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Dark Sky Trust eyes sanctuary status

DAVID HILL

Kaiko¯ ura could soon become a dark sky sanctuary.

The Kaiko¯ura Dark Sky Trust has been invited by the International Dark-Sky Association to apply for sanctuary status, which would give the area higher status than Tekapo.

The trust, which was formed last year, has been working with the Kaiko¯ura District Council towards making the district a dark sky reserve.

‘‘Sanctuary is like the gold star status,’’ project co-ordinator Colette Doughty said.

‘‘We initially looked at the criteria and thought we wouldn’t quality for sanctuary status.

‘‘We thought we would need to be like Stewart Island.’’

But the advice from the experts in the United States was Kaiko¯ ura could apply for sanctuary status because of the remoteness of the district, she said.

To become a dark sky sanctuary an area needed to be remote, have a high dark sky reading and there needed to be protections put in place.

The Kaiko¯ ura district has a dark sky reading on a par with Tekapo, according to Nasa’s website.

Doughty said 51% of the district was Department of Conservation land, which enhanced its credentials as a remote area.

The trust was scheduled to meet yesterday to decide whether to pursue sanctuary status.

It will then step up its efforts to protect the district’s night sky by making a private plan change application to the Kaiko¯ ura District Plan.

‘‘It is not about major change, but about protecting what we have and making sure new builds fit the criteria,’’ Doughty said.

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2023-01-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-01-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281530820155130

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