HOCP news & updates
2nd Dark Sky Certification in the
Heart of the Continent Region!
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December 7, 2020| Issue #20
Voyageurs National Park receives International Dark Sky Park
Certification.
Service Spotlight
INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MN: 
Voyageurs National Park (VNP), Voyageurs Conservancy (VC), and the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) are pleased to announce the certification of Voyageurs National Park as an International Dark Sky Park. This certification recognizes Voyageurs National Park for the exceptional quality of its dark night skies and for the park’s commitment to preserving darkness and educating the public about this outstanding resource. 
To qualify as an International Dark Sky Park, Voyageurs’ staff developed a comprehensive Lighting Management Plan which identifies how the park will minimize impacts to the natural night by retrofitting existing exterior lighting at park facilities. 

“Voyageurs National Park has some of the darkest skies in the Midwest”, stated Park Superintendent, Bob DeGross.
“We invite visitors to experience our spectacular night sky resource for themselves, winter or summer. This makes us the second designated area within the Heart of the Continent Geotourism Region, followed by the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of the Superior National Forest, that was recently certified as a Dark Sky Sanctuary".

Voyageurs National Park Superintendent
Bob DeGross
Photo by Jeff Kantor
The International Dark Sky Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1988 with the goal of reducing light pollution and protecting night skies for the present and into the future. A Dark Sky Park is a “public or private land that has an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is protected for its scientific, natural, or educational value, its cultural heritage and/or public enjoyment.”

“Experiencing the night sky provides perspective, inspiration, and leads us to reflect on our humanity and place in the universe. The history of scientific discovery and even human curiosity itself is indebted to the natural night sky.”
 
– International Dark Sky Association




For more information on the Heart of the Continent Dark Sky Initiative visit our National Geographic Geotourism WebSite MapGuide Starry Skies - Preserving the starry skies in the Heart of the Continent
A Heart of the Continent Dark Sky Initiative
The application for dark sky status and to become certified is no small feat. The park must create a light management plan and bring its light fixtures into compliance with that plan. This means that lights are fully shielded, lighting only what they need to, and minimizing the amount of extra light emitted.
The park must commit to public education on the importance of dark skies. The park and the Conservancy will host several yearly outreach programs and create public displays and signage that focus on the importance of dark skies. An evaluation of sky quality using SQM (sky quality meters) throughout the park annually.
Preserving International Dark Skies
Quetico, La Verendrye, and Pigeon River Provincial Parks, The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in the Superior National Forest, and Voyageurs National Park teamed up with U.S. National Park Service’s Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division and Starry Skies Lake Superior IDA. Together the agencies are working towards a large dark sky region. This week we are celebrating a second big step in creating the world's largest managed dark sky areas with the certification of Voyageurs National Park
In September of this year Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was certified as a Dark Sky Sanctuary.
Certification requires us to become dark sky stewards. Much like becoming stewards of preserving our lands, as dark sky stewards we will continue to monitor the quality of our skies annually.

Photo -High Falls and Comet NEOWISE - Travis Novitsky @travis_novitsky
The Pigeon River separates two countries but shares the water and the sky of our beloved public lands.
Heart of the Continent Partnership is working with our public land managers to help build vibrant and resilient communities that value and protect public lands in Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Ontario including initiatives like preserving our dark skies.
Please contact us if you would like to be involved in our organization or any of our projects
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