The Torrance Barrens is a rugged, rocky barrens located in southern Muskoka near the town of Bala. Designated a Conservation Reserve in 1997 to protect the area’s natural features, which include such nationally and provincially rare plants and wildlife as the 5-lined skink and the southern bog lemming, it consists of 1,905 hectares (4,707 acres) of mostly crown land.

  But this exceptional area has also been designated the first Dark Sky Reserve in the world, because of the absence of light pollution at night. This area has been proven to be a superb place to view the natural beauty of the starry sky.

  The uniqueness and popularity of the Torrance Barrens has prompted a call for a dark sky conference. Initiated by the Muskoka Heritage Foundation, which was also instrumental in getting the barrens established and its dark sky designation - the conference is scheduled for Sept. 22 - 24, 2003. While attendance will be by invitation only, King Wright, the conference secretariat, explains that the purpose of such a conference is to bring scientists and policy makers together from a number of different fields, along with other groups such as the 1st nations, to spark discussion on the many benefits of dark skies. The organizers hope the results will include a number of recommendations to help in working out how to gain more dark skies.

  A combination of other favorable conditions -- the area is surrounded by protected and undeveloped land, which provides a further buffer from urban lighting; it has a hard granite surface, making it immune to vibrations and therefore ideal for telescopes and night photography; its elevation - neither in a valley or highly elevated  - and its ease of accessibility all add to the barrens' importance as a dark sky viewing area.

  The best observing area at the barrens is on the smooth granite outcrop immediately behind the Ministry sign on Southwood road. This is good for those using telescopes and astrophotography gear, as these can be easily unloaded from vehicles in the parking lot nearby. For those using binoculars a short hike down the main trail, across the boardwalk and up the first ridge leads to an incredible 360 degree panoramic view of the nighttime sky.

  More information on the Torrance Barrens is at the Muskoka Heritage Foundation website at www.muskokaheritage.org. More information on dark skies is at www.darksky.org/ida/index.html.