Croatia’s Vranski Kamen proclaimed an International Dark Sky Park

Vrani Kamen (Photo credit: Dunja Zupanic)

ZAGREB, Nov 20 (Hina) – The park called Vrani Kamen on Mount Papuk near the Croatian town of Daruvar, 120 kilometres east of Zagreb, was declared an IDA International Dark Sky Park on Wednesday.

The designation of International Dark Sky Park (IDSP) is given to a land possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment.

“This is the second park in Croatia with such a designation, and in the world there are some 100 IDSPs,” the head of the Vranski Kamen project, Dunja Zupanic, said in Zagreb today.

The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) awards the IDSP designations.

Petrova gora-Biljeg was the first landscape in Croatia to be certified an IDA International Dark Park. Petrova Gora-Biljeg, situated in Karlovačka and Sisačko-Moslavačka county, was officially proclaimed an International Dark Sky Park back in June this year.

“Petrova gora is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved mountain forest landscapes in the Republic of Croatia. Due to the exceptional landscape value, the area ‘Petrova gora Biljeg’ in the central part of Petrova gora became a protected area in 1969 in the category known as ‘significant landscape,” according to information provided on the IDA website.

Petrova Gora (Photo credit: Boris Štromar/AD Beskraj)

The dark sky park label is a unique way of promoting conservation of night sky in the world and also a special acknowledgment of the protected area that might help boost its preserved nature status and tourist potential.

An IDA International Dark Sky Park (IDSP) is a land possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment. The majority of the parks are found in the United States and in Europe in Hungary, England, Spain, Germany, Scotland, Denmark, Ireland, Wales and the Netherlands.