A starring role for Welsh Dark Skies
Natural Resources Wales, through the Dark Skies Working Group project to promote and protect the Dark Skies of Wales has taken a starring role in UK’s most prestigious landscape awards.
The Landscape Institute presented its President’s Award 2025 to the Dark Skies Working Group Wales for its pioneering publication, Good Practice Guidance: Planning for the Conservation and Enhancement of Dark Skies in Wales.
The President’s Award represents the best landscape project of the year and was chosen from more than 200 entries across 17 categories. The President’s Award was chosen from the winners of each of the 17 Awards categories, with the Planning for Dark Skies guidance also taking home the Excellence in Landscape Planning and Assessment category.
The theme of the 2025 awards - ‘Connecting People, Place and Nature’ – recognised projects that deliver wellbeing, sustainability and delight through the art and science of landscape design, planning and management.
Jill Bullen, of NRW's Landscape and Strategic Planning Group and Dark Skies Working Group Chair, was delighted with the award, she said:
“More than two-thirds of Wales has a dark sky, parts of which are internationally recognised, and this fantastic achievement recognises our innovative work to preserve our dark skies, encourage dark sky lighting and reduce light pollution, all of which will benefit nature, people and our future generations.
“It’s also a great example of what can be achieved through working together, the Good Practice Guidance was created in partnership with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, Eryri National Park Authority, Ynys Mon National Landscape, Conwy County Borough Council, Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape and Welsh Government.”
The group’s pioneering work was singled out for praise by the President of the Landscape Institute Carolin Göhler, who said:
“The Dark Skies Working Group Wales stood out for its pioneering national guidance, which breaks new ground and provides a vital resource for those planning and designing landscapes with a sensitivity to the night sky – in Wales, and beyond, thus protecting wildlife and creating more people-friendly, cheaper lighting schemes.“
Rebecca Evans, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, said:
“I am delighted that the Landscape Institute has recognised and rewarded the pioneering work that we are doing in Wales to protect our dark skies and I am thrilled that the efforts of the Dark Skies Working Group have been acknowledged.
“Planning for dark skies is critical. By working together, we can address light pollution and promote the important role of dark skies in biodiversity, human health, energy conservation, heritage preservation, and astronomy.”
But there is still work to do to ensure the dark skies above Wales remain a cherished national asset, and Jill Bullen was keen to remind everyone to play their part
“Encouraging dark sky lighting and reducing light pollution is something we can all do right now to protect dark skies and dark landscapes, benefitting wildlife and our wellbeing.
“Winning both the President’s Award and the Excellence in Landscape Planning and Assessment award for ‘Planning for Dark Skies’ takes the Good Practice Guidance to a new level of awareness, reach and opportunity to truly make a difference. Help us make that difference a reality by implementing Good Practice Lighting Principles.”
This is the second success for Jill and NRW in a matter of weeks.
In addition to her Dark Skies work, Jill also manages NRW's Tranquillity and Place Sound Environment programme, which was recognised in the Sustainable Development Award section of the Noise Abatement Society’s John Connell Awards last month.
These unique awards, known as the ‘Noise Oscars’ , are named after the NAS founder John Connell OBE, they acknowledge the importance of the quality of sound in people’s lives, and champion vital advances in reducing the negative impact of unnecessary noise for the public benefit.
You can find out more about Dark Skies Good Practice guidance here:
Good Practice Guidance: Planning for the Conservation and Enhancement of Dark Skies in Wales
You can find out more at the Tranquillity and Place Story Map here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f66a917270894e8e9f194a1b75e83c28