Rocky desert landscape at dusk, location and date not specified | Photo by ClaudioVentrella/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Two Ivins residents said they will launch a night sky initiative to improve, preserve and protect the night sky over the city and to serve as a resource for city officials, residents and businesses.

Patty Dupre and Mike Scott released a statement Tuesday saying they would kick off the initiative Wednesday.

“The population of Ivins doubled since 2000 and is expected to double again in just over 20 years. What will our night sky look like with twice the light pollution we have today?” Dupre said in the statement.

“Will there be nothing left to see for our children and grandchildren to be inspired by, marvel at, and cherish? Will the wonderment of the night sky be just a distant faded memory for those of us who were once lucky enough to gaze upon it? We can’t let that become our fate. That’s why now.”

The initiative is tackling the issue in Ivins, but other communities in southwest Utah face the same problems, so Dupre and Scott said they are excited about being a resource for people throughout the region. The more progress the initiative makes, the more tools and experiences they will have to share with other communities.

The Ivins night sky initiative is a 100 percent volunteer, not-for-profit citizen organization. Dupre and Scott said they will handle the day-to-day activities but rely on advisers for technical issues and citizens for input and support on projects.

They said they have been working behind the scenes for almost a year and received assistance from the International Dark Sky Association with recommendations to make the Ivins outdoor lighting ordinance more dark sky friendly.

They also had help from other communities that accomplished a similar mission. And they received a lot of input, support and guidance from residents of Ivins and others interested in preserving the night sky.

What you can do

Download the position paper on their website. It has detailed information about lighting issues along with an action plan.

Email mike@IvinsNightSky.org and let them know if this issue is important to you and what else you think they should do.

Tell friends about their mission and encourage them to send comments.

Tell them if you are willing to help.

Check the initiative’s website periodically for new activities and updates on their progress as well as information about lighting and lighting issues.

“We have lived in Ivins since 2003 and enjoy supporting and being involved in a variety of community projects,” Dupre and Scott said in their statement. “We moved here because we appreciate the tremendous outdoor hiking and biking opportunities Ivins and the rest of Southwest Utah provides.

“And although we like waking up to sunshine almost every day, we used to live in a large metropolitan area, so we really value the dark night sky showcasing the Milky Way, galaxies, nebulae, and more.”

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