Creating a Dark Sky Park

[RolandosCY]

I am not sure if this section of the forum is the best one for posting this, but anyway...

I am involved (not through astronomy) as a scientific advisor in a commitee overseeing the establishment of the first National Park on Cyprus, which is to be located on the Akamas Peninsula, the westernmost tip of the island. Though this involvement, I have managed to pass on the idea that this area should also be proclaimed as the first "Dark Sky Park" of the island. The plan is for the whole peninsula (the area to the west of the westernmost road depicted in yellow in the normal Google Earth screenshot) to become a Dark Sky Area, while a dedicated "astropark" will be created somewhere in the vicinity of the "PS" pin. As can be seen from the second, closer image (which has dark sky zones overlaid), most of the peninsula is in a blue zone and the westernmost tip is in a grey zone, with a green area on the eastern slopes of some hills overlooking a small coastal town (Polis). Obviously I would rather have the astropark on the grey zone, but on one hand there are no decent dirt roads that go that far, and on the other hand the commitee needs the astropark to be on the grounds administered by a particular settlement (Pano Arodes), and we are not sure if any such ground exists on the grey area.
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I wonder if any of my fellow DSF members has been actively involved in creating a Dark Sky Park. If anyone has been involved, please feel free to give me any useful insights. It is likely that in order for this project to go through I will have to take up most of the dirt work, along with a handful of amateurs including DSF member NikosCY (Nicos, get ready for going there on the first weekend of June for site searching!). Our aim is to produce an astropark where amateurs from abroad (mostly western / central Europe and the CIS) will be ableto experience and enjoy first hand the dark skies we have to offer. We hope to be able to join IDA's International Dark Skies Parks, and to promote both the need for dark skies as well as amateur astronomy!

[Dragan]

Living in Chicago I think it goes without saying I wouldn't have any experiences building a Dark Sky Park! (It wouldn't even be possible here with all of our LP :()

But I commend you for your undertaking!! I also hope that there IS a DSF member that can assist you.

Good luck and please keep us all posted!

[Ivan Maly]

I haven't been involved myself. The fact is that by the time I started observing seven years ago, this had already been done in the most worthwhile spot in our region. I am now observing from there almost exclusively. It is called Cherry Springs State Park, and it labels itself "the first official dark sky park in Pennsylvania". Among state parks, I am afraid, it may be the first and only one in a geographical area far wider than Pennsylvania... It is in the blue zone at some elevation, near a grey spot - I may be mistaken but I will call it the second darkest area in the Eastern US. Importantly, it is open and accessible year-round, partly through the snow-plowing efforts of the park itself. In any case, I have over the years spoken with a few park people there, including the park manager. They are very enthusiastic about their dark-sky conservation mission and developing the park facilities for amateur astronomers, and about the uniqueness and leadership of their park. I really cannot say I know anyone there well personally, but it is conceivable that they may be able to share their experience with you if you contact them. There must be some sort of relevant contact information on the park website.