Written by: Mackenzie Grenaway
They may not be commonly known to all, but dark sky preserves are important for both us and the environment. As a result, it’s good to know exactly what these dark sky preserves are and what they do for the well being of our land. Dark sky preserves are also some of the most beautiful places to visit. So let’s talk about just how breathtaking mother nature can be.
So, what are they?
A dark sky preserve is a protected area of land that makes an effort to conserve the night. All nonessential lighting, (as in artificial or non-natural light products), are reduced heavily, as to preserve the natural ecosystem. In minimizing the amount of unnatural light being used at the preserves, it gives the wildlife, which live in these parks, a natural and non-disturbed home. The importance of keeping land that is untouched by urbanisation is sometimes overlooked. While housing and construction are important for survival of humans, it is equally important that animals and plants have space to grow and live.
What a view!
They are truly a sight to behold. The preserves provide entertainment all the while supporting the environment. The main reason people gravitate towards visiting these preserves is to see the night sky shine bright with the breathtaking stars. The skies in these preserves are so clear, that it’s possible to see millions of different stars shine brightly. As someone who lives in a city like Toronto, it is truly something I would love to be able to see in person. The closest I’ve been to seeing a dark sky preserve was a recent trip to Manitoulin island, Ont. The island is home to one of the biggest dark sky preserves in Canada. Unfortunately, I was not able to see the full preserve since it was very cloudy when I visited. However, I was able to see how different the stars look from there compared to Toronto.
For me, it drove home the point that we need to keep and cherish the preserves we have now.
Not just an attraction.
So, what is it exactly that these preserves do? Well actually, it’s pretty straight forward. Dark sky preserves allow for clear skies. However the reason why we have dark sky preserves is not that we’re trying to keep small pockets of the sky clear, but rather, to regain the clear skies we used to have. Dark sky preserves are the result of humans exploiting the environment and causing what is known as light pollution to leave our skies looking dreary and unclear. The preserves were created as somewhat of a last resort to keeping some of the skies clear and beautiful as they always had been.
Light pollution, what’s that?
For starters, light pollution is definitely not the same as air pollution. Though light and air pollution may have similar causes, light pollution specifically deals with an excessive use of artificial light. This is a direct result of urbanization. This is especially true in regions with big cities such as Toronto. The amount of light emanating from buildings, streets and roads cause an enormous amount of light to be released into the environment. This enormous light source acts like a barrier and blocks the light of stars to shine through couvering the region in artificial light.
Dark sky preserves can often be overlooked. For them being places where there is no light pollution and free from artificial light, it is important that we sustain them. The dark sky preserves should be talked of more to show others the importance of these preserves. In the future, my hope is that we are able to discover more dark sky preserves and reduce the artificial light we use all the time. Then we could live in a world where the night sky is always clear and we can always see all the stars no matter where we live.
Planning a visit to a dark sky reserve and don’t know where to go? Here’s a link to a couple canadian sites and find the one that’s best for you.
Sites consulted:
- https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel
- https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/nt/woodbuffalo/info
- https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/
Image links:
- Last picture – https://www.darksky.org
- Third picture – https://pixabay.com
- Second picture – (picture taken by me at Manitoulin Island. Ontario)
First picture – https://www.ontarioparks.com