Waterton-Glacier recognized for lighting work

DARK NIGHT SKIES NEEDED BY WILDLIFE

The world’s first international peace park has been formally recognized for its work in keeping the night a dark place.

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park has been granted provisional status as a new International Dark Sky Park through a certification program by the International Dark-Sky Association.

The park promotes responsible night-time lighting, which improves the night environment for wildlife, protects dark observing sites for astronomy and provides accessible locations for the public to experience naturally dark and exceptionally starry night skies.

It is the first trans-boundary park certified by the IDA.

Parks Canada and the U.S. National Parks Service collaborated on the application for this distinction, in keeping with the park’s tradition of cooperation.

The two agencies have been working towards achieving Dark Sky designation for the W-GIPP for the past 10 years.

Parks Canada is installing dark-sky compliant lighting in the Waterton community and others areas in the national park as part of infrastructure projects over the next three years.

New development permits in the park also require that lighting be dark-sky compliant. For visitors, Parks Canada offers dark-sky theatre programs and stargazing through telescopes at special events, led by staff and volunteer astronomers.

Night sky quality surveys indicate Cameron Lake, Red Rock Canyon, Logan’s Pass, and the Bison Paddock are some of the darkest places in the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, providing excellent opportunities to view night skies.

Natural dark skies are important for wildlife. Nocturnal mammals adapt their behaviour over the month to changes in moonlight to avoid predators.

More than 80 per cent of Canadians live in population centres. Urban sky glow overwhelms faint stars and glare from light fixtures prevents our eyes from adapting to the dark.

This limits the number of stars visible from cities from many thousands to only a few hundred.

Follow @JWSchnarrHerald on Twitter