Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park World Heritage Site
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Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park World Heritage Site Application for International Dark-Sky Park Designation "Milky way at Cameron Lake" Photo By: Alan Dyer Table of Contents: 1. Letter of Nomination --------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------2 2. Superintendent Letter of Support---------------------------------------------------------------------------3 3. Additional Letters of Support --------------------------------------------------------------------------------4 4. Park Information o and History-------------------------------------------------------------------------------10 5. Map of Area t be designated --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------12 6. Location of Waterton -Glacier International Peace Park World Heritage Site----------------------13 7. Purpose and Goals of Dark Sky Park Designation--------------------------------------------------------14 8. Park Policies on Dark Skies a. Glacier------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15 b. Waterton------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------16 9. Documents of Sky Quality a. Glacier------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17 b. Waterton------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------ --24 10. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park World Heritage Site Lighting Plans a. Glacieri. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------31 b. Watertonii. Lighting Management Plan--------------------------------------------------------------------37 Lighting inventor y --------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------39 11. Park Interpretive Programs on Night Skies a. Glacier ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------40 b. Waterton --------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------43 12. Agency Policy on Outdoor Lighting and Dark Sky Protection------------------------------------------46 13. References---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------48 Appendix A. Parks Canada Lighting Policy Appendix B. Glacier Exterior Lighting Inventory Appendix C. Xanterra Lighting Management Plan Appendix D. Report On Current Lighting Within Waterton Lakes National Park 1 1. Letter of Nomination 2 2. Superintendent Letter of Support WATERTON·GLACIER Jim Dougherty, President International Dark-Sky Association 3223 North First Avenue Tucson, Arizona 85719-2103 Dear President Dougherty: As superintendents of Waterton Lakes National Park, and Glacier National Park respectively, we support the nomination of Waterton-Glacier InternationalPeace Park World Heritage Site forDark-Sky Park designation. An internationaltransboundary dark sky preservewould be a fittingtribute to the ideals that the Rotary Clubs of Alberta and Montana envisioned in 1932, the recognition that the United Nations gave to the area in 1995 as a World Heritage Site, and the ongoing effortsof Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park to manage this area cooperatively. An international boundaryarea unimpeded by artificial light is rare, all the more so when it includesa transboundary area of 1720 square miles (4556 square kilometres) at the heart of an area known as "the crown of the continent." There are fabulous opportunities forstargazing on both sides of the border. Visitors to both Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks are invited to watch an evening theatre program, stargaze through telescopes with staffand volunteers, enjoy a moonlit walk or ski, or look up to the wonders of the Milky Way from a campsite. This protected area has some of the darkest skies, unimpeded by artificial lights, available fornight sky viewing enthusiasts to enjoy in most areas of the park. Efforts to improve artificiallighting at night are underway in Waterton-Glacier InternationalPeace Park World Heritage Site. Glacier National Park has completed a thoroughsurvey of all existing lights. Unnecessary lights are being eliminated, and lower wattage bulbs and shielded fixtures are being installed on remaining lights. Parks Canada is installing dark sky compliant lighting in the Townsite as part of planned infrastructure projects over the next five years. Any new development permits in Waterton Lakes National Park require dark sky compliant lighting. Over time, this reduction in artificial light will benefit migratory and aquatic wildlife, and improve night sky viewing opportunities. Waterton-Glacier InternationalPeace Park World Heritage Site is an ideal candidate forDark-Sky Park designation. Please give this nomination your utmost consideration. Sincerely, Date kfoz_c,_ / { G 1omas, Superintendent I Waterton Lakes National Park Waterton Lakes National Park PO Box 200 Waterton Park, Alberta, Canada TOK 2MO Glacier National Park PO Box 128 West Glacier, Montana 59936 3 3. Additional Letters of Support Department of Physics November 5, 2015 Dear IDA Board Members: Please allow me to recommend Glacier National Park as an International Dark Sky Park. I first visited Glacier National Park where I spoke to park employees about the importance of preserving naturally dark night skies. Natural Bridges National Monument had just been declared the first International Dark Sky Park and on the basis of these events I was invited to return in 2008 as a Glacier Artist-in-Residence to help capture images of the night sky above Glacier. Between those two visits in 2007 and 2008 I travelled extensively through America’s national parks giving talks to the public and park employees about the importance of protecting dark skies. I spent nearly every clear night in approximately 30 different national parks and monuments, photographing the sky and taking measurements as to its quality of darkness. Glacier National Park more than meets the criteria for being an awe-inspiring dark sky destination for visitors from all over the world. Glacier National Park would be unique among current U.S. parks with IDSP designations. As a mountainous park along the northern U.S. border it affords opportunities to see the aurora and Milky Way under high-altitude conditions during the extreme swings in day/night duration over the course of a year. In such a high-northern latitude region where true darkness is fleeting in the midst of summer, protecting those conditions from artificial lights from within and without the park is even more important. Glacier is also unique in having two lodging facilities, Granite Park Chalet and Sperry Glacier Chalet that can only be hiked in to and (unlike Phantom Ranch in Grand Canyon) are far enough from other lodging and light sources that they afford a virtually pristine wilderness experience. Having seen the Perseid Meteor Shower from Granite Park Chalet, the night skies are one of the draws to these unique locations. The effort of the park rangers and their team of astronomy volunteers to promote those dark skies at Glacier is truly impressive. Since my first visit, rangers there have begun an annual star party at the Logan Pass visitor center. Of all the parks I’ve visited for their annual night sky festivals, this is easily the most scenically spectacular spot and standing on the Continental Divide looking up at the Milky Way is truly awe inspiring. Sincerely, Tyler Nordgren University of Redlands 4 5 6 November 13, 2015 Board of directors International Dark-Sky Association 3223 North First Avenue Tuscan, AZ 85719-2103 Dear International Dark Sky Association, Regarding Glacier National Park's application for Dark Sky Status, This is a very good thing. I've worked with Glacier these past 7 years doing Astronomy both daily and nightly at St Mary Visitor Center and at Logan Pass. I choose St Mary as the night sky is much better there for night time Astronomy than Apgar on the West Side and the restrictions from nearby mountains is much less yielding a larger sky to view. My first impression of the night skies at Glacier were astounding to say the least. The darkness and clarity one sees in this National Park is much better than I had seen in most places. Our National Parks on whole are a treasure we must preserve for future generations and an unlikely by-product is Dark Skies. I met Dr Tyler Nordgren in 2010 at St Mary Visitor Center while preforming Solar Viewing and was impressed with his passion for preserving our pristine Dark Skies in the US NPS system. The Astronomy Program at Glacier has matured to the point we have proper equipment and staff to run a first class program both at St Mary and Apgar. Each year over 20,000 park visitors are treated to our programs with many returning to Glacier again and again, some of them to again enjoy the Night Sky. I have been privileged to start this program and nurture it's progress through these past seven years. The East Side Chief Interpretive Ranger (Mark Wagner) has been most helpful and supportive in this effort. Without Ranger Wagner's enthusiastic support, I do not feel the program would have matured so rapidly or so well. Kudos also go to Dave Ingram who accepted my invitation to join the Astronomy Program at Glacier and was instrumental in starting the initial work for applying to the IDA for Dark Sky Status. With the help