Join Ellen Cieraad, Ralph Bradley and Sean Walker for an inspiring journey into the value of natural darkness. Discover how night transforms ecosystems, and what public attitudes mean for conserving our disappearing night. Hear the behind the scenes story of how Nelson’s Wai iti became Aotearoa’s first Dark Sky Park and be part of the conversation as Kahurangi is working on its own Dark Sky application.

A special Conservation Week & Earth Day event: Learn how science, stewardship, and community come together to protect the night.

Ellen Cieraad is a Senior Science Advisor at DOC with a passion for the hidden half of the natural world: the hours after dark. As Research Professor at NMIT, she led research into the ecological impacts of artificial light at night and the value of natural darkness. Collaborating with artists and social scientists, she also explored how people perceive the night and how those attitudes shape support for protecting dark skies in New Zealand.

Ralph Bradley was a 10-year-old in Golden Bay when he went outside in the early hours of a morning with his father and saw his first aurora. He has been hooked on the night sky ever since. As the chair of the Top of the South Dark Sky committee, Bradley helped drive development of the country's first official Dark Sky Park Wai-iti, which opened near Wakefield in 2020. The Top of the South Dark Sky committee, supported by the Nelson Science Society Astronomy Section, worked with the Tasman District Council, Network Tasman and Nelson Forest & Bird to gain this recognition.

Sean Walker grew up in Wellington, then studied architecture at Auckland University. After living and working in France for three years he set off to go ocean sailing for the next decade including many nights watching the stars on the oceans. Sean believes the exceptional quality of the night skies in the Kahurangi area should be recognized internationally and remain as a treasure for the generations to come.

Doors open at 5.30 for dinner and drinks, talk starts at 7.
Please register your attendance for this free event.

This event is part of Conservation Week 2026 - www.doc.govt.nz/conservationweek