The Oregon Outback is now home to the largest Dark Sky Sanctuary in the world.
The area spans 2.5 million acres of Lake County in Southeastern Oregon. It was certified this month by Dark Sky International, a U.S. based non-profit that aims to reduce light pollution.
Travel Southern Oregon director Bob Hackett said this new title recognizes the sanctuary's pristinely clear skies, and the commitment of its landowners to preservation.
“It's not a no-light movement," he said. “It's a good light movement.”
Hackett said to get here, project partners have had to develop a lighting management plan. He said eight state and federal agencies have agreed to follow it.
Hackett said within 10 years, every light source in the sanctuary will need to comply with Dark Sky International's standards. That means installing timers or motion detectors, shielding the light from shining skyward, and using light sources that aren't excessively bright.
Dawn Nilson, a natural resource consultant and project manager for the sanctuary, said these measures will protect nearby wildlife.
“Every being evolved with a day and a night,” said Nilson. “So when we light up the sky, we disrupt all those basic circadian rhythms, mating, breeding, foraging.”
Nilson said dark skies are also an important resource for stargazers. She said in the Oregon Outback, galaxies and nebulas are visible to the naked eye.
“It's something that most people really don't experience unless you're in the Australian Outback or parts of South America, Alaska or Africa,” said Nilson. “It's just rarer and rarer.”
The Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary includes the unincorporated communities of Plush, Adel, and Summer Lake. More than half of the area is under the control of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
Project leaders said they're already working to expand the sanctuary into the nearby Harney and Malheur Counties. The projected final footprint would surpass 11 million acres.
