We are delighted to announce Husthwaite as one of three North Yorkshire villages named as ‘Dark Skies Friendly Communities’ for helping to combat light pollution.
The villages of Husthwaite, Lastingham and Sleightholme Dale are the latest to join the scheme, run by the North York Moors National Park and the Howardian Hills Partnership.
The scheme aims to reduce light pollution and enhance the night sky by encouraging communities to alter their external lights.
Working with Husthwaite Village Hall Committee and Husthwaite Parish Council dark sky friendly lights have been installed at the village hall. With thanks to Richard Darn, Howardian Hills National Landscape for their assistance and enthusiasm and for the funding that was made available for the project. Richard commented they are very impressed by the degree to which people in the village clearly value the night time environment which is so important for wildlife as well as preserving tranquility and our view of the stars. Richard also added the village hall dark lighting scheme is especially impressive and one of the most successful they have seen.
This initiative forms part of a broader effort to preserve the North York Moors and Howardian Hills landscapes.
According to the National Park’s head of nature recovery projects and dark skies lead officer, Mike Hawtin, the addition of the three new villages means that around 2,500 people will soon be living within an accredited Dark Skies Friendly Community.
Mr Hawtin said: “Parish councils, residents, and businesses realise that whereas solving other pollutant crises can seem overwhelming, altering external lights to become more dark skies friendly is something fairly simple and positive they can do, literally at a flick of a switch.
“It’s helped by the fact that more people now understand how reducing light pollution can enhance the tranquillity of an area as well as nature, wildlife, and human health reaping the benefit too.”
The scheme, introduced in 2024, acknowledges neighbourhood efforts to protect and improve the night sky.