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Dark sky parks, a new dimension for protected areas. David Welch Chair, Dark Skies Advisory Group, IUCN. Starlight 2012, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 11-13 June. Overview. Context Appreciating our world under dark skies Ecological impacts of light pollution Main theme: protected areas - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Dark sky parks,a new dimension for protected areas
David WelchChair, Dark Skies Advisory Group, IUCN
Starlight 2012, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 11-13 June
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Presentation purpose
Context• Appreciating our world under dark skies• Ecological impacts of light pollution
Main theme: protected areas• Why all parks and reserves should respect
dark sky principles• Dark sky parks• Park management implications
Overview
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Things to see under dark skies
• (Not just) stars• Planets and their moons• Comets• Meteors• Our moon• Zodiacal light, gegenschein• Aurorae• Lightning and sprites• Noctilucent clouds• Nocturnal wildlife• Bioluminescence• Satellites• Heritage landscapes• Other?
Bioluminescent protists and crustaceansVaadhoo Beach, Maldives
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What is light pollution?
Any artificial light outdoors
When is it a problem?• When impacts exceed benefits• When levels exceed safe thresholds
Benefits include:• Safe navigation, from
pedestrian to aviation• Commercial operations, e.g.
rail and storage yards• Appreciation of architecture• Outdoor recreation
Impacts include:• Ecological effects• Reduced visibility• Human health• Energy waste• Reduced security
Light pollution at sea
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9 reasons to combat light pollution
• Ecological integrity• Commemorative integrity• Astronomy, both scientific and amateur• Culture, mythology and ceremony• Energy efficiency• Wilderness experience• Landscape beauty• Human health• Safety and security
NN
N
NN
CCC
S
And how they apply to protected areas and sites
N Natural Areas (parks, reserves)C Cultural Sites and monumentsS Sites of Special Scientific Interest
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Archaeoastronomical heritage
UNESCO and IAU initiative
Proposal to add astronomy and starlight as world heritage values
Sites of outstanding value to world science
2010 - thematic study on heritage sites of astronomy
2012 - extended case studies in progress
Stonehenge, UK
Ulugh BegObservatory,
Uzbekistan
McClean BuildingCape Observatory,
South Africa
CaracolChichen Itza,
Mexico
www2.astronomicalheritage.org
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Ecology of the night
To truly value wild creatures in the wild, we must respect
their need for natural darkness
Firefly
Loggerhead turtle
Brown bear
Boreal owl
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Ecological impacts of light pollution3 levels: individual, species, ecosystem
Lights that distract and kill• Insects: street lamps and porch lights• Birds: transmisson towers, skyscrapers and oil platforms• Mammals: road kill
Interference with reproductive behaviour• Amphibians and birds: mating calls reduced, movement increased• Corals: sky glow may reduce spawning• Sea turtles: disturbance to egg-laying and hatchling orientation
Interference with predators/prey relationships• Storm-petrels and shearwaters: increased predation by gulls • Salmon: increased predation by harbour seals
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Impacts on birds
A bird's-eye view of the forest and the urban jungle
Warblers in search lights at Dakota Dunes
Casino
Collisions with lighted windows, towers and guy wires. 100 million fatalities/year in North America
Insectivorous birds attracted to insects around lamps, more collisions between birds
Confused navigation, exhaustion, failure to reach intended staging areas
SolutionsBuildings: light curfewsTowers: strobes better than steady; red
or amber better than white
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Impacts on plants
Short day plants
A short light break at night can simulate a day
Continuous light weakens resistance to disease:
leaf chlorosis and necrosis; starch
metabolism and chlorophyll synthesis altered
Photoperiodism in trees
Shortening days in Fall stimulate bud growth
for next season
Light at night may keep leaf stomata open,
increasing sensitivity to ground level ozone
Elm-leafed goldenrod
Red maple
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Why all parks should be dark sky parks
Ecosystems run 24 hoursEcosystem management must think about the dark tooVisitor experience: the night should be part of wilderness
and natural landscape appreciationVisitor attraction opportunities, especially for one-visit parks
such as historic sitesRespect for aboriginal cultural traditions
Low-hanging fruitThere are other issues, but light pollution prevention is a
low-cost, high-gain issue, especially in terms of public participation, conservation messages, cooperative science and learning
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What is a dark sky park?A protected natural area or cultural site with:
• Within the park, protocols and practices for light pollution prevention, such as plans, guidelines, darkness monitoring, enforcement
• Within the viewshed, outreach/education programmes and cooperative agreements to reduce sky glow and light trespass
And with most or all of:
• Night sky appreciation activities, such as scientific and amateur astronomy, outreach programmes
• Nocturnal ecology interpretation, guided observations, research and monitoring
• Significant commemorative or ecological values closely linked to night sky viewing or natural darkness
• Good accessibility for general public participation
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Dark sky park movement
1993 - first temporary dark sky park, Lake Hudson State Park, Michigan
1999 - US Nat’l Park Service Natural Sounds and Night Skies Program
1999 - first permanent dark sky park, Torrance Barrens, Ontario
2005 - Royal Astronomical Society of Canada dark sky preserves
2005 - UNESCO Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative
2007 - Int’l Dark Sky Ass’n dark sky parks, reserves, communities
2007 - Starlight Initiative - Starlight conferences and declaration
2008 - Initiative for an International Association of Dark Sky Parks
2009 - IUCN Dark Skies Advisory Group
2010 - World Heritage thematic study on archaeoastronomy
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RASC dark sky designations
www.rasc.ca/lpa
Dark Sky PreserveAn area in which no artificial lighting is visible and with active measures to educate and promote the reduction of light pollution to the public and nearby municipalities. Human-caused sky glow from outside the preserve is of comparable intensity, or less, than that of natural sky glow.14 declared
Urban Star ParkAn area in which artificial lighting is strictly controlled and with active measures to educate and promote the reduction of light pollution to the public and nearby municipalities. Sky glow from beyond the borders may be visible within the area.1 declared
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International Dark Sky Association
• Started 1988 in Arizona
• Focus on astronomy and light pollution ordinances
• 2007 - International Dark Sky Places Program
• Certifies locations with exceptional nightscapes • 10 International Dark Sky Parks• 5 International Dark Sky Reserves• 4 International Dark Sky Communities
www.darksky.org
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Starlight Initiative
www.starlight2007.net
• International campaign for the right to observe the stars• Open to scientific, cultural, environmental and citizen organizations