We are excited to share that Shield Ranch Barton Creek is officially the first Urban Night Sky Place in Texas! Located 18 miles west of downtown Austin, Shield Ranch Barton Creek is a 6,400-acre nationally designated historic district and protected wildland containing 6.5 miles of pristine Barton Creek.
Through an evolving program of land stewardship, four generations of the Shield/Ayres/Bowen family have restored Shield Ranch to a mosaic of habitats that today is home to a diverse community of native plants and animals.
Dark sky outreach and night sky education have always been and continue to be a part of community programming at Shield Ranch, having hosted its first public Dusk to Dark Star Party in November 2022. Shield Ranch is committed to educating Ranch visitors about how to protect the night sky and the impact that light pollution has on flora and fauna.
To learn more about Shield Ranch Barton Creek and their efforts to become an Urban Night Sky Place visit https://bit.ly/46kvtE4
