Ron Reid is Executive Director of The Couchiching Conservancy, a land trust based in Orillia, Ontario. Ron has over 30 years of professional experience in nature conservation, as a consultant, activist, and planner. He has provided strategic advice to many environmental organizations and agencies in Ontario. He coordinated the Muskoka Heritage Areas Program which identified significant natural areas for protection, including the Torrance Barrens site.

SYMPOSIUM DAY ONE WRAP UP
RON REID
Couchiching Conservancy, Orillia ON, CANADA
Ron offered an informal review of the first day's events.

Peter asked me to give a brief review what we heard today. An interesting day, we heard a lot, about values as well as science. We focused on a series of problems associated with light pollution.

Terry Dickinson said that "the difference is not subtle; it is colossal." We heard numbers such as:

· 100 million to 1 billion birds killed each year
· 28 of 43 National parks are within the illumination area
· 43% of horizons in North America are lit artificially
· of the 9000 to 15000 stars visible in a pristine sky, in most urban areas, we can see only 200

Some effects are less well-quantified, e.g. the effect on short day plants, the effects on other populations

The most disturbing number relates to cultural effects, well beyond the effects on astronomy: 2/3 of humanity cannot even see the full glory of the pristine sky.

We are raising a generation of people who don't know what they are missing.

Monte Hummel threw out the challenge and suggested a proven framework: protect, manage and restore. Maybe we should add, "expose" - you can't miss what you have never experienced - as a prerequisite for the other steps and an outcome.

I want to go back to the fireside chat with Tom Hill and Henry Lickers. They not only brought to life the importance of balance between light and dark to native culture but they also emphasized the concept of taking responsibility for all things natural. They provided us with the reminder that we humans are a small part of the cosmic system that Terry described, that all parts of the system are to be honoured and take care of. The parts that are on the dark side of the balance are to be valued equally, yet are too often overlooked.

Reverend Johanne Hills, speaking from the Christian tradition, sees the beneficial gift of the night, as something to be honoured and valued. According to her, the almost universal response is being moved to awe and awareness of humility.

Chad Moore indicated that we need to protect these places because they are restorative and integral parts of the wilderness - the ultimate cultural resource. No other resource has inspired mankind like a starry sky. No other links us to our understanding of nature and our history.

Henry Lickers said, "Somebody has to look to the night." I would suggest that the somebody is you. I hope that you will take up Monte's call to action, not just over the next few days, but also when you return home.

SPEAKERS

Bidwell, Tony
Buchanan, Bryant
Crawford, Dr. David L.
Dick, Robert Stephen
Dickinson, Terence
French, Randy P.
Hill, Tom
Hills, Reverend Johanne
Hollan, Jenik
Hummel, Monte
Lickers, F. Henry
Lockley, Steven W.
Mesure, Michael
Moore, Chad A.
Reid, Ron
Riley, John L.
Roberts, Dr. Joan
Rutenberg, Tony
Shaver, Dorothy
Welch, David
Whitehead, Brian
Wise, Sharon