DarkSky Vermont envisions a state where better outdoor lighting helps protect the night, reduce waste, support wildlife, and preserve a defining part of Vermont’s landscape and character.
Our work is grounded in a Vermont tradition of stewardship, restraint, practicality, and good sense. We believe dark-sky protection is not just about astronomy. It is also about conservation, community character, public safety, energy savings, education, and quality of life.
Our Mission
DarkSky Vermont works to protect Vermont’s nighttime environment and heritage of dark skies through education, outreach, practical assistance, partnership, and better outdoor-lighting practices.
Emerging goals
Note: The goals below reflect themes discussed by DarkSky Vermont’s preliminary leadership team and broader group conversations. They are intended as a working draft and have not yet been formally approved.
1. Strengthen DarkSky Vermont as a statewide organization
Clarify DarkSky Vermont’s mission, role, and priorities as a statewide organization focused on education, outreach, policy, and practical assistance.
Secure chapter status and build the organizational capacity needed to operate effectively.
Build the ability to receive donations and other funding, and to use those funds to support services, programs, and projects.
2. Grow membership, volunteers, and statewide community
Grow public participation and build a stronger grassroots network across Vermont.
Build and deepen alliances with partner organizations, including Vermont State Parks, the Montshire, the Fairbanks Museum, local Audubon groups, and other conservation and education partners.
Form grassroots relationships with wildlife ecologists, naturalists, and other conservationists.
3. Expand public engagement and visibility
Strengthen social media, communications, and broader public engagement.
Host more public events and educational programs.
Continue representing DarkSky Vermont at Stellafane and other conferences and public events.
4. Support practical action beyond municipal government
Engage institutions, businesses, and other property owners, not just municipalities, in voluntary dark-sky-friendly practices.
Launch pilot or demonstration projects that show what dark-sky-friendly lighting looks like in practice.
Organize Lights Out programs tied to bird migration and wildlife protection.
5. Build technical capacity and policy usefulness
Build technical capacity and credibility on outdoor-lighting issues, including the ability to offer practical guidance on lighting standards, retrofits, and best practices.
Develop usable template language and practical tools for town plans, zoning bylaws, subdivision regulations, and other local policies.
6. Measure, monitor, and communicate impact
Provide standards, training, and a framework for people to measure and monitor sky darkness and present data and trends.
Track and report measurable impact, including partnerships, events, participation, policy adoption, sky-darkness data, and on-the-ground lighting improvements.
7. Become a trusted statewide resource
Build DarkSky Vermont into a practical, trusted statewide resource for education, outreach, technical assistance, and policy support on outdoor lighting.
Achieve measurable improvements in nighttime lighting practices across Vermont.
How this vision differs from a final strategic plan
These goals are intended to guide discussion and development. As DarkSky Vermont grows, this page will evolve to reflect goals and priorities that have been more formally reviewed and adopted.
Get involved
If these goals resonate with you, we invite you to join the conversation, attend an event, or contact us about working together.