The DARKER SKY project partners gathered for our second partner meeting hosted by the University of Groningen in Paterswolde, near Groningen in the Netherlands. The partner meeting was followed by the EURODARK Conference 2024 where our partners presented their work and the project itself.
Inspiration and updates from the Dark Sky Park and demonstrator site in Lauwersoog
The first day started with a visit to the Dark Sky Park Lauwersmeer where Jaap Kloosterhuis from Staatsbosbeheerintroduced us to the journey of how the national park became a Dark Sky Park and how to engage people in the protection of the dark skies. People from all over the region and beyond now come to Lauwersmeer to experience darkness and to observe the night sky. Together with Jaap the team discovered the Dark Sky route and the Dark Sky telescope and Sky Quality Cameras operated by the University of Groningen.
Our next stop was the harbour of Lauwersoog which is one of our demonstrator sites. Klaas Laansma and Piet Zijlstra from the harbour of Lauwersoog presented the ‘Masterplan Darkness’ of the harbour as part of the DARKER SKY project. The masterplan tackles the light pollution reduction in the harbour with a unique bottom-up approach which includes the harbour management, entrepreneurs, scientists and the people of the Lauwersoog village as well as other stakeholders in the co-design. Afterwards, as soon as it turned dark the team took the opportunity to conduct some light measurements at the demonstrator site.
Presentations, discussions and lots of coffee
On the second day we gathered for a long but inspiring day of presentations and discussions about project updates, developments and upcoming plans. We discussed the progress at the demonstrator sites, the development of the light measurement monitoring guide, assessment and evaluation of the demonstrator sites, details of the biodiversity measurements and our 3D modelling and Virtual Reality approach for our co-designing plans. Many discussions revolved around the partners’ different approaches how to and to what extent involve citizens in the progress of light modifications. We recognized and discussed the different approaches at our demonstrator sites and are looking forward to implementing these different approaches in the course of the project.
In the evening, we gathered in a pub in Groningen and joined the monthly astronomy pub quiz. This edition of ‘Astronomy on Tap’ was dedicated to the topic of light pollution with guest presentations by our project partners Björn Poppe (University of Oldenburg) and Andreas Hänel (Dark Sky Working Group of the “Vereinigung der Sternfreunde”).
The EURODARK Conference 2024
The project meeting was followed bythe EURODARK Conference, the 16th European Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky organised by the University of Groningen. The 2024 European Symposium is a platform for research, activism and policy discussions on protecting the night sky with participants from all over Europe. Our project partners had presented the DARKER SKY project as well as the Interreg North Sea project KID - Keep It Dark. We were glad to had the chance to take part in the conference, connect to renown experts from across Europe, gain new insights and promote our project!
Overall, the meeting was a success, bringing together all the project partners to intensively work on tackling light pollution and strengthening the partnership and our internal connections. These gatherings will continue to be important as the project moves forward.
Photos: Anna Vollmer
