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Dark sky parks in Canada
and the World
David WelchChair, Dark Skies Advisory Group, IUCN
4th International Symposium for Dark-sky Parks27th June to 1st July 2011
Parc Astronomic Montsec, Catalonia, Spain
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Presentation purpose
• An overview of Canadian and international initiatives
related to dark sky protection in protected areas
• Designed for a general audience including park managers
• Review of management implications
• Based on a recent presentation to Bruce Peninsula
National Park and Biosphere Reserve, Ontario, Canada
Overview
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Things to see under dark skies
• (Not just) stars
• Planets and their moons
• Comets
• Meteorites
• Our moon
• Aurorae and zodiacal light
• Lightning and sprites
• Noctilucent clouds
• Nocturnal animals
• Bioluminescence
• Satellites
• Heritage landscapes
• Other?
Bioluminescence of Noctiluca scintillans
Gippsland Lakes, Victoria, Australia
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9 reasons to combat light pollution
• Ecological integrity
• Commemorative integrity
• Astronomy, both scientific and amateur
• Culture, mythology and ceremony
• Energy efficiency
• Wilderness experience
• Landscape beauty
• Human health
• Safety and security
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
CS
CS
CS
SSSI
And how they apply to protected areas and sites
NA Natural Areas (parks, reserves)
CS Cultural Sites and monuments
SSSI Sites of Special Scientific Interest
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What is a dark sky place?
A natural area or community with most or all of:
• Management protocols for light pollution prevention, such
as plans, guidelines, surveillance and enforcement
• Night sky appreciation activities, such as scientific and
amateur astronomy
• Nocturnal ecology interpretation and guided observations
• Significant commemorative or ecological values closely
linked to night sky viewing or natural darkness
• Good accessibility for general public participation
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What does being a dark sky place imply?
• Management policies with light pollution objectives
• Outdoor lighting standards and regulations
• Darkness monitoring
• Research, monitoring and outreach related to the ecology of
the night
• Outreach programmes to abate light pollution in the
viewshed (sky glow region)
• Related public activities such as star parties, night sky talks,
citizen science, night ecology talks and hikes, travelling
planetaria, audio-visual presentations and static displays
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Lighting zones for protected areas?
I No in situ lighting, no glare, no significant sky
glow for science
II No in situ lighting, no glare, no significant sky
glow for amateurs
III No in situ lighting, no light trespass
IV Limited in situ lighting; conforming to outdoor
lighting standards and bylaws
V Non-conforming, i.e. permitted exceptions to be
addressed through ongoing management
Comparable and compatible with national park zones
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What’s in a name? Does it matter?
• Starlight reserve
• Dark sky park
• Dark sky reserve
• Dark sky preserve
• Dark sky community
• Astronomical community
• Urban star park
• Other?
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Dark sky parks
Existing natural protected areas with policies and/or
guidelines to preserve natural darkness and to
provide the public with front country opportunities
to enjoy and understand the nocturnal aspects of
ecological and commemorative integrity.
They may be called parks or preserves, and may be
the core area of a dark sky reserve or community.
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Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
dark sky designations
http://www.rasc.ca/lpa/index.shtml
Dark Sky Preserve
An area in which no artificial lighting is visible and with active
measures to educate and promote the reduction of light
pollution to the public and nearby municipalities. Sky glow
from outside the preserve is of comparable intensity, or less, to
that of natural sky glow.
13 declared
Urban Star Park
An area in which artificial lighting is strictly controlled and
with active measures to educate and promote the reduction of
light pollution to the public and nearby municipalities. Sky
glow from beyond the borders may be visible within the area.
