By DREW REAGAN, DarkSky International
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Thousand Hills State Park in Kirksville, Missouri, was certified as an Urban Night Sky Place by DarkSky International. This is a culmination of efforts that began several years ago, validating the work of Thousand Hills State Park in protecting the night sky above and around the city from the effects of light pollution.
Thousand Hills State Park is located in northern Missouri and is made up of gently rolling hills, as well as steep, rugged inclines that can be found in a patchwork of woodlands and grassy meadows. The formation of the landscape began millions of years ago when the area was covered with a thick layer of rich soil. The multitude of ridges and valleys formed as rivers and streams were cut into the earth, dissecting the land and forming “thousands of hills.” Archaeologists believe the area was once part of an ancient ceremonial ground used by the Native Americans who inhabited Missouri as many as 1,500 years ago. Ancient rock carvings can be found at the petroglyph site, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ryan Persinger, superintendent of Thousand Hills State Park, spearheaded the initiative to promote night sky preservation and light pollution abatement. He has worked diligently in making certain the park met the standards to earn the certification.
“First, we had to determine which DarkSky certification the park would qualify for and then we worked to get the park lighting and management plans to meet those requirements. We developed a light management plan for the park and inventoried all the outdoor light fixtures in the park,” Persinger said. “After getting 67% of the park lights to meet the certification requirements and getting community support letters, we were able to submit our application to DarkSky International.”
The idea for the DarkSky certification came about in early 2020 from a group of Truman State University students under the guidance of their professor Dr. Vayujeet Gokhale. Persinger then worked with both DarkSky Missouri and DarkSky International for application and certification requirements and guidance. The park team worked with the Adair County Public Library and Truman State University staff on dark sky and astronomy programming and also gathered community support letters.
By 2021, Persinger submitted the initial certification inquiry to start the process with DarkSky Missouri and by September 2024, Thousand Hills State Park received its certification. Currently, the park’s outdoor lighting is currently 78% compliant with plans to be 100% compliant by the end of 2025!
“We work to keep the light pollution in and around our parks to a minimum to help protect the beauty of the night,’ said David Kelly, director of Missouri State Parks. “We view this park as a beautiful area, near a large city, where our guests can enjoy the darkness and beautiful night skies that our ancestors enjoyed.”
“This achievement reflects the dedication of Thousand Hills State Park, DarkSky Missouri, Truman State University, and the city of Kirksville to reducing light pollution as a vital step toward protecting and celebrating the region’s significant cultural and natural resources. It is encouraging to see so many collaborators supporting this effort,” stated Amber Harrison, International Dark Sky Places Program Manager. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
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