Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area - Alberta | Nocturnal Preserve
Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area is a privately-held natural area which was designated as a RASC Nocturnal Preserve in 2015. The site is comprised of a day-use natural area located a short drive southwest of Calgary, Alberta, managed by a charitable non-profit organization that is committed to habitat protection and environmental conservation. The park is accessible by car, with the main parking lot on the north side of the site. Though normally closed at night and overnight camping is not permitted, select nocturnal outreach events are offered, during which the public must walk to the interpretation classroom building - volunteers are granted vehicle access.
The park is 19.4 square kilometres in size. Nighttime sky quality ranges across the park from 19.9 to 20.1 mag/arcsec2. The map to the right shows these figures. Suburban neighbourhoods of the City of Calgary are located about 8 km from the park.
In partnership with the Calgary RASC Centre, the park hosts outreach events such as evening star parties twice a year and daytime and evening tours of the park grounds such as the popular ‘Hallowe’en Howl.’
Information on upcoming events can be found on the park’s events page. Because of its proximity to the City of Calgary and its location amongst country-residential development, the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area is an important ecological site for a variety of wildlife, from birds to cougars. Resources on the ecological value of the site are available here.
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