HOCP news & updates
3rd Dark Sky Designation in the
Heart of the Continent Region!
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February 23, 2021| Issue #22
Quetico Provincial Park receives International Dark Sky Park Designation.
Service Spotlight
Quetico Provincial Park protects pristine night skies.

Ontario Parks is pleased to announce Quetico Provincial Park has been designated an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA).
With the support of Starry Skies Lake Superior IDA chapter and the Heart of the Continent Partnership, Quetico becomes the 3rd public land in the region to achieve Dark Sky designation following Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota. 
 
Achieving this designation required a rigorous two-year process which required:
·    Light management planning to convert existing external lighting to dark sky compliant light fixtures.
·    Annual sky quality measurements to ensure dark sky criteria were met - see Ontario Parks blog - Preserving International Dark Skies at Quetico
·    Development of new educational programming and signage to help visitors learn about the importance of protecting our night skies. 

“A starry sky free of light pollution is a source of wonder and inspiration for visitors to Quetico Provincial Park, and an important part of the park’s natural environment. Receiving this designation from the IDA will help us to promote the preservation of night skies in our region and maintain the ecological integrity of the park. When gazing skyward from one of Quetico’s campsites today, you can see a night sky similar in quality to what someone would have seen 100 or 1000 years ago camped at that very same spot. I hope that 100 years in the future the same will hold true.”

Trevor Gibb, Park Superintendent, Quetico Provincial Park 
Photo by K Lee
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



Link to: Ontario Parks Blog Quetico: An International Dark Sky Park

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
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.

Tonia Kittelson, Chair of HOCP is pleased with the latest accomplishment and the collaborative efforts of the agencies

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
Preserving International Dark Skies - Heart of the Continent Partnership - Dark Sky Initiative
Quetico, La Verendrye, Pigeon River Provincial Parks, The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in the Superior National Forest, and Voyageurs National Park have been collaborating with Starry Skies Lake Superior IDA towards a large dark sky region.
This international partnership is building on a long history of cooperation to create a unique and internationally significant area of pristine protected night skies in Northwestern Ontario and Northeastern Minnesota. 

In September of 2020, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was certified as a Dark Sky Sanctuary.

In December, Voyageurs National Park became a certified Dark Sky Park.

This week we are celebrating the 3rd big step in creating the world's largest managed dark sky areas with the designation of QUETICO.

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.

Below- Winter in Quetico - David Jackson
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