The flow & control of conservation knowledge in the UK

What consists conservation knowledge? How should it be handled and passed on?

Please participate in this survey if you would like to help answering these questions. The survey will feed into an investigation exploring the day-to-day practice of conservation through the lens of knowledge management theories.

The impact and evolution of technology has opened up the profession, brought new ways of looking at cultural objects and fast-tracked the ability to generate knowledge and share with more varied stakeholders amongst other.

With the help of your input, the researcher hopes to corroborate practice with the literature reviewed, and distil the desired work environment aspects and priorities pertinent to the conservation profession in the UK. The findings will also contribute to the thinking of extant frameworks such as ConservationSpace initiative for managing documents to improve local knowledge flows.
The information is part of a 15,000 word dissertation towards the MA in Principles of Conservation at UCL.

Please feel free to contact the researcher at any time about the survey at bronte.charles.11[at]ucl.ac.uk

See the survey here.

We also have a lot of fun at Olduvai Gorge: a few moments from the 2015 season

Every year the team gets together on 17th July to celebrate Mary and Louis Leakey's discovery of Zinjanthropus boisei at FLK in 1959. We call it the Zinj party. Here are a few shots.  

Still at the Leakey Camp. The party usually starts here, with Maasai songs and dancing. 

The Maasai arrive at FLK for the Zinj party. The best dancing and singing you can ever wish for. 

At FLK, during the Zinj party. 

But we should have started by the beginning! When we actually arrived in Olduvai in early July 2015:

Arriving in the Ngorongoro Conservation area.

That is what you look like when you see your first giraffes! 

The conservation team kept growing all the time.


Visit to Isack's Boma. 

When visiting Isack's Boma we were welcomed by our Maasai friends. 

Besides learning about Maasai culture we also had time to catch up. 

Afterwards, some of our lady friends  walked to their Bomas, which were nearby.

There were giraffes on the way back to the camp... 

It was time for dinner! 

This elephant came out and about to say goodbye when we left Ngorongoro. 

Just another stunning sunset at Olduvai. We hope to see it again soon! 

All images by Renata F. Peters. Please do not use without permission. 
Asante sana!

Karibu to the 2015 conservation season at Olduvai Gorge!

Ignacio de la Torre,  Renata Peters and Norah Moloney have recently returned from Olduvai Gorge. The 2015 field season has produced exciting results that will contribute to a better understanding of the origins of the Acheulean at Olduvai Gorge, the theme of this ERC-funded project  based at the UCL Institute of Archaeology. As usual, work was led by the Olduvai Geochronology Archaeology Project (OGAP).

The 2015 conservation team was again supervised by Renata Peters and Dani Mainoya (conservator and curator at Natural History Museum in Arusha, Tanzania). They were assisted by conservator Elisabet Diaz and IoA conservation students Abigail Duckor, Anna Funke and Jan Cutajar. The team was complemented by Tanzanian apprentices Isack Faustin Lyimo and Ngonyani Lihuni, and several students attending this year's field school. 

Conservators working with OGAP aim to make Olduvai an international reference for in situ conservation excellence, besides making it sustainable and socially relevant. We include both tangible and intangible features in our decision-making processes and use the world’s best materials whilst also trying to develop local resources. This year our work was focused on consolidating fragile fossils and lithic material, removing matrices,  general collections care and building local capacities.  

The 2015 OGAP's season had one of its largest groups ever (credit M. Pante). 

One of the configurations of the 2015 conservation team, with our bead working master Nairoshi Zebeday at the centre. Jastin Mahhu, Abigail Duckor, Anna Funke, Lucy Mshana, Naishoki Paul, Nairoshi Zebeday, Renata Peters, Jan Cutajar, Sekwai Babai, Eli Diaz, Neil, Isack Faustin Lyimo, Ngonyani Lihuni, Dani Mainoya and Edwin Paresso. 

Here is the core of the 2015 conservation team: Isack Faustin Lyimo, Dani Mainoya, Zackarias (who took care of our precious finds and equipment), Abigail Duckor, Renata Peters, Ngonyani Lihuni, Jan Cutajar, Matimba Leakey (a morning wasn't complete without his visit), Anna Funke, Eli Diaz and Jesuit Temba.


Click on the images below to see more details about our work in Olduvai Gorge.

Very busy conservation students (@the Laetoli Lab).

Processing finds @the OGAP Lab.

We were ready for anything!

Conservation team preparing CDD in the Leakey Camp. 

IoA conservation students working in a trench @ FC. 

Matrix removal with Dani Maynoia.

IoA conservation student Jan Cutajar very busy @FC.

Preparing CDD in the trenches. 

Eli Diaz getting ready to apply CDD.

Yes, we like life in the trenches -  @ FCW.

And finally, here is Ignacio de la Torre taking points while
conservation was being done.

Conservation was kindly supported by OGAP, the UCL Institute of Archaeology and the Zibby Garnett Travel Fellowship. UCL students also counted on the kind support of private funders. Our utmost thanks to all!

All images by Renata F. Peters and/or OGAP. Please do not use without permission.