The term "Heard Island Project" (or "HI Project" or "Project") means "The 1997 Cordell Expedition to Heard Island." This term means the entire project, including preparation and post-expedition activities, not just the actual voyage to, and visit at, Heard Island.
The term "Expedition" refers specifically to the portion of the Heard Island Project that is the actual voyage to and from Heard Island, and the time on the island. The actual dates are tentatively 3 Jan. - 5 Feb. 1997.
The overriding consideration in all plans and operations will be safety of personnel and property. While some risk is inherent in an exploratory venture such as this, we will make no plan and take no action that involves significant risk to life, limb, or property. Plans for emergencies and contingencies will be an integral part of this project.
Heard Island is under the jurisdiction and protection of the Commonwealth of Australia. Therefore, the Expedition will be brought into alignment with the policies and objectives of the appropriate Australian governmental, scientific, and regulatory organizations. The Expedition will respect the rights, interests, and authorities of all persons with legitimate interests in Heard Island.
The Expedition will take exceptional measures to prevent damage to any resource on Heard Island. It will be policy that any activity that causes significant impact to a sensitive resource will be terminated unless and until such impacts can be prevented.
The Executive Board is empowered to determine that sufficient financial resources exist to satisfy the goals and policies of the HI Project. In this event that there are not sufficient resources, the Board can opt to terminate the Project and cancel the Expedition.
Finances will be managed by Cordell Expeditions. A separate account has been opened for these monies, and will be closed upon completion of the Project. Residual monies left at the completion of the Project, will be distributed among the participants. The priority for this distribution will be: 1. The 1995 team members, up to the amounts they lost; 2. KØIR, up to the additional amount he lost; 3. The entire 1997 Expedition team.
Donations from individuals will be held until the Expedition is complete. In the event of noncompletion, these donations will be returned. Donations to Cordell Expeditions are tax- deductible and will become the property of Cordell Expeditions. Donations for the HI Project will only be used for the HI Project.
Photographs, video, sound recordings, field notes, sketches, drawings, paintings, and similar materials produced in connection with the Project are the property of the creator, who holds the copyright under the law of the respective country. The Project is granted the right to freely copy any or all such materials for purposes of enhancing the and its programs, together with the right to royalty-free use in publications, programs, and similar promotional activities. The Project does not have the right to distribute such materials to third parties without consent of the copyright holder. Use of such materials by any member of the Project is subject to the consent of the copyright holder.
Cordell Expeditions is the owner of scientific materials resulting from the Heard Island Project. These include biological specimens, soil, water, and rock samples, logged data such as radio logs, meteorological and bathymetric records, photographs, videos, sound recordings, and similar materials that are primarily scientific data, historical materials, either records or artifacts, and all other similar materials that are reasonably part of the scientific record of the Expedition. The creator or supplier of such records has the right to freely copy the materials (at personal expense) for any use not inconsistent with the basic scientific nature of the Expedition.
Equipment borrowed for the Project will be returned at the conclusion of the Project. Equipment donated to Cordell Expeditions remains the property of Cordell Expeditions. Equipment purchased using Project funds will be disposed by consensus of the participants.
Some personal gear and materials will be shipped and used in common with the Expedition. The owner of such gear and materials assumes the responsibility for controlling and protecting such gear and materials.
Among the primary goals of this expedition is personal satisfaction of the participants. The Heard Island Project will be managed and executed with special regard to this aspect, and with mechanisms for enhancing it. It will be the policy of this expedition to provide full information about the status and plans to anyone and any organization.
All participants in the Expedition will mutually exempt every other participant and organization, specifically including the organizers of the HI Project and Cordell Expeditions, from any liability whatsoever.
Actions taken by the Executive Board and Expedition Leaders will be final. Participants agree to be bound by the rules, decisions, and directives of the Project Directors and the Executive Board.
In the event the Project is unable to assemble the resources required to complete the Expedition, the Executive Board is authorized to cancel the Expedition and terminate the Project. In this event, donations from individuals will be returned, borrowed equipment will be returned, purchased equipment will be sold, and financial obligations will be paid from the cash reserves. Any residual cash will be distributed among the participants.