Light and sound pollution are modern day dilemmas. The artificial din of our cities, roads, or electronics constantly surrounds many of us. Children grow up without ever being immersed in natural sounds, or experiencing true silence. Yet in national parks like Jasper, it is easy to get away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, and experience a truly natural environment.

On April 4, Wildsight Invermere is hosting a multi-media presentation by Parks Canada tourism specialist from Jasper, Rogier Gruys, where he’ll discuss the importance of dark skies and natural soundscapes. He’ll describe what Dark Sky Preserves are and why they are important tools for conservation as well as public education and energy conservation. He will conclude with tips on how other organizations can apply to have an area designated as a Dark Sky Preserve.

In 2011 the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada officially designated Jasper National Park as a Dark Sky Preserve (DSP). The Jasper DSP is currently the world’s largest DSP in the world, and the only DSP in Canada with a town wholly within the preserve.

On the local front, light pollution has been a passion of Wilmer resident Arnor Larson’s for a long time. In the past, he has encouraged various business, like AG Foods, to change their outdoor lighting and to make valley citizens aware of light pollution.

In Fairmont, Jocelyn MacGregor with Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, has a special interest in astronomy and is interested in proposing that Fairmount become a Dark Sky Preserve.

About the presenter

Rogier Gruys is a tourism specialist for Parks Canada in Jasper National Park, developing new experiences for visitors to the park. Prior to joining Parks Canada, Rogier worked as a product specialist for the Canadian Tourism Commission in Vancouver, specializing in adventure and sustainable tourism.

Earlier, Rogier worked for 10 years on various United Nations and Canadian development projects in Bhutan, Mongolia, Indonesia and Malaysia. In Mongolia, he also worked as a tour leader and an adventure tourism product consultant. In his spare time, Rogier is an avid travel and outdoor photographer; his work has appeared in several magazines and books and is featured on his website at www.bluepeak.net.

Details on event

Time and date: Thursday April 4 @ 7:30 p.m.

Where: David Thompson Secondary School

Admission: by donation

For more info about the event: please email [email protected]

Above photo courtesy Yuichi Takasaka, blue-moon.ca

Wildsight

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