Nearly a year after Council directed staff to explore a Dark Sky Preserve in PEC, the  Committee of the Whole has approved a series of measures to support a community-led Dark Sky Preserve stretching from Point Petre to Prince Edward Point.

The initiative is about more than stargazing. For the South Shore’s wildlife, darkness is part of the natural environment, and reducing artificial light protects its high ecological value.

A Dark Sky designation requires reducing light pollution, lower outdoor lighting, and public education and outreach.

The County’s South Shore is one of the last undeveloped stretches of Lake Ontario’s north coast. It is an important habitat for a wide range of plants and animals and a migration corridor for birds and bats.

Artificial light can disrupt wildlife behaviour, migration patterns and ecosystems; dark skies are an environmental issue as well as an astronomical one.

Pending Council approval, Mayor Steve Ferguson will provide a letter of support for the designation, and staff will develop a municipal Dark Sky Policy and work with the SSJI on a Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU will provide for for astronomy programming, public education and dark-sky viewing at the Mariners Park Museum.

The County would not apply for, manage or operate the Dark Sky Preserve. Instead, its role would support policies, education and awareness, while bringing its lighting practices into line with the Canadian Guidelines for Outdoor Lighting.

While the eventual designation is a long-term goal, the environmental benefits of reducing light pollution can begin well before the South Shore meets the requirements for designation.

The South Shore is a Bortle Class 3 and must return to Class 2 status before an application for a Dark Sky Preserve designation could move forward. The Bortle Scale measures the darkness of the night sky, with lower numbers indicating darker skies.

“A Dark Sky Preserve should be viewed as a long-term initiative as the sky does not currently meet the requirements for designation,” the staff report states.

The process could take several years, with a Nocturnal Sanctuary a possible interim step while efforts are made to improve sky conditions.

Tourism Benefits

Cheryl Anderson of the SSJI pointed to the connection between dark skies, biodiversity and tourism, noting the turnout for recent astronomy events in the County.

“On August 13th, approximately 160 campers attended the RASC Perseid Meteor Shower viewing event at Sandbanks Provincial Park,” she said. “Other RASC events at the County libraries and at Mariners Park have also been very well attended.”

Mariners Park could become a regular location for dark-sky viewing events.

A small change that could improve viewing conditions at the site: a switch on the lighthouse beacon could shut it off for viewing events. That would cost less than $1,000.

Most of the proposed measures are expected to have little or no direct cost to the municipality.

“A great report,” said Councillor John Hirsch. “Well analyzed, and coming up with options that don’t cost any money are always very favourable things.”

The preserve would not require existing residents or businesses to change their outdoor lighting.