EMMET COUNTY, MI -- Emmet County received a select international designation for having some of the darkest skies in the world.
The Headlands, an Emmet County park located three miles west of Mackinaw City, has been named one of nine "Dark Sky Parks" in the world, and one of six in the United States, by the International Dark Sky Committee.
It's been a four-year process to get the designation, but the skies above the Straits of Mackinac have been tested and the amount of natural light is minimal, giving you a clear view of the sky above at night.
The Emmet County Parks and Recreation Director says it's part of the county's master plan.
"That's perfect, that fits our plans just perfectly, you know, instead of worrying about everything "down here," it gives us an opportunity to think above and beyond, really, and that's what we're doing, and we're so excited," said Laurie Gaetano, the Parks and Recreation Director.
"I think it brings to the area the kind of tourists we want, because they're seeking the natural environment, who don't really want to develop the area but just see it as it is, and to people who truly just want to take in the dark," said Mary Stewart Adams, part of the Dark Sky Park Committee.
Photos courtesy of Robert de Jonge.
Below is the release from Emmet County regarding the "Dark Sky" designation.
Prestigious International Dark Sky Park designation has been awarded to Emmet County’s Headlands property, a 600-acre thickly forested gem situated along the clear blue expanse of Lake Michigan just west of Mackinaw City.
The board of directors with the Tucson, Arizona-based International Dark-Sky Association made the official announcement on Monday, May 9. The Headlands becomes just the sixth International Dark Sky Park in the United States.
The designation was awarded after a rigorous application and review process that culminated in January, after years of groundwork laid by county citizens and officials determined to preserve the night sky above Northern Michigan. Continual support from the Emmet County Board of Commissioners to work toward the designation was paramount.
“The Headlands, with its two-and-a-half miles of shoreline and 600 acres of old-growth timber, is a beautiful place that will be protected forever,” said James E. Tamlyn, chairman of the Emmet County Board of Commissioners. “Add to that the ability to have uninterrupted night-time viewing and it continues that experience – and that’s what the Headlands is all about. It’s protected now, and as time goes by nothing’s going to change that.”
To achieve International Dark Sky Park designation, a Dark Sky Park Committee of county staff and local residents compiled a comprehensive, 75-page application that included not only details about the amenities of the region and the Headlands, but also an intricate lighting inventory of each light fixture and their lighting output at three structures on the property.
“The park’s stakeholders are refreshingly aware that protection of natural resources includes protection of the night sky,” said Rowena Davis, the IDA’s IDSPlaces Coordinator.
Importantly, the application needed to be sponsored by an IDA member with established astronomy knowledge. Through their early-on programming efforts, the committee caught the attention of internationally-recognized astronomer Patrick Stonehouse, who discovered Comet 1998 H1 (Comet Stonehouse) from his rooftop, personal observatory in next-door Cheboygan County. He served as Emmet County’s nominating authority by providing a letter of recommendation to the IDA, which was further supported with about 20 letters from state and local leaders across the arts, recreation, government, chambers of commerce and more.
“Your achievement will benefit all those local star lovers who will have nowhere else to go in lower Michigan to see their celestial friends,” Stonehouse wrote, in a congratulatory email after learning of the designation. “Children from the cities who have only seen pictures of stars in books will be thrilled and inspired as they gaze at thousands of bright twinkling stars, silent and magically suspended in the clear dark skies over the Headlands.”
The IDA also required light meter readings of the sky at dark; copies of the county’s stringent lighting ordinances; maps; and programming and marketing plans.
“Emmet County’s zoning ordinances have sound and up-to-date outdoor lighting requirements, which expedited the successful application for Dark Sky Park status,” said Mary Lou Tanton, Dark Sky Park Committee member and founder of the Petoskey-based Outdoor Lighting Forum. “We hope to continue to work with other Michigan communities to enact similar provisions.”
One of the most important application requirements of the IDA is demonstrated community outreach and support for protecting the night sky – an area where IDA evaluators noted the county excelled. Over the past year alone, a number of events have been held at the Headlands to showcase the property and the pristine viewing opportunities of the night sky. One of the most unique programs came in December 2010, when Harbor Springs night sky expert Mary Stewart Adams hosted about 75 people who turned out to stay up through the night to view the lunar eclipse on the winter solstice, along with the Ursid meteor show. The Headlands Challenge on Halloween-eve drew hundreds of people to walk a mile-long pumpkin-lighted path from the entrance of the park to the Beach House, where Adams was waiting to spin fortunes tied to the celestial observations of the night.
Adams has hosted numerous other educational programs at the Headlands and other regional venues, and as a Dark Sky Park Committee member, she was integral in developing future programming ideas to present to the IDA.
Also serving on the Dark Sky Park Committee are County Controller Lyn Johnson, Parks and Recreation Director Laurie Gaetano, Outdoor Lighting Forum Founder Mary Lou Tanton, and county Communications and Web Development Director Beth Anne Piehl. Shelly House, the Headlands’ caretaker, also assisted in compiling lighting data.
