Name: Darkening Peaks – The implications of glacier recession on alpine recreation & tourism (Dr Heather)
Start: 2025-10-08T09:00:00+13:00
Location: 110 Waltham Rd, Sydenham, Christchurch 8023, New Zealand

$Darkening Peaks \u2013 The implications of glacier recession on alpine recreation & tourism (Dr Heather)$

Everyone welcome! The door opens at 7:00pm. The talk starts at 7.30pm.
2025 is the Un year of Glaciers' preservation.
You would be a rare person if you had not seen stories about shrinking snow and ice in polar and mountain regions. Earth is experiencing unprecedented glacier recession in response to increasing global temperatures.
Often the consequences of glacier demise are focused on rising sea levels and diminishing water resources – both of which are extremely important. But have you ever pondered the wider implications?
What are the effects of shrinking snow and ice on to those who enjoy moving among them? Weaving her latest research results from inside crevasses at Haupapa | Tasman Glacier with long-term glacier monitoring in Ka Tiritiri te Moana | Southern Alps, Associate Professor Purdie will take you on a journey into the mountains explaining how glaciers work, what’s changing and why mountain peaks are becoming darker.
Dr Heather Purdie is an Associate Professor and glaciologist in the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Canterbury. Also a mountaineer, Heather has spent much time exploring the mountains of Aotearoa |New Zealand, and has been monitoring glaciers for two decades. Her research focuses on how glaciers respond to climate change and the implications of glacier recession on mountain recreation and tourism.