The Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation In cooperation with Travel Nevada, Nevada Dark Skies Toolkit has launched a new resource to help to help municipalities, land managers and organizations reduce light pollution and to support the development of astro tourism in the entire state.
The toolkit is intended to support a wide range of groups, including schools, municipalities, communities, not legal communities, parks and open spaces, tribal governments, companies and homeowners' associations.
The toolkit offers step-by-step instructions for applying for the Nevada Starry Helry certification and includes best practice for lighting outdoors based on the five principles of responsible lighting outdoors.
Additional materials in the tool kit contain an overview of the importance of the dark sky, information about the “Save Starry Skies” license plate, suggestions for the development of Dark Sky Tourism and Target Development as well as ideas for public relations work to include schools, residents and companies.
“Nevada's darkest sky houses its brightest lights. In cities like Ely, Tonopah and Gerlach, light pollution is scarce, and travelers only have to look up to recognize entire constellations, the Milky Way and thousands of stars”, said Rafael Villanueva, CEO von Travel Nevada. “We encourage the residents and visitors to get a little out there and enjoy our natural light show.”
Nevada currently has two internationally recognized Darksky locations: Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary and Great Basin National Park.
The Ministry of Nature Conservation and Natural Resources in Nevada says that Nevada is well positioned in many regions with around 80% of the state from public country and minimal urban development in the preservation of night sky and in astro tourism.
They say that communities such as Pahrump and Boulder City have already started to reduce light pollution from local regulations and work on the International Darksky name.
The Nevada Dark Skies toolkit is available free of charge for the free download Dark sky Page on the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recractions website.
NDOR is also looking for partnerships with authorized groups to control the Nevada starry sky program in the first year. All interested parties can contact the program manager at nvstarryskies@ndor.nv.gov.