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EnvironmentParks8TuesdayAugust132013ByRENEFRANCOEURWoodBuffaloNationalParkistheworldsnewestandlargestDarkSkyPre-serveDSPthankstotherecentdesignationbytheRoyalAstronomicalSocietyofCanada.ItisalsotherstpreserveinNorthernCanada.Wereverypleased...Ittookalotofwork-abouttwoyearsworth-ofcompilingdataandphotosfortheap-plicationsaidMikeKeizerexternalrelationsmanageratWoodBuffaloNationalPark.Thereissuchanastro-nomicalbenetinlookingupatanincrediblesky.YoucantdothatinTorontoorCalgaryorthebigcities.Youjustseesomethingherethatyoudontseeinmanyotherplaces.TheannouncementwasmadeonAug.2byBrianJeanFortMcMurray-Atha-bascaMPonbehalfofLeonaAglukkaqCanadasEnvi-ronmentministerandmin-isterforParksCanadawhocalledthedesignationaninternationalachievement.TheRoyalAstronomicalSocietyofCanadadenesaDSPasanareainwhichnoarticiallightingisvisi-bleandactivemeasuresareWoodBuffalonowworldslargestDarkSkyPreserveinplacetoeducateandpro-motethereductionoflightpollutiontothepublicandnearbymunicipalitiesandskyglowfrombeyondthebordersofthepreservewillbeofcomparableintensityorlesstothatofnaturalskyglow.WoodBuffalopreservesnighttimeecologyforthelargepopulationsofbatsnighthawksandowlswithintheparkaswellasprovidingexcellentopportunitiesforvisitorstoexperiencetheauroraborealisandcrystalclearviewsofthenorthernskystatedarecentpressre-leasefromParksCanada.JasperNationalParkinAl-bertawastheworldslargestDSPwhenitwasrstdesig-natedin2011butwassoonreplacedbyDeathValleyNationalParkwhichspansover13000square-kminCaliforniaandNevada.Atapproximately45000square-kmWoodBuffaloissettoremainatthetopforawhile.TheThebachaandWoodBuffaloAstronomicalSoci-etyTAWBASwasinstru-mentalinachievingthesta-tusworkinginpartnershipwithParkstorecorddarkskylightlevels.Itsexcitingnewswevebeenwaitingforandnowwerepushingforinterna-tionaldesignationTAW-BASchairMikeCouvrettesaid.Didyouknowtwothirdsoftheworldspopula-tionwillneverseetheMilkyWayatnightAtypicalnightforushereistosee70starsintheconstellationOrion.Inotherareastheyreluckyiftheysee10ofthosestars...Thisdesignationprovidesprotectionforoneofthelastmajordarkskyareasfromlightpollution.WoodBuffalosnextstepisprovidingDSPsignageattheentranceoftheparkandindesignatedobservationdeckareassuchastheSaltPlainsandthenorthernpartofPineLake.DarkSkyFestivalfollowsonheelsofPreservestatusTAWBASisnowplanningacelebrationinhonouroftheDSPstatusattheSaltPlainsintheparkonAug.16apreludeeventtothesecondannualDarkSkyFes-tivalonAug.22-25.Inadditiontoanumberofmeteorandtelescopework-shopstheDarkSkyFestivalwillfeatureaplanetarium-12feethighand20feetindiameter-showcasinga30-minuteconstellationstorytellingshow.Aug.24eventswillbeaheldatPineLakeintheparkwithascienceandspacefairtakingfrontandcentrestage.Couvrettesaidtherewillaseriesofspaceartsandcraftsandaspaceolympicscompetition.Bottlerocketmakingisalsoonthelistofeventsfol-lowedbythelaunchofpropermodelrocketsthatcanshootupto1000feet.ParkswillalsohostayouthexplorersprogramAug.24atPineLakeandthePaddlingClubwillbeonsitewithkayakscanoesandthepopularstand-up-paddleboard.ToregisterforthefestivalvisittheParksofceinFortSmithoremailtawbasfsgmail.com.PhotocourtesyofWoodBuffaloNationalParkJohnMcKinnonThenorthernlightsilluminatethenightskyanddanceoverWoodBuffaloNationalPark.PhotoDonJaqueTheRidefortheCureinCalgarylastyearheldinpouringraindidnotphaseFortSmithresidentBarbaraClark-shewassettodoitagainandwasinCalgaryinlateJunewithherbikeandgearallrevedupandreadytogo.Thentheoodscame.Withthecityunderwaterthetwodayeventwaspostponedtothispastweekend.RatherthangobacktoCalgaryforitshechosetodoher200kmbikerideintheNWT.ShestartedfromFortSmithat600a.m.Sundayandrode133kmonHighway5beforestopping.Thelast67kmwillbenishedoffinthecomingdays.SheisshownhereontheleftwithhersupportcrewsonDanielWilsonrightwithhisdaughtersBriannaandKaitlynfromVancouverIslandandTamaraDegrowcentrefromYellowknife.