Author: Fay Mitchell
Raleigh, N.C. - con·ser·va·tion: the protection of animals, plants and natural resources; the careful use of natural resources (such as trees, oil, etc.) to prevent them from being lost or wasted; the things that are done to keep works of art or things of historical importance in good condition.
The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources embodies all aspects of the definition of conservation. From a program to conserve endangered species by the N.C. Zoo, controlled burns to protect forests by the Division of Parks and Recreation, stabilization of centuries-old cannons by the Office of State Archaeology, vintage boat restoration at the N.C. Maritime Museum, or restoration of art masterpieces at the N.C. Museum of Art, conservation happens daily. This is part of the department's charge to preserve the state's treasures.
From an office at the N.C. Zoo, conservator Richard Bergl works to preserve endangered species that are particularly threatened in Africa and Asia. He has worked in partnership with New York's Wildlife Conservation Society to protect Cross River gorillas of Nigeria and Cameroon for more than 10 years. The zoo also works on big cat conservation and black rhino protection in other countries. A high-tech monitoring system helps with their protection and conservation.
"The illegal trade in wildlife parts is fueling a multi-billion-dollar demand that rivals the narcotics trade," Bergl explains. "Organized criminal gangs, even terrorist groups, exploit the demand for wildlife products."
Eight years ago, the N.C. Zoo partnered with some of the world's largest conservation organizations to create a new set of technology tools. Nine partner organizations developed the SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) technology with the goal of making protected areas safe since effective protected areas are the key to the survival of species. SMART protects lions in Zambia, endangered black rhinos in Namibia and other species in more than 60 countries at nearly 1,000 sites.
"It's like smartphones on steroids, about the size of three stacked up," Bergl observes. "We train the rangers to use them to collect data on where the animals eat, sleep and feed, and gather information on illegal activity."
"We have an increasingly global society and I think people across the U.S. value wildlife," Bergl says. "We have lowland gorillas at the zoo, a first cousin of Cross River gorillas. By visiting the zoo, you will be involved with the conservation of gorillas and other animals. Donations, zoo society memberships, and gift shop purchases also fund this work."
Even fire can be useful for conservation and prescribed fire is a commonly used tool in fire-adapted ecosystems. The Division of Parks and Recreation uses fire to maintain healthy ecosystems, improve habitat for rare species and reduce the severity of inevitable wildfires. The controlled fires attempt to mimic lightning-caused fires that occur frequently in North Carolina.
"Well-managed fires are an effective means to conserve a healthy, thriving forest," observes Jon Blanchard, head of the division's Natural Resources Program. "Reducing the amount of fuel on the ground can reduce the risk of later uncontrollable wildfires."
Water is also a tool of conservation, particularly for the Office of State Archaeology's Underwater Archaeology Branch. From its office at Kure Beach, shipwrecks and cannons recovered from rivers and the ocean have received much attention.
"All metal artifacts such as cannons that are recovered from saltwater are stored in freshwater prior to treatment," explains conservator Nathan Henry. "Iron artifacts that have been in saltwater must have specialized treatment prior to drying to avoid corrosion while on display. This treatment involves several steps and it can take five or more years to conserve something as large as a cannon."
Henry explains that his office has transitioned to work with archaeological resource management including review of development projects, reviewing the work of archaeological contractors, and GIS mapping.
Cannons are among the objects conservators at the Queen Anne's Revenge Conservation Laboratory in Greenville treat. More than 400,000 artifacts have been raised from Blackbeard's flagship, previously the French slave ship La Concorde. The vessel ran aground in the Atlantic Ocean in 1718.
Currently, the lab staff is working on many artifacts, including one recovered from the shipwreck in 2007. After nearly 300 years in the ocean, a cement-like crust called concretion formed around several objects that became one mass. Visible on its outside was part of a wine bottle and part of a pewter syringe.
An x-ray of the encrusted mass in 2011 revealed a collection of objects including 10 cannonballs, two iron crowbars, a cannon apron, an iron shackle, vise, gun barrel, two small wrought iron barrel hoops, half a hammerhead bar shot (a projectile for cannons) and a few large fasteners. It was a complex collection.
"That was what we could see. Glass fragments and wood elements have been found as we excavate into the concretion," notes conservator Kimberly Kenyon. "The fasteners turned out to be as a makeshift form of cannon shot called langrage."
