Jasper National Park received exciting news last week when it was designated as a Dark Sky Preserve – the largest in the world.

On March 11, the Honourable Peter Kent, Canada environment minister and minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced Jasper National Park as the world’s largest dark sky preserve, following the official designation by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC).

Rogier Gruys, visitor experience and product development specialist for Jasper National Park, said the designation from RASC makes Jasper National Park larger than all other Dark Sky Preserves combined.

“And that is significant because Jasper is 97 per cent wilderness area so it is protected forever.”

Gruys said that the idea to apply for this designation came when science writer Peter McMahon came here five years ago and mentioned that the park was a perfect place for a Dark Sky Preserve.

“Last year he came back and encouraged us to make the application and put us in touch with RASC,” said Gruys. “Since last fall, we have been doing research on the lighting outside of the town.”

Gruys said that the municipality has been keen to participate and that is evident by the changes in lighting on Connaught Drive and the Community Sustainability Plan, which incorporates a dark sky lighting policy.

“That has really helped us in our bid,” he added.

Parks wrote all the requirements for the applications and sent the final draft out on March 1, with the actual designation announced on March 10.

“We will now continue to work with the town and bigger local businesses on lighting initiatives,” said Gruys, adding that Parks would present at the March 14 council meeting and will also have an open house at the next chamber meeting to let businesses know about the designation.

“Most importantly, this is not about turning off the lights, it’s about responsible lighting – without sending out a lot of glare into the sky,” said Gruys.

Parks will look at their lighting as well and Gruys said he anticipates any changes will happen gradually. RASC is looking for progress in the right direction.

“We will encourage ourselves and everyone else to think about lighting,” he said. “Outside the municipality, Parks guidelines include responsible lighting in any new developments.”

Gruys said it is important to make people aware of the preserve and tell visitors about the designation so that they can hopefully take the information home and study changes they can make in their own lives and towns.

“As we make progress and showcase how we light up our town and park, visitors can take that home,” said Gruys, adding that responsible lighting works twofold – for astronomy and ecologically. “Jasper is really unique because the parkway goes through the darkest skies in all of western Canada – it is easily accessible to everyone.”

Gruys said the designation helps make people aware of how important it is to have dark skies, and that fits in well with Parks’ mandate to increase visitation and attract new visitors.

“We are the eighth national park to get the designation,” he said. “We promote engaging learning experiences.”

Gruys said the dark sky designation could potentially increase tourism in the off seasons.

“From our perspective, Parks Canada interpreters have already been delivering astronomy programs and will be creating more programs now,” he said. “There are a lot of different opportunities.”

Gruys said that Tourism Jasper is keen to create opportunities for tourism businesses to come up with ideas on how to capitalize on this.

“Having the designation makes it easier to sell to travel media and travellers.”

Janet Cooper, environmental stewardship co-ordinator with the Municipality of Jasper, said that having Jasper National Park officially designated as a Dark Sky Preserve is fantastic.

“Preservation of the nocturnal environment with responsible lighting will help to achieve many of Jasper’s environmental stewardship goals; supporting the No Net Negative Environmental Impact principle, reducing energy consumption, and the promotion of Jasper as a green destination and a green community. There will [also] be new opportunities to attract astronomers of all levels to Jasper.”

Residents can participate by looking at their own lighting and Gruys said that Parks wants to continue to work with RASC to get information and options on responsible lighting solutions for residents. 

According to RASC, a Dark Sky Preserve is an area in which no artificial lighting is visible and active measures are in place to educate and promote the reduction of light pollution to the public and nearby municipalities. Sky glow from beyond the borders of the preserve will be of comparable intensity, or less, to that of natural sky glow. 

The key components of the RASC Dark Sky Program are:

• control of local lighting,

• outreach programs aimed at the general public and 

   neighbouring municipalities,

• and to demonstrate good nighttime lighting practices.