The Park, a new star-studded territory!

The news was made official on Tuesday, September 30. The Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park is among the 13 new territories awarded the "Territories of Starry Towns and Villages" label as part of the 9th edition of the national competition organized by the ANPCEN. This distinction recognizes the efforts made by 47 municipalities in the region to preserve the nighttime environment, in a dynamic initiated and supported for several years by the Park.

The Park, a star-studded territory

Since 2018, the Park has been committed to better taking into account the nocturnal environment in its territory. At the crossroads of ecological, economic and health issues, the night is a cross-cutting subject that requires a appropriation of issues by all local stakeholdersThis is why the Park has been running a program of actions for several years, combining support for municipalities, advice to businesses and raising awareness among residents.

These efforts have now been rewarded by the award of the “Territory of Starry Cities and Villages” label, awarded by the ANPCEN (National Association for the Protection of the Night Sky and Environment). This distinction takes into account both awareness-raising actions and support carried out towards the municipalities, but also the number of municipalities labeled “Star Towns and Villages” within the territory.

It requires that two thirds of the municipalities, representing at least 50% of the population, be certified. To this end, voluntary municipalities benefited, at the end of 2024, from personalized assistance in preparing their application files.

47 certified municipalities

Following this support program, 46 of the 75 municipalities within the Park have been awarded the "Starry Towns and Villages" label, compared to 17 in the previous edition. The municipality of Nexon, the gateway to the Park, has also received the label. The Park thus makes a significant contribution to the prestige of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, which leads France in the number of labeled municipalities. For each of the awarded municipalities, the level of commitment is reflected in a number of stars ranging from 1 to 5.

The “Villes et Villages Étoilés” label rewards municipalities committed to an approach continuous improvement of the quality of the night-time environment, for the benefit of biodiversity and human health. It promotes active education on the different impacts of light pollution, carried out among residents and local stakeholders, and encourages rethink exterior lighting in order to reduce light pollution and public lighting expenditure.

The “Territories of Starry Cities and Villages” label obtained by the Park therefore rewards a collective dynamic. Beyond its symbolic dimension, this distinction reflects concrete results, with a significant reduction in light pollution observed in the territory between 2019 and 2023.