Media release – January 22, 2009

                             EMBARGOED UNTIL 2AM NZTIME JANUARY 23, 2009

NZ dream of a world heritage starlight reserve at Tekapo moves one step closer in Paris

Concept plans for Lake Tekapo becoming a world starlight reserve were expected to be adopted at a UNESCO committee meet in Paris today but it may take another year for the status to be formally approved, former Cabinet minister Margaret Austin said from Paris today.

``Our dream of a world night sky heritage site lies in our concept document which should be adopted by the Paris conference today,’’ Austin said.

Her address today was part of the UNESCO committee’s conference preserving the astronomical heritage session which included speakers from Germany, Chile, Cuba, Kenya and Turkey.

The UNESCO committee working party met there today to discuss the Tekapo sky reserve concept paper and to plan a pathway. Austin is a member of that working party.

``The plan is to make sure the concept plan meets everyone's approval so it can go to the world heritage meeting for consideration and adoption at Seville (Spain) in July. Then it must proceed to the UNESCO general conference in October if it is to be adopted,’’ she said.

``Recognition would take at least a year from there and for New Zealand it would require the endorsement of government and the Department of Conservation.
``Whenever world heritage sites are suggested it results in enormous interest world-wide. It gives recognition, status and publicity. Just look at what south Westland has achieved since Fiordland became a world heritage site.’’

Austin said one speaker in Paris said that if there was just one site in the world where people could see the stars they would not stop travelling to see them. Half the people of the world at present do not see the stars because of night light pollution.

With Tekapo by-laws already in place and monitoring the effects on the night sky of further development are not expected to impact on the quality of the night sky which will allow for astro-tourism to fully develop in the area. Already there are about 1.4 million people through Tekapo annually.

Austin said that would double with a world night heritage site. She told the Paris conference that the future of astronomy in New Zealand was bright.

``Now with advanced instruments and committed researchers we believe the door is open through astrophysics to major new discoveries.

``The significance of this conference cannot be underestimated for the peoples of the world and especially for those of us in the South Pacific. For Tekapo to be recognised as a starlight reserve would be have far reaching significance.

``The interest in the educational opportunities has captured the attention of the public, school and tertiary students. Already a group of Wellington college students have won a major award for a Video on their time at Mt John.’’
Austin made the vital pilgrimage to Paris on behalf of New Zealand and the Mackenzie district's Dark Sky bid.

She is chairperson of New Zealand's Starlight Reserve committee - which includes Professor John Hearnshaw of Canterbury University and Tekapo leader Graeme Murray, a major driving force behind the project.
Murray is a director of Earth and Sky which operates at Mt John Observatory above Lake Tekapo, in association with Canterbury and Nagoya Universities and is a director of the Mackenzie Tourism and Development Trust who are helping drive the initiative.

``We want to protect one of the Mackenzie’s most valuable assets, its Dark, starry Sky. It has never been done anywhere in the world so we hope we’ll be successful,’’ Murray said.

Through the initiatives of the Mackenzie District Council most of the required regulatory ordinances that might be required for such a status are already in place. All Tekapo streets lights are Sodium and shielded from above to reduce the glow and all household lights must face down --- not up.  This in turn encourages the responsible use of electricity and to avoid energy waste.

The reserve would give recognition and protection for the region’s dark unpolluted skies, unlike big cities which are lit up like beacons. The Mackenzie Country night sky is of significantly high scientific value and has long been regarded as a Mecca for astronomers and stargazers alike.

Mt John above the Tekapo township is considered the most beautiful, easily accessible observatory in the World. The observatory is home to six telescopes including the country’s biggest telescope which measures 1.8m across and can observe 50 million stars each clear night.

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