Birchwood planks at Shackleton's Hut

Boxes that contained supplies make good building bricks for protective outer walls and even inside dividers within the huts. Low temperatures and dry conditions mean that these boxes look similar now to how they did 100 years ago. It was thought that they were protected from rotting though in recent years, fungi have been found to be growing on the wood, reducing it's weight and making it no where near as long-lasting as previously thought. Attempts are now being made to preserve the historic huts and their contents.

Cape Royds Hut conservation measures

Picture courtesy of Mike Usher - Mike went on a Ross Sea expedition on board the Kapitan Khlebnikov in 2005.
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