Sangre de Cristo Dark Sky Reserve

11/22/2023

Anyone that lives or visits the San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado, recognizes the natural wonder and beauty of this place. The SLV is not only a bastion for agriculture, but for nature - and dark skies! Here in the valley, you can see what many of our urban counterparts cannot - a night sky brimming with stars.

In this short film, local residents Cleave Simpson and Kyler Brown speak of their shared agriculture heritage and connection to the night sky. As a community, we have a history of galvanizing together to protect important natural resources. Now, we have another opportunity for the community to come together and foster support for the Sangre de Cristo Dark Sky Initiative! You can help by using artificial light at night responsibly, by using only as much light as you need, when you need it, and where you need it.

Join San Luis Valley Great Outdoors and the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area in preserving our dark skies by supporting the Sangre de Cristo Dark Sky Reserve Initiative!

03/10/2023

The night sky is the shared heritage of humanity. We all live under the same sky. It unites us. Our ancestors in every culture in the world had a strong connection with the night sky, using that starry canvas to reflect what was important to them.

Now, 8 out of 10 people in North America live under a light polluted night sky. Support the Sangre de Cristo Dark Sky Reserve to preserve our night sky and natural heritage so we can rekindle our connection to the stars, our ancestors, and all of humanity. ⭐️🌌

12/21/2022

Today is the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere! Because of the support from community members and organizations in Southern Colorado, we are moving towards mitigating light pollution at night and ensuring future generations also get to enjoy the starry night skies.

Together, we are making a difference through collaboration, advocacy, and education! Happy holidays everyone!

12/14/2022

EXCITING NEWS!!

The Colorado Tourism Office and International Dark Sky Association Colorado Chapter awarded SLV GO! as one of the four recipients of the Colorado Dark Sky Certification Mentor Program! This program will help SLV GO! and dark sky coalition partners work towards the Sangre de Cristo Dark Sky Reserve Certification! ⭐️🌌

Colorado Tourism Office Announces Participants in New Dark Sky Certification Mentorship Program to Advance Stargazing Across the State The first program of its kind to provide technical assistance to tourism partners from the state level in partnership with the International Dark-sky Association DEN...

11/28/2022

It's that time of year and holiday lighting is in full swing! Here are a few tips from IDA Colorado Chapter President, Aaron Watson on how to reduce your impact on the nighttime environment:

1. Limit how long you have your lighting display out.
2. Cut the number of lumens, or amount of light projected by your lighting display.
3. Avoid colors like blue or bright white, and use lower frequency lighting like red, amber, or yellow which mimic the natural environment.
4. Use LED bulbs instead of incandescent to cut down on energy use.

Make this season extra special by using holiday lighting responsibly and protecting the environment! ⭐️

The White River National Forest is an inherent part of Summit County’s natural landscape. Due to the proximity, many of Summit’s towns and neighborhoods are surrounded by the forest’s treeline. This means moose, fox, deer...

09/28/2022

Hello everyone! Our local Alamosa dark sky working group is seeking community input about our dark sky initiative! Please take this short, 4-question survey about preserving the night sky.

For more information about the Sangre de Cristo Dark Sky Reserve, go to our website at https://slvgo.com/conservation/sangre-de-cristo-dark-sky-reserve/.

To take the survey, scan the QR code or visit https://forms.gle/XyX2vDNwSTq2czhT7

Thank you! ⭐️

08/30/2022

Join SLV GO! and Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve staff in front of the Narrow Gauge Book Cooperative this First Friday from 5-8 pm to learn about our local dark sky preservation efforts!

We need YOUR support to protect our night skies for the enjoyment of future generations ⭐️, to preserve our nocturnal habitat and wildlife 🦉, to improve public health and safety 😴, and to boost our local economy 🚀.

08/18/2022

One more week until we'll be at The Colorado Farm Brewery hosting our Stargazing Social!

This is a great opportunity to learn more about what SLV GO! and dark sky coalition members are doing to preserve the dark skies of the SLV and Southern Colorado. Bring the whole family and discover the night together! We'll have s'mores for roasting and telescopes for night sky viewing. 🔥🍫🍺⭐️

08/17/2022

Check out this article by The Colorado Sun highlighting some of the dark sky efforts by the Lake Fork Valley Conservancy! I'm so amazed by their dedication to dark sky education and programming!

Lake Fork Valley Conservancy has started an ambitious project to transform its dark sky designated park into a nocturnal classroom.

07/21/2022

This is a must-read from The Atlantic on sensory pollution and its effects on wildlife. We are quickly losing the dark and the impacts on our surroundings are devastating.

"Sensory pollution is the pollution of disconnection. It detaches us from the cosmos. It drowns out the stimuli that link animals to their surroundings and to one another. In making the planet brighter and louder, we have endangered sensory environments for countless species in ways that are less viscerally galling than clear-cut rain forests and bleached coral reefs but no less tragic. That must now change. We can still save the quiet and preserve the dark.

Every creature lives within its own sensory bubble, but only humans have the capacity to appreciate the experiences of other species. What we’ve learned is astounding.