Lake TekapoI agree with this proposal to create a night-sky reserve in the Tekapo and Aoraki region but I find some of the rationale for the proposal interesting.
"A newly-formed working party, involving the Mackenzie Tourism and Development Trust, has confirmed its intention to pursue New Zealand's first starlight reserve in the Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook region.
"We are going to ask for funding and support from the Government and local authority to cover expected costs in the future," chairwoman and former Cabinet minister Margaret Austin said yesterday."
"The importance of recognising and protecting the night-sky as a renewable resource and part of the cultural heritage is crucial to this area and to New Zealand.
We are very good at promoting tourism in daylight in this country and we need to be just as successful at night to double our business," she said."
It's not about the stars, or the peace, or the darkness, it's about the money.
We have other values in our society, apart from money, and those other values need to be recognised. They are just as valuable.
"Tekapo was being promoted as a mixed site with nature and biodiversity, exceptional landscapes, cultural aspects, tourism, astronomy and a quality night sky. ..
It is hoped the dream of a starlight reserve with international status will become a reality if the World Heritage Committee accepts the thematic study at their conference in Rio de Janeiro next year."
Good luck with the bid, I hope it succeeds.
"A newly-formed working party, involving the Mackenzie Tourism and Development Trust, has confirmed its intention to pursue New Zealand's first starlight reserve in the Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook region.
"We are going to ask for funding and support from the Government and local authority to cover expected costs in the future," chairwoman and former Cabinet minister Margaret Austin said yesterday."
"The importance of recognising and protecting the night-sky as a renewable resource and part of the cultural heritage is crucial to this area and to New Zealand.
We are very good at promoting tourism in daylight in this country and we need to be just as successful at night to double our business," she said."
It's not about the stars, or the peace, or the darkness, it's about the money.
We have other values in our society, apart from money, and those other values need to be recognised. They are just as valuable.
"Tekapo was being promoted as a mixed site with nature and biodiversity, exceptional landscapes, cultural aspects, tourism, astronomy and a quality night sky. ..
It is hoped the dream of a starlight reserve with international status will become a reality if the World Heritage Committee accepts the thematic study at their conference in Rio de Janeiro next year."
Good luck with the bid, I hope it succeeds.
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