Moulding and cast replication of outcrops: a tool in geoconservation

We describe the application of standard palaeontological techniques of replication to novel and challenging environments in the field. We outline some of our projects that have involved the moulding of whole outcrops, followed by the production of casts from these moulds. This extends replication from primarily a research and educational tool to a technique that supports geoconservation. Where important sites are threatened, this type of ‘rescue palaeontology’ allows vital information to be collected and archived without damaging the outcrop.