None yet
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Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Reserve
• Ontario government conservation reserve
since 1977
• Muskoka Heritage Foundation initiative
• Canada's first dark sky preserve, 1999
• Other conservation reserves in central Ontario
also have dark sky protection policies
• All six Muskoka townships regulate dark-sky
friendly lighting practices
www.muskokaheritage.org
www.muskokastarparty.com
Hard granite substrate
No hills or valleys
Isolated from local glare
2-3 hours drive from cities
No sky glow
Designated observation area
Star parties
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Parks Canada achievementsCommunity plans for all town sites prescribe light pollution abatement practices
• Banff, Field, Jasper, Lake Louise, Waterton Park, Wasagaming, Waskesiu
Dark sky preserves
• Bruce Peninsula
• Elk Island (Beaver Hills DSP)
• Fort Walsh National Historic Site (Cypress Hills Interprovincial DSP)
• Grasslands
• Jasper
• Kejimkujik
• Kouchibouguac
• Point Pelee
Policy framework (intelligent design, energy efficiency)
• Includes lighting reduction for energy efficiency
• Outdoor lighting standards
• Intranet tools to aid designation and communications
Visitor experience and public education programmes
• Specific to parks and sites
• Web site, with featured links to aboriginal mythology of the sky
Canada update
www.pc.gc.ca/eng/nature/astronom.aspx
Fort Walsh National Historic Site
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Parks Canada outdoor lighting standards
SCOPE
RATIONALE
GUIDELINES
• Illumination levels
• Colour of illumination
• Extent of illumination
• Duration of the illumination
• Use of retro-reflecting materials
• Tower navigation avoidance beacons
• Light pollution abatement beyond park boundaries
• Shorelines
SPECIFICATIONS
• Buildings
• Parking lots
• Roadways
• Pathways
• Shoreline areas
• Other properties
• Historic sites
• Wilderness areas
• Signage
LIMITATIONS
REFERENCESAPPENDICES
• Reference illumination levels
• Colour from various light sources
• Light output from typical bulbs for comparison purposes
• Approximate times of sunset for areas in southern Canada
• Navigation light photometric distribution
Canada update
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Dark sky preserves
in Canada Parks Canada sites
Other sites
McDonald Park
Beaver
Hills
Cypress Hills
Torrance Barrens
Mont Mégantic
Point Pelee
KejimkujikGordon’s
Park
KouchibouguacMount
Carleton
Grasslands
Bruce Peninsula
Jasper
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Starlight Reserves
http://www.starlight2007.net/SLen.html
Starlight Initiative
• International campaign for the right to observe the stars
• Open to scientific, cultural, environmental and citizen
organizations, public institutions and private bodies
• Cooperation in the conservation of clear night skies
• Dissemination of knowledge
Principal promoters
• Canary Islands Astrophysical Institute
• La Palma Biosphere Reserve (Spain)
• Canary Islands Government and Spanish Ministry of Environment
• UNESCO Canary Islands Centre
• International Astronomical Union
Activities
• Starlight reserves: proposals for La Palma and Lake Tekapo (NZ)
• International conferences and working group
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Archaeoastronomical heritage
UNESCO and IAU initiative
Proposal to add astronomy and
starlight as world heritage values
Sites of outstanding value to world
science
Thematic study on heritage sites of
astronomy
http://www.astronomicalheritage.org/
Stonehenge,
UK
Ulugh Beg
Observatory,
Uzbekistan
McClean Building
Cape Observatory,
South Africa
Caracol
Chichen Itza,
Mexico
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International Association of Dark Sky Parks
www.darkskyparks.org
• Started 2008 in Slovenia and Croatia
• Representatives of protected areas,
NGOs and the lighting industry
• Experts in biology, natural and cultural
heritage, tourism and ecotourism
• Annual symposia and dark-sky camp
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International Dark-sky Association
• Started 1988 in Arizona
• Focus on astronomy and light pollution ordinances
• International Dark Sky Places programme
• Certifies locations with exceptional nightscapes
• 7 parks
• 1 reserve
• 3 communitieswww.darksky.org
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IDA International Dark Sky Parks
Natural Bridges National Monument (US.NPS)
• Converted outdoor lights to be dark-sky friendly
• Lower intensity CFLs, horizontally shielded to
protect campgrounds and backcountry
• Ranger-led astronomy programmes
A park or other public land possessing exceptional starry
skies and natural nocturnal habitat where light pollution is
mitigated and natural darkness is valuable as an important
educational, cultural, scenic and natural resource.
