20 October 2025
The ease with which people can help fight the scourge of light pollution is leading to a strong groundswell of support as three more Dark Skies Friendly Communities have been created and others are waiting to be accredited across both the North York Moors National Park and Howardian Hills National Landscape.
According to Mike Hawtin, the North York Moors National Park’s Head of Nature Recovery Projects and Dark Skies Lead Officer, around 2,500 people will soon be living within an accredited Dark Skies Friendly Community, which now includes the village of Husthwaite in the Howardian Hills, and Lastingham and Sleightholme Dale in the North York Moors.
Dozens more community and individual businesses will shortly become accredited, including Bransdale and the villages of Goathland and Botton, under the Dark Skies Friendly Community scheme which is run jointly by the National Park and the Howardian Hills Partnership.
The schemes are funded by the Howardian Hills Partnership and, in the North York Moors, by Anglo American using section 106 contributions that compensate for the impact of the development within this highly protected landscape.
Speaking ahead of the Dark Skies Fringe Festival, Mr Hawtin explains: “We’ve been surprised at just how many communities want to become accredited but then it’s a compelling, do-able aspect of conservation.
“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 latest Dark Skies Friendly Communities join the swelling ranks, which already include Ampleforth Abbey and the villages of Coxwold and Hawnby in the North York Moors, and Bulmer, Crayke and Terrington in the Howardian Hills.
Ellie Hook, Manager of the Howardian Hills National Landscape, added: “This scheme has caught the imagination of people across both the National Landscape and the National Park. Light pollution is an issue on both a local and global scale, affecting people and wildlife. Empowering communities to help raise awareness that we can be smarter with our lighting during night-time hours has found an enthusiastic audience. Some of the lighting projects we have supported as part of the scheme look fantastic – just showing what can be done.”
The Dark Skies Friendly Community scheme was introduced in 2024 to recognise the efforts of neighbourhoods to protect and enhance the quality of the night sky.
As part of this push, many lights have been changed to a dark sky-friendly standard. Taken together with individual lighting schemes, over 1,000 fixtures have been replaced across both the National Park and Howardian Hills thanks to their respective dark sky projects.
Under the scheme, communities commit to having a lighting audit carried out and undertake work on a demonstration project, whether it’s simply altering the angle of the beam, replacing fittings to minimise glare, or eliminating redundant fixtures, to ensure at least 60% of lights across the community meet the scheme’s standards. Each community will also hold a minimum of two outreach events a year, which can be as simple as organising a dark skies walk.
Alongside the community scheme, both protected landscapes are now making dark skies a key consideration within nature conservation and habitat creation projects, such as hedge planting and creating meadows, amid research showing that the abundance of insects and nocturnal pollinators such as moths can be reduced by as much as 50% in brightly lit areas.
Mike Hawtin adds: “Our drive to protect the night sky goes far deeper than the fact that it makes the skies simply look beautiful. In fact there are so many compelling reasons that any one of them might strike a chord with people – whether it’s the potential energy savings, the health and wellbeing benefits for nature and humans, or safeguarding the heritage of a place.
“The momentum is being helped by North Yorkshire Council’s own policy to make all street lighting dark skies friendly and, as we’ve said before, this is not about plunging us into complete darkness but looking at how we use lighting effectively and responsibly, so it’s used only where needed, avoiding harsh, scattered beams.”
The Dark Skies Fringe Festival runs from 24 October to 2 November, with events right across the North York Moors, and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, and the Nidderdale and Howardian Hills National Landscapes.
For more programme information go to www.darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The Dark Skies Fringe Festival runs across four protected landscapes - North York Moors National Park, Yorkshire Dales National Park, Nidderdale National Landscape, and Howardian Hills National Landscape.
North York Moors National Park
The National Park is a beautiful landscape of stunning moorland, spectacular coast, ancient woodland, dark skies and historic sites. Created on 28 November 1952, it became Britain’s sixth national park. The North York Moors National Park Authority works with a wide variety of people to care for this beautiful corner of Yorkshire. Nearly 14% of its staff are apprentices from local families. For more information go to www.northyorkmoors.org.uk
Yorkshire Dales National Park
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a landscape of immense beauty and character with valleys of hay meadows, dry stone walls and barns, waterfalls, woodlands and peaks - one of the country’s most picturesque places. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has two main purposes: to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Park and to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of its special qualities. For more information to go www.yorkshiredales.org.uk
Nidderdale National Landscape
Nidderdale National Landscape covers 603 sq km (233 sq miles) from Great Whernside in the Yorkshire Dales through to the edge of the Vale of York in the east. The fascinating geology of the area, which has created a gorge and eye-catching rock formations, together with the tranquil expanses of water, open heather moorland, rolling pastures and scenic villages, are among the special qualities of the National Landscape.
Howardian Hills National Landscape
Howardian Hills National Landscape covers 204 sq km (79 sq miles) of North Yorkshire countryside, nestled between the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Wolds and the Vale of York. It is a captivating landscape with its well-wooded rolling countryside, patchwork of arable and pasture fields, tranquil villages and historic country houses with classic parkland landscapes.
For further information and images please contact Amanda Brown at A2BPR on:
T: 01423 740048
M: 07876 452580
E: amanda@a2bpr.co.uk
Or Nina Beadle, Communications Officer, North York Moors National Park Authority:
T: 01439 772577
E: press@northyorkmoors.org.uk
Or Andrew Fagg, Media Officer, at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
T: 01969 652374
E: andrew.fagg@yorkshiredales.org.uk