On November 8th, 2019, the first Session of CBCGDF China Conservation Area for Dark and Starry Sky (CCAfa) Conference themed “Beautiful China Needs Beautiful Stars” was held in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province. The event was co-organized by China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), Yancheng Teachers College and China Conservation Area for Dark and Starry Sky at Yeludang, with China Conservation Areas for Dark and Starry Sky at Ngari, Nagqu, Taihang, and Geyuan co-hosted and joined.

Heads from Dafeng district government of Yancheng City; Prof. Fang Zhong, President of Yancheng Teachers College; Xiao Qing, deputy secretary-general of CBCGDF; leaders of five China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Areas; experts and scholars in astronomy academic circle, and entrepreneurs who care about and support dark sky protection attended the conference to discuss the cause of dark sky conservation together. Under the chair of Professor Tang Keming, vice president of Yancheng Teachers College, the conference was officially opened in the accompaniment of the China dark sky protection theme song “beautiful starry sky”. Qian Jiang, deputy district chief of Dafeng District; Fang Zhong, President of Yancheng Teachers College and Zhu Qingsheng, director of Nanjing Astronomical Instrument Research Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered speeches respectively. In his keynote speech, Xiao Qing, Deputy Secretary-General of the CBCGDF, summed up the work done by the star working committee of the CBCGDF in advocating the protection of the dark sky and actively carrying out the construction of China Conservation Area for Dark and Starry Sky.

The representatives from five China Conservation Areas for Dark and Starry Sky established by CBCGDF: China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Area ? Ngari, China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Area ? Nagqu, China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Area ? Yeludang, China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Area ? Taihang, China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Area ? Geyuan respectively delivered speeches during the conference, and expressed their intention to maintain a good ecological natural environment and night environment to be protected. Ms. Liu Kun, vice president of Dafeng foreign language school; Yang Guomei, winner of “Golden Statue Award for China Photography” - Art Lifetime Achievement Award; and Tang Jing, chairman of Shanghai Chengtang Culture Group, also made speeches respectively, saying that the history and culture that human beings have been looking up to the stars for thousands of years should not be lost in our generation.

Ma Lianyi, director of China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Area ? Yeludang  (one of the sponsors of this conference), announced the formal establishment of China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Alliance. The purpose of this alliance is to actively promote the construction, standardization, benign development, publicity and popularization of the dark sky conservation areas. The five conservation areas have reached a consensus, and jointly promote the wide participation of all parties, and coordinate the development of dark sky protection area and local economic, social, cultural and other aspects, promote science, and form the night sky conservation and biodiversity protection, astronomical observation, and natural science popularization education, cultural arts, related industries and other fields of alliance cooperation. The purpose of the alliance is to “in the interest of public welfare, to do the least we can, gather the friends of the world, protect the beauty of the stars.”

During the conference, the participants visited China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Area ? Yeludang, Milu deer protected area and Dongtai Tiaozini Wetland Park, which was promoted by the CBCGDF to successfully apply for the world natural heritage. Mr. Xiao Qing, Deputy Secretary-General of the CBCGDF, and representatives of the conservation areas discussed and exchanged views on the future construction of China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Area ? Yeludang. Besides, the CBCGDF has also explored the path and method of dark sky protection in different regions and environments such as plateau, coastal wetland, mountain area, and lake, and created a national model of dark sky protection. During the conference, the participants visited the scene of China Dark and Starry Sky Conservation Area ? Yeludang, looked up at the starry sky to see the beautiful starry sky, and listened to the “Dark Sky and Astronomy” keynote lecture.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4936/10388.html

By / Xue Tongtong