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25/12/24 - Farming and star gazing in an International Dark Skies Reserve

Cranborne Chase National Landscape isn't only an area of outstanding national beauty, it's also an international dark sky reserve. We find out what this means and why it matters.

Cranborne Chase National Landscape is an area of outstanding national beauty, which spans the chalk hills of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset. It's also an International Dark Sky Reserve, the first UK landscape to get this status back in 2019.

We visit Marshwood Farm in Dinton which attracts visitors who want a bit of "astro tourism": campers come to stay there because it's a place perfect for star gazing. It's not just astronomers who benefit from darker skies, artificial lighting can be bad for insects and birds too. We speak to the farmers who live and work here, visitors out on a night of star gazing and the landscape's dark skies advisor who helps farms and businesses avoid light pollution.

Produced and presented by Rebecca Rooney.

Release date:

14 minutes

Broadcast

  • Tomorrow 05:45

Podcast