We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars.. happen Oscar Wilde should have visited America’s west coast where a dark sky at night is Oregon’s delight.
Who knew? Well we do now after our pals out West shared the good news with us.
That a 2.5-million-acre area of southeastern Oregon has just been certified as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary by DarkSky International, making it the world’s largest Dark Sky Sanctuary to date.
Now it’s worth remembering that everything is bigger out West and The Sanctuary in Let ‘Er Buck state is approximately one-half the size of New Jersey.
Stars align
Within the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary (OOIDSS) are the unincorporated communities of Adel, Plush, Summer Lake and the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge.
As well as a portion of the Fremont-Winema National Forest, nearly 1.7 million acres of land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Summer Lake Wildlife Area, nearly 80,000 acres of state-owned rangeland, and the Oregon Outback Scenic Byway.
‘This four-year collaboration brings together so many of the elements we try to achieve in regenerative tourism,’ said Bob Hackett, Executive Director of Travel Southern Oregon.
‘It not only elevates the destination experience for visitors to Lake County and opens up opportunities for local businesses, but it also helps agencies and residents steward their lands in ways that celebrate a legacy of starry night skies for generations to come.’
You are not alone
This unique geography we’re told is home to an array of wildlife, including American pronghorn, bighorn sheep, sage grouse, white-tailed jack rabbit, and migratory birds navigating the Pacific Flyway.
The region is also culturally significant and is home to a 13,000-year-old human occupation site.
While dispersed within the OOIDSS are hot springs, wild horses, private rangelands, ranches, and cattle… so you’re never alone!
Education and outreach efforts here have included: Stargazing & Natural Night Skies Webinar Series, screenings of the film Saving the Dark and tri-county library access to Night Sky Adventure Kits.
As well as dark sky gatherings, local dark sky videos, educational exhibit tables, dark sky presentations and workshops, and library programs as well as partnering with the neighboring Idaho Dark Sky Alliance for events.
Reach for the sky
The Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary now joins more than 210 Places that have demonstrated robust community support for dark sky advocacy and strive to protect the night from light pollution.” Learn more by visiting www.darksky.org/conservation/idsp.
So there you have it, a dark sky at night is Oregon’s delight.
And ours too from Dublin through LA to Portland on a round trip with Aer Lingus from €739
So maybe check it out with the rest of the world as we celebrate International Dark Sky Week next week (2-8 April).
And reflect on both good (Mount Teide in Tenerife) and more challenging experiences (food poisoning in the Sahara Desert in Morocco).
And plan on getting out to Oregon to the big country.