North Fork Park Accreditation Celebration Wednesday, 21 October 2015

The Ogden Valley community is invited to join the celebration [this Wednesday, October 21, noon] at Weber State University of North Fork Park's accreditation as the world's 21st International Dark Sky Park (preceding the recent designations of Capitol Reef and Canyonlands National Parks, numbers 22 and 23, respectively; celebration and preservation of dark skies now approach a tipping point in the parks of the America West).  

The event will feature stunning night sky photography and presentations by Weber State University President Charles Wight, Prof. Stacy Palen (Physics), Prof. Jeremy Bryson (Geography), and John Barentine from the International Dark Sky Association in Tucson.  Commissioner Matt Bell, Representative Gage Froerer, and Mayor Brent Taylor of North Ogden City will also speak. Representatives from the many education partners will be on hand, including those from the Ogden Astronomical Society, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Wasatch Audubon Society, HawkWatch, Tracy Aviary, Swanson's North Fork Environmental Center, Ogden Nordic, and Ott Planetarium, among others.  

Please join us. 

Wednesday, October 21

Noon - 1pm

Wildcat Theatre (Shepherd Union, 2nd floor)

Weber State University

[park in Visitor Parking and enter Shepherd Union]

Annual Star Party and Dedication of North Fork Park as the World's 21st International Dark Sky Park

Saturday, September 12 

@ 8pm, 

North Fork Park (Mustang Flats Bowery, enter Middle Gate)

Commissioner Matt Bell and student Zach Thomas will dedicate the park at 8pm with star party to follow. In attendance will be the Weber State University sky-quality monitoring teams.  The Ogden Astronomical Society will provide high power telescopes and, weather permitting, participants will see the Milky Way and be able to understand the many reasons the International Dark Sky Association accredited North Fork Park as the world's 21st International Dark Sky Park - ahead of Capitol Reef (number 22) and Canyonlands (number 23) National Parks.  Accreditations of Grand Canyon and Glacier National Parks are expected soon. North Fork Park is in undeniably exceptional company.

Please bring your friends and children to recognize this signal achievement of North Fork Park and enjoy the stars and night sky.

Call 917.385.6555 for more information.

First Event After Accreditation of North Fork Park as an International Dark Sky Park: Wildlife Wander, May 2

Spring Wildlife Wander in North Fork Park 

Led by Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) wildlife biologist Clint Brunson under a rising full moon, this family-friendly walking adventure will begin at 7 pm Saturday, May 2, 2015 at the South Gate parking lot of North Fork Park in Liberty.  

North Fork Park, after an arduous 18-month process supported by a broad range of public and private entities, has just gained accreditation as a highly prestigious International Dark Sky Park (only the second county park in America to be so recognized and the first in the world to be located so close to a highly urbanized region). 

The Spring Wildlife Wander will offer a full-moon opportunity to learn about the many kinds of wildlife in the park, particularly those that are nocturnal and depend upon a dark night sky - away from city and suburban lights - for feeding, migration, reproduction and certain predator/prey relationships.  North Fork Park enjoys populations of many such animals including bobcats, flying squirrels, porcupines, owls (Great Horned, Western Screech, Northern Saw-Whet, Flammulated), bats (Big Brown Bat, Hoary Bat), frogs (Chorus Frog) and the Western (Boreal)  Toad.

Please join us with friends and family.

Bring warm layers, footwear that doesn't fear mud, questions, and a spirit of adventure!