Identifies and honours protected public lands with
exceptional commitment to, and success in implementing,
the ideals of natural night preservation and/or restoration.
http://www.nps.gov/nabr/index.htm
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IDA International Dark Sky Reserves
• A public or private land possessing exceptional starry nights and
nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific,
natural, educational, cultural, heritage and/or public enjoyment
mission of a large peripheral area.
• A core area meeting minimum criteria for sky quality and natural
darkness, and a peripheral area that supports dark sky values in the
core and receives benefits from them as well.
• A partnership of multiple land owners and/or administrators that
recognize the value of a starry night through regulation and/or formal
agreement and/or long term planning.
Mont-Mégantic National Park of Québec
• Scientific observatory on Mt. St. Joseph
• Astrolab and theatre for public engagement
• Cooperation on lighting with Haut St. François and
Granit MRCs and the City of Sherbrooke.
www.sepaq.com/pq/mme
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IDA International Dark Sky Communities
• A town, city, municipality or other legally
organized community.
• Showing exceptional dedication to the
preservation of the night sky through the
implementation and enforcement of quality
lighting codes, dark sky education, and citizen
support of dark skies.
Island of Sark
• One of the English Channel Islands
• Self governing population of 650
• No vehicles or highway lights
• Voluntary compliance by residents
and businesses
Sark Mill, the future Sark Observatory
http://www.darksky.org/mc/page/IDSCommunities
La Seigneurie
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IUCN Dark Skies Advisory Group
www.dsag.darkskyparks.org
Organizational relationship
International Union for Conservation of Nature
World Commission on Protected Areas
Cities and Protected Areas Specialist Group
Dark Skies Advisory Group
Objectives
• Pool of expertise related to protected areas,
biodiversity and public enjoyment
• Advice to IUCN members
• Advice to the IUCN Secretariat in regards to related
World Heritage studies and nominations
• Advice to other bodies on behalf of the IUCN
• Promotion of dark skies as an integral component of
protected area management
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World list of dark sky parks
• Country
• Name
• Location (central latitude and longitude)
• Constituent sites and areas
• Management jurisdiction
• Recognizing body
• Date of recognition
• Internet link
http://www.dsag.darkskyparks.org/
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Sample listing
Canada
Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve
53.6, -112.9; 29,300 hectares
Elk Island National Park,
Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area
Parks Canada Agency,
Alberta Parks and Protected Areas
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
2006
www.rasc.ca/lpa/beaverhills.shtml
Country
Name
Lat/long; area
Constituents
Management
Recognition
Established
Web link
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The list to date
Established
Canada 13
Hungary 2
UK 1
USA 8
Total 23
In discussion
Canada 4
France 1
New Zealand 1
UK 1
USA 3
Total 10
Plus several dark sky
communities, both officially
recognized and de facto,
e.g. Sark (UK), La Palma
(Spain), Lake Tekapo (NZ) 0.0
200,000.0
400,000.0
600,000.0
800,000.0
1,000,000.0
1,200,000.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
Rank order
Hectares Area distribution
Jasper, Canada
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Possible dark sky park classes
Similar in concept to IUCN classes
I Starlight reserves with outstanding universal value, e.g.
world heritage sites and contemporary astronomical sites of
special scientific interest at at global level
II Sites and areas with outstanding values that include darkness,
e.g. historic and archaeological astronomy sites, or critical
habitats for light-sensitive species
III Sites and areas of local, regional and national significance for
astronomy, both amateur and scientific
IV Sites and areas where natural darkness is critical for ecological
and commemorative integrity
V Urban star parks and peri-urban parks without glare and
which maintain interpretive and outreach programmes about
light pollution and its abatement
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Summary
• Dark sky parks is an emerging and growing movement
• Natural fit with protected areas
• Main focus still on astronomy
• Canada and USA lead
• Most dark sky parks are small
• Some urban communities manage
light pollution, but …
• No urban star parks yet
• Reserve approach is the best:
• Core protected area plus
surrounding community
Hunting the Future
by First Nations artist, poet
and illustrator Michael Robinson
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Northern Lights by Tom Thompson, Canada, 1877-1917
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Copyright notice
© D. Welch, 2011
This presentation may be freely copied and
presented in part or in whole provided that
the appropriate credit is included as shown
in the title slide or in a specific slide from
which material is copied.
