Big News! Save Red Rock and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are teaming up to pursue designation of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (RRCNCA) as an Urban Night Sky Place. This is the start of a multi-year effort to keep Red Rock’s nighttime environment healthy, and encourage responsible visitation and education.
WHAT’S AN URBAN NIGHT SKY PLACE?
Determined by the International Dark Sky Places Program (IDSP), the designation preserves and protects dark sites – even those around urban areas – through responsible lighting policies and public engagement.
The IDSP outlines a rigorous set of guidelines to ensure that each certified place participates in actions and stewardship that improve the quality of the nightscape environment. Red Rock Canyon will be required to demonstrate its eligibility by providing a lighting management plan and robust series of public outreach strategies.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR RED ROCK?
If achieved, this distinction would help reduce the impacts of light pollution, which disrupts wildlife and obscures our view of the night sky. Additionally, Dark Sky Places benefit from increased visitation and local economic activity in the communities in which they are located.
We have an enormous opportunity to capitalize on public interest, enroll support from surrounding neighborhoods, enhance the economic outlook of Nevada, and protect and conserve our public lands.
Photo credit: Ben Robertson
Donate to the Project
Save Red Rock is raising $7,000 to purchase an in-house telescope for Red Rock Canyon NCA, and to plan a series of educational outreach events. Donate here!
Thank you to Brett Torino Foundation, a long-term partner of Save Red Rock, for joining the team as the lead sponsor of the project.
Learn More
For details on the definition of an Urban Night Sky Place and eligibility criteria, visit the Dark Sky International website:
