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World Heritage Starlight Reserve in the Mackenzie Country

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« on: June 12, 2012, 01:48:01 pm »


It's a heavenly view

District ‘among best stargazing sites on Earth’

By MATTHEW LITTLEWOOD - The Timaru Herald | 5:00AM - Monday, 11 June 2012

STARRY NIGHT: The milky way over Lake Tekapo. — Photo: FRASER GUNN.
STARRY NIGHT: The milky way over Lake Tekapo. — Photo: FRASER GUNN.

A MAJOR heritage organisation has declared the Mackenzie district's night sky one of the most special on Earth.

International Dark Skies Association executive director Bob Parks announced the district's night sky had been granted "gold level" dark sky reserve status at the International Starlight Conference in Tekapo yesterday.

"That means the skies there are almost totally free from light pollution.

To put it simply, it is one of the best stargazing sites on Earth," Dr Parks said.

"The reserve seeks to honour that history by keeping the night sky as a protected and integral part of the area's natural and cultural landscape. It is the biggest dark sky reserve in the world and the only ‘gold’ rated reserve."

The IDA has previously recognised only two other starlight reserves, one in Quebec and another in England.

Three former prime ministers — Jim Bolger, Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark — wrote letters in support of the proposed Aoraki-Mackenzie dark sky reserve.

Margaret Austin, who is leading a campaign to get the Mackenzie's night sky declared a World Heritage Reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), was delighted with the announcement.

"It puts the Mackenzie on the world stage as a destination for astronomy and astro-tourism," she said.

"The ability to view the night sky unimpeded, thanks to the light ordinance levels that the district council introduced — in their incredible foresight — more than 30 years ago, makes the area an absolute wonder."

Mrs Austin said the existing ordinance levels were already sufficient.

"When we talk about heritage, we often forget about what we see right above us," she said.


BRIGHT LIGHTS: The Aurora Australis seen from Tekapo late on the evening of March 16th, 2012. — Photo: FRASER GUNN.
BRIGHT LIGHTS: The Aurora Australis seen from Tekapo late
on the evening of March 16th, 2012. — Photo: FRASER GUNN.


Mackenzie Mayor Claire Barlow described the announcement as "very exciting", adding she believed it would open up a whole new avenue of tourism for the Mackenzie District.

Mrs Barlow said work on having the area's night sky declared a World Heritage Reserve would still continue.

Mount John Observatory superintendent Alan Gilmore said the IDA's announcement was the culmination of "a couple of decades' work".

"It certainly gives even greater incentive for the Government to help protect the night sky [from light pollution]," he said.

"I understand the Twizel community asked for the light ordinance levels to extend to their town. Astro-tourism has been building over the years: a Tourism NZ survey said 74 per cent of Japanese people listed stargazing as the main reason why they wanted to visit our country."

Mackenzie Tourism general manager Phil Brownie said the decision would have enormous ramifications. Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park in Scotland had recently begun to assess the impact of dark sky astronomy tourism on the local economy.

Seventy-seven per cent of guest houses and bed-and-breakfasts had reported an increase in bed-nights due to the dark sky park.

The International Starlight Conference runs until Wednesday.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/7076800/Its-a-heavenly-view
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