“About four years ago, several people began meeting out of our shared interest in protecting the night sky. I had learned about the Outdoor Lighting Forum just one year prior and I was so excited because I didn’t know they existed,” said Adams, who combines her knowledge of astronomy with celestial lore as a popular public speaker. “They were laying the groundwork, they were doing the technical components, and I provided the cultural-impact information about ‘Here’s why we do this, its effect on quality of life and what it is possible to experience when we achieve a truly dark night sky.’"
Adams said the International Dark Sky Park designation is the pinnacle of the group’s efforts.
“The designation gives us a place to stand so we can raise awareness about the importance of having a dark night,” Adams said. “It’s good for the health and well-being of human beings and of nature. We who enjoy the benefit of living in a beautiful natural environment like in Emmet County have a built-in responsibility to steward these areas in ways that protect them for everyone's enjoyment. And we don’t only need to be concerned with the quality of our water and our air, but also another resource that belongs to all of us – the night sky.
“One misdirected light can wipe out a lot of stars. There are many areas in the U.S. where you can’t even see the Milky Way! It’s a hugely different quality of life in Emmet County, and the fact that you can see the night sky has a lot to do with that quality of life.”
Gaetano said the designation will open up even more recreational opportunities for Emmet County residents and visitors who already can enjoy five miles of trails and stretches of undisturbed shoreline at the Headlands; free tours of McGulpin Point Lighthouse and Historic Site; camping and lake access at Camp Pet-O-Se-Ga; and events at the fairgrounds in Petoskey.
“We are extremely fortunate to have so many natural resources in Emmet County, and we are excited about the possibilities for new programs and activities that the Dark Sky Park designation will bring,” Gaetano said. “This important designation will spur many more opportunities for the public to come out and enjoy the beauty of the land, waters and skies that define North Michigan. And it will also ensure the protection of the many animal and bird species that call the Headlands home.”
The IDA’s official designation is deemed “provisional” until county officials replace a handful of non-conforming light fixtures at the Beach House and Guest House. IDA leaders said once those fixtures are replaced – with a county-set deadline of July 31, 2011 – the provisional status will be lifted. The need to replace the fixtures does not impact the designation, IDA officials noted.
Among the three tiers of designation – gold, silver and bronze -- Emmet County was granted a “high silver tier” with the opportunity to advance to gold level once the handful of light fixtures are brought into conformity with the county lighting ordinance, and through continued community outreach.
“It’s exciting that the IDA is encouraging us to continue for gold-tier status. It is definitely within reach,” said Adams. “The Dark Sky Park committee is so grateful for their guidance and support through the entire process, and we’re thrilled they were ready to announce the designation at this point so we can begin celebrating and spreading the word.”
Tanton said Emmet County’s action toward Dark Sky Park designation and night-sky preservation is a model for others to follow.
“Already endorsed by the American Medical Association and 18 states, I would like Michigan to enact statewide legislation requiring shielded outdoor lighting to reduce light pollution and prevent the resulting health problems,” said Tanton. “Good outdoor lighting is a key safety issue, as well as energy saving. Nine million tons of coal are burned annually to generate electricity to create light that is misdirected and wasted up into the sky.”
That is not, however, the case in Emmet County.
“We in Emmet County hope that by sharing this Dark Sky Park, we will encourage other communities to preserve and protect their nighttime environment and dark-sky heritage by promoting good outdoor lighting practices,” Tanton said.
Factboxes:
Public programs planned in 2011 (check www.emmetcounty.org for details closer to the events)
June 21, 2011 Summers Stars: A celebration of International Dark Sky Park designation
July 17, 2011 The High Constellations of Summer, the Black Moon and more
August 2011 The 7th Night of the 7th Moon and the Onset of the Meteor Shower Season
September 2011 Harvest Moon and the Role of the Cosmos in Agriculture
October 2011 The Headlands Challenge
November 2011 Telescopes and Night Sky Photography at the Headlands
December 2011 The Mystery of the Christmas Star and preparing for the final Venus Transit 2012
What is the IDA? IDA is the recognized authority on light pollution. Founded in 1988, IDA is the first organization to call attention to the hazards of light pollution. The group promotes one simple idea: light what you need, when you need it. Recognizing some light at night is necessary for safety and recreation, the IDA works with manufacturers, planners, legislators, and citizens to provide energy-efficient options that direct the light where it is needed, not uselessly up into the sky.
The IDA also offers support in crafting ordinances and ensures starry spaces for future generations through its Dark Sky Places conservation program.
Find more information at www.darksky.org
What is a Dark Sky Park? Such parks are defined as a park or other public land possessing exceptional starry skies and natural nocturnal habitat where light pollution is mitigated and natural darkness is valuable as an important educational, cultural, scenic, and natural resource.
The rigorous process of application requires public participation and often years/months of preparation.
The world’s first International Dark Sky Park is Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah. Four additional parks in the US are Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania, Geauga Park District’s Observatory Park in Ohio, Clayton Lake State Park in New Mexico, and Goldendale Observatory Park in Washington.
How rare is the designation? According to the IDA Web site, only 1% of US population lives in gold-tier areas; 16% in silver; and 21% in bronze. Compare that to Australia at 29%, 9%, and 25%; Canada at 3%, 14%, and 12%; and Germany 0%, 34% and 41%. Thus Gold DSPs will likely be designated in areas of sparse population.
