Dark-sky preserve

A light reserve (english dark sky place, DSP) is a protected area in the environment, nature and landscape protection, in the darkness of the night by very slight light pollution ( " light pollution " ) is seen as an environmental factor.

Typical names of such protected areas are Dark Sky Park Dark Sky Preserve, Starlight Reserve, Oasis Starlight, Starlight Theme Park, Starry Sky Park, Urban Star Park and the like. In Germany, sun protection areas are recently reported as Star Park.

Currently ( 2013) there are about 50 of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN) classified light protected areas with a total area of about 84,000 km ² worldwide.

• 4.1 Germany
• 4.2 Austria
• 4.3 Chile
• 4.4 Canada

Protection intention

The realization that lack of natural darkness is an important aspect of environmental protection and nature conservation, is a recent one. She comes first, from biology, where it goes particularly to the enormous disruption of insect populations, which by their light source fixed swarm and mating behavior - has been working for almost 2 centuries develop completely different ways of life, since the rise of artificial lighting - probably originally based on the moon. It is rooted, the relatively young field of Scotobiologie ( dark biology). Secondly, it is an important topic of observational astronomy, for which the natural night sky is existential work basis: By avoiding and reducing artificial light and scattered light, it is a cloudless sky possible to observe very many self-luminous celestial objects concern is the theoretical Freisichtigkeit in the view of the sky, so the limitation by light sensitivity of the eye and the sensitivity limits of the respective scopes will actually be able to utilize. Light protected areas be used in addition to the astronomical observation itself also for education, training and public relations. Therefore, light pollution prevention is a particular focus in scientific as well as the amateur astronomy rapidly. A third context is energy saving, since the useless verstrahlende amount of light now takes on enormous proportions worldwide: The light pollution is the most usable than for lighting produced amount of light, so the light loss.

Apart from the procedure, ground-based Großobservatorien completely far away from any settlement to build ( Atacama, Mauna Kea, and others) optical observatories are protected with safety zones contracted with local residents, often to the extent of several tens of kilometers ( contractual nature protection) - for instance at the McDonald Observatory (Texas ) over 90 kilometers. There are internationally -based organizations that monitor and evaluate, such as the International Astronomical Union, International Dark - Sky Association, the British Astronomical Association, or the Light -Pollution Abatement Committee of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada ( RASC ) compliance with relevant requirements. In the highest category can on a clear star with an apparent magnitude of 6.8 above to be seen with the naked eye, these are the approximately 6500 stars, which are considered ( freisichtig ) " counted in the sky ".

Historical Development

A first permanent express light protected area was established in the Torrance Barrens as a Canadian Dark Sky Preserve in 1999, until the early 2010s were to the 20 protected areas due to the RASC program reported within the national protected areas that primarily pursue astronomical protection intentions, with an area of that 58,000 km ² ( far more than the whole of Switzerland ). Protected Chile in 1999 with Norma Luminic its locations for observatories (ESO, CTIO, NOAO, etc. ). In the United States emerged in the later 2000s, some such protected areas, here ² are already around the 17,000 km declared.

Legal basis for the designation of a light protected area exist for example in the Czech Republic, the leader in European legislation to light pollution, since 2002 (an area but was cross-border decorated with Poland until 2009 ). Other states and regions begin to anchor light pollution protection on a legal basis. First European light protected areas were - according to the Canary Islands - the Zselici Csillagoségbolt park in Hungary, the Galloway Forest Park in Scotland and the Czech- Polish Izera Dark- Sky Park ( Izerski Park Ciemnego Nieba / Jizerska oblast tmavě oblohy ) end of 2009 ( in the wake the initiative Dark Skies Awareness of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 - IYA2009 ).

Further expansion saw the light protection with the Declaration in Defence of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight ( La Palma Declaration; Starlight Initiative 2007). The UNESCO had a meeting held on La Palma, which is recognized as a UNESCO biosphere reserve and since 1992 has a law for light protection - on the Roque de los Muchachos are the most important Großobservatorien Europe (European Northern Observatory ). There was also the concept of UNESCO Starlight Reserves, according to the World Heritage Sites have been developed. There, the Starlight Foundation was established by the IAC in 2007 then. A study in 2010 of the IAU and ICOMOS was officially noted, the natural dark sky is also a principle of protection under the UNESCO World Heritage.