Upon separation, each material will require a different conservation process, but all start with desalination. Glass and organics undergo successive water baths and monitoring of salt content. After desalination, chemicals are added to prevent cell collapse, and iron objects receive a protective coating. Many artifacts are sent to the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort to be exhibited.
Conservation at the N.C. Maritime Museum may include textiles, wood, paper, fiber, iron, plastic and other materials that may be present in artifacts. It is one of seven in the Division of State History Museums. One very important specialty at the Maritime Museum in Beaufort is the preservation of wooden boats. The watercraft center there maintains a collection of 40 boats ranging from an 1800s log canoe to late 20th century hydroplanes.
One rewarding project involved a 1950s unique prototype outboard racer made by Barbour Boats of New Bern. The donated vessel was conserved by museum staff and volunteers at the Harvey Smith Watercraft Center. Only 11 feet in length, the sporty racer has a red cedar deck and mahogany hull.
Sometimes conservation seemingly means destruction, and the first step to conserve the boat was its disassembly. Research and catalog review of Barbour Boats led to a treatment plan that included replacing the damaged red cedar deck and seat supports, filling in cracks with epoxy, sanding, repainting and revarnishing the boat. A cleaned and refinished steering gear was added and attaching the perfect Mercury Super 10 Hurricane motor completed the package. This conservation led to a completely stunning restoration of a very rare boat.
"The staff and volunteers at the Watercraft Center were excited to restore this unique boat. Preserving significant watercraft is part of our mission," explains conservator David Bennett.
Perhaps surprisingly, paper conservation can require water treatment as well. One of the more notable of the 100 million documents in the State Archives is a hand-drawn map from the trial of Tom Dula.
In 1868 former Confederate veteran Tom Dula was hanged for the murder of his fiancée, Laura Foster. The State Archives holds Supreme Court records of the case, which had become a national sensation and is the basis for "The Ballad of Tom Dooley."
The map used as evidence at trial had been taped together and needed extensive conservation treatment. First, it was photographed, then underwent solubility testing to ensure that chemicals to be used for treatment would not harm the ink or blue-colored paper.
"A combination of heat, solvents and mechanical manipulation were used to remove the tape," explains conservator Emily Rainwater. "Then the map was washed in a solution of ethanol and deionized water before being alkalized then being flattened and dried."
The document was then carefully pieced back together and mended with a custom toned repair tissue and conservation quality adhesive. It now is in the secure stacks at the State Archives.
Filling in missing areas and damage is also the work of conservators at the N.C. Museum of Art. An extensive restoration was done to two circa 1530s Flemish paintings, The Ascension and The Pentecost, attributed to Bernard van Orley. Conservator Noelle Ocon explains, "The paintings were cleaned, varnished and retouched." The restorations allowed inpainting to retouch old losses, abrasions, and other damages. The project was completed in 2016 and the paintings are mounted in the museum's West Building.
A complex restoration of a rare statue in the museum's collection involved conservators, engineers, artists and art historians. The Bacchus Conservation Project began in 2013 as a plan to take apart various fragments of the statue of Bacchus, the god of wine, but it was discovered that if the torso was removed the right leg would likely collapse. It was further found that the legs, arms and tree trunk were composed of marble from ancient quarries or limbs possibly from ancient sculptures rather than being all post-Renaissance as the team originally thought.
"Although this information made the story of the sculpture more complicated, it made the sculpture much more interesting it if stayed as a whole," explains conservator Corey Riley. "It's an intriguing story we wanted to share with our visitors."
Archival research yielded an 1836 etching and a 1945 photograph of Bacchus with an uplifted right arm holding grapes that was missing when the museum received the statue in 1956. A new arm was made and attached to the torso using holes where the original arm had been, a dowel fit into the hole already in the torso, and a staple and screw. Former N.C. State University basketball player Wyatt Walker was the model for the arm that approximated the size of Bacchus. The new arm was made by Hillsborough artist Larry Heyda of Lawrence Heyda Studios.
This unique seven-year project brings back an artwork rarely exhibited since the museum's move to its new location in 1983. Funding from the Bank of America and the Institute of Museum and Library Services made the project possible. The priceless statue has one of four second century Roman torsos of this type in the world and the only one outside of Europe. It now stands in the Bacchus Conservation Project exhibition in East Building and eventually will move to the Classical galleries in West Building.
All the state's prized treasures are well cared for by these dedicated professionals.