Ridgway State Park recipient of Colorado Dark Sky Certification Mentor Program award

John Livingston
Southwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / [email protected]
@CPW_SW

RIDGWAY, Colo. – Ridgway State Park is a proud recipient of one of four Colorado Dark Sky Certification Mentor Program awards issued by the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) and International Dark-sky Association Colorado Chapter (IDA-Colorado).

This is the first year of the program done in effort to help tourism partners achieve International Dark Sky Place (IDSP) certification that will further enhance the visitor experience in locations across Colorado.

“We are elated to be part of the mentorship program because the application to become Dark Sky certified takes between one to three years,” said Ridgway State Park Senior Ranger Erin Vogel, who will serve as the program lead for the park. “The application is an in-depth report that addresses lighting upgrades to conserve the dark sky qualities in an area. This can be extremely expensive, so securing funding will be the next hurdle we tackle.”

Participants in the Colorado Dark Sky Certification Mentor program will receive 50 hours of free consulting from the IDA-Colorado to implement activities that reduce light pollution and protect access to Colorado’s incredible night skies. Successful implementation will increase Ridgway State Park’s competitive edge as a destination and provide a wealth of benefits for surrounding communities. 

“We are grateful to have a guide throughout this long process and help us create a meaningful plan for the park,” Vogel said. “The mentor has expertise in taking sky quality measurements and can help us navigate and initiate long-standing partnerships in addition to guiding what education materials to develop.”

The other three award recipients for the program were Friends of Brown Canyon, San Luis Valley Great Outdoors and Visit Durango.

"Thanks to our bipartisan efforts and a shared love of the outdoors, Coloradans across the state will be able to enjoy starlit skies free from light pollution," said Speaker-designate Julie McCluskie, D-Dillion. "The legislation we passed to create the CTO Dark Sky Certification Mentor Program will help communities to preserve ecosystems, boost sustainable tourism and protect our beautiful night skies. Working together, Colorado destinations will protect our Milky Way views, while enhancing the visitor experience for years to come."

Program objectives include increased collaboration between state and local tourism leaders, reduced energy consumption, economic impact from cost savings and increased property value, and increased awareness of the value of visible night skies and their benefit to local wildlife. 

As designated by the International Dark-Sky Association, Colorado is already home to 15 International Dark-Sky Association designations, including 10 dark-sky parks. This also includes three of the state’s four national parks and five dark-sky communities.

Through this program, Ridgway State Park aims to join Jackson Lake State Park as Colorado State Parks to achieve certification. The park would also add to the surrounding dark sky certified communities of Naturita, Norwood, Nucla and Ridgway to continue bolstering the region’s dark sky status.

“The park already has good data on its sky quality thanks to Black Canyon Astronomical Society, but our staff will need to be trained on how to take the measurements to strengthen the data for the application and also to remain in compliance with the certification standards after certification,” Vogel said.

For more information on the program, go to the official program page.

About Ridgway State Park:
Ridgway State Park, located about 20 miles south of Montrose in southwest Colorado, is one of the state’s most beautiful parks. Camping, playgrounds, hiking trails, picnic areas, a swim beach, boating and river fishing are available. For more information about the park and to make camping reservations, go to the CPW website.

About the Colorado Tourism Office: 
The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) is a division of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The mission of the CTO is to empower the tourism industry by inspiring the world to explore Colorado responsibly and respectfully. The Colorado Tourism Office seeks to advance the strength and resilience of the entire industry through collaboration, inclusivity, innovation and leadership. In 2021, Colorado travelers spent $22.5 billion, generating $1.5 billion in local and state revenues, reducing the tax burden for every Colorado household by $690. For more information, please go to www.colorado.com.

About the International Dark-sky Association:
The International Dark-sky Association (IDA) is the recognized authority on light pollution and is the leading organization combating light pollution worldwide. IDA’s vision is that the night sky, filled with stars, is celebrated and protected around the world as a shared heritage benefitting all living things. The IDA Colorado Chapter fulfills the mission of the IDA within the geographical area of the State of Colorado. Learn more at www.darksky.org and idacolorado.xyz