Due to his commitment to South Georgia, he is now being awarded a prestigious prize.
The South Georgia Association (SGA) has announced that Dr. Frederik Paulsen will be the next recipient of the prestigious “Morag Husband Campbell” medal. In doing so, the SGA recognizes “outstanding and sustained support for the ecological restoration, preservation of heritage and enhancement of scientific knowledge of South Georgia,” according to the press release. Specifically, the society recognizes Dr. Paulsen’s involvement in the rat and mouse control program on South Georgia, his commitment to the realization of the first Swiss-led Antarctic circumnavigation expedition in 2017/18, which had also visited and conducted research on South Georgia. In addition, the preservation of historical heritage and the protection of nature through the decaying stations is also an important concern of Dr. Paulsen, the society further explains. The medal will be presented to Dr. Paulsen at the Society’s spring meeting next year.
Frederik Paulsen’s name is often encountered in connection with the Arctic. There, the passionate polar fan has also undertaken numerous expeditions and promoted many cultural and scientific works. For the past two years, the Arctic Circle meeting has also presented the Frederik Paulsen Arctic Academy Award for outstanding and special projects in the Arctic. Much less known, however, is his interest in Antarctica. Again, it is particularly the scientific and cultural/historical aspects of the region that captivate the Swedish entrepreneur. “His love and support of South Georgia has been hugely influential in conserving the island’s incredible environment and heritage,” SGA further explains. His latest project, initiated on South Georgia, is dedicated to abandoned whaling stations. Here, cleanup efforts will ensure that oil, diesel and asbestos residues do not continue to enter the environment. In addition, the manager’s villa at Stromness station is to be renovated. This plays an important role in the epic story of Shackelton’s “Endurance” expedition.
The medal has been awarded annually by the South Georgia Association since 2018 to individuals who have made significant contributions to the protection of South Georgia’s cultural, historical and natural heritage. Past recipients include, for example, South Georgia Rodent Control Program Manager Dr. Tony Martin, historian Dr. Robert “Bob” Headland, and Sally Poncet, who lived and worked on South Georgia with her husband for many years. The medal was donated by SGA member and South Georgia enthusiast Morag Husband-Campbell. The Society itself, founded in 2001, consists of several hundred members whose goal is all the same: to preserve South Georgia and its nature and history, and to ensure that the magic of the island remains in the Southern Ocean and captivates people like Dr. Frederik Paulsen.
Dr Michael Wenger, PolarJournal
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