Categorization

UNESCO classification of light protected areas

The concept of Starlight Reserves of UNESCO, of the WHC (World Heritage Committee ) and the IAU ( International Astronomical Union) created Urban Ecology program at the conference in La Palma in 2007 under the initiative Astronomy and World Heritage and MAB, provides for the following categories of areas before:

• Starlight Heritage Sites (, starlight / Heaven Heritage Sites '): archaeological or cultural sites, with particular reference to the starry heavens - for example, World Heritage Jantar Mantar, India or Gaocheng Observatory, China
• Starlight Astronomy sites: outstanding observation sites
• Starlight Natural sites: under the general protection of the integrity of the natural environment ( nature reserves within the meaning of the general term )
• Starlight Landscapes: Protection of nocturnal darkness in the context of the landscape ( landscape protection areas )
• Starlight Oases - human habitats (, starlight oasis '): Places in populated areas, which are particularly suitable for the star shows ( known for a beautiful starry sky regions, rural place with a special consideration for light protection, tourism destinations with a focus on astronomy and star shows, Urban Star Parks )
• Mixed Starlight sites ( mixed starlight - sites '): mixed forms of categories above

The concept of UNESCO, a management plan is required, covering issues such as culture and education, astronomical observation, environment and biodiversity, and intelligent lighting and light pollution. In addition, the establishment of a core zone (core area) and an extensive buffer zone is recommended. In the latter in particular also the surrounding settlements should be included. The concept paper also contains extensive information on specific technical measures.

In terms of Astronomy sites, UNESCO limited not only to visual astronomy, and radio telescopes bedürften similar level of protection against electromagnetic (protection zones of harmful plants, which are mostly subject to the Broadcasting ).

IUCN classification of protected areas light

Since 2009 there is also the IUCN Dark Skies Advisory Group ( DSAG) as a working group of the World Commission on Protected Areas ( WCPA ) of IUCN, specially cares about the development of criteria and designation of protected areas. The IUCN DSAG has registered up to 2013 46 Dark sky parks and reserves and 5 Dark sky communities ( "sun protection communities "). You are in Canada, the U.S., New Zealand, South Africa, Namibia, UK, Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. [Q 1] The total area ( excluding the municipalities ) is about 84,000 km ², which is the area of all of Austria, or Lower Saxony and North Rhine- Westphalia meets.

The drafted by the IUCN Dark Skies Advisory Group nomenclature comprises the following categories (DSAG classes with typical examples):

This system is integrated into the system of the IUCN categories for conservation management.

Categories of IDA

Under International Dark Sky Reserve ( IDSR ) and International Dark Sky Park ( IDSP ) operate those light Reserves who mentions the International Dark Sky Association (IDA ) in Tucson, Arizona. The predicate is awarded in the form of a certification in gold, silver and bronze in 2008 and 2006, respectively. Since 2001 International Dark Sky Community ( IDSC ) is reported.

To date ( 2013) has 5 Reserves (2 gold, 3 silver ) and 12 parks (7 gold, 5 silver ) excellent, and four communities recognized the IDA.

National

Germany

In Germany there are the following light protected areas:

• For the Nature Park Westhavelland an application for the status of a star park was handed over to the International Dark - Sky Association in 2011, with Gülpe, the measured darkest place in Germany. On February 9, 2014 the Natural Park of the " International Dark Sky Association " (IDA ) as the first place in Germany was awarded the title "Star Park".

• The Eifel National Park is appointed temporarily to an International Dark Sky Park

In Germany there are the following plans for protected areas:

• In the Swabian Alb Star Park initiative Swabian Alb for the Biosphere Reserve
• The observatory in St. Andrew Berg strives in the Harz National Park for recognition as Star Park.
• The Rhön Biosphere Reserve is trying to establish a so-called Starlight Reserve.

Austria

In Austria, there are the following projects:

• The community Großmugl in the Silent mountains north of Vienna has declared 2010 to starlight oasis ( " Großmugl on the Milky Way " ), the process of recognition by UNESCO is in transition
• Starlight Reserves are planned in the wilderness Dürrenstein ( Austria IUCN Ia area), in Limestone Alps National Park and the new National Gesäuse.

Chile

Chile has - already a law in 1999 for the photoprotection adopted to obtain the northern zones as a location for observatories ( Cerro Tololo - - the second country in the world after Spain CTIO - NOAO, Las Campanas - LCO, Pachón - Gemini / SOAR, ESO in La Silla, Paranal, future Pachón - LSST, Las Campanas - GMT, Cerro Armazones - E- ELT). This Norma Luminica regulates a light protection zone for the regions of Antofagasta, Atacama and Coquimbo. The responsible Committee is created for this purpose Oficina de Protección de la Calidad del Cielo del Norte de Chile ( OPCC ).

Canada

Canada has the most comprehensive program for photoprotection. Here are today (2013 ) 40% of all protected areas with the 80 % of the world's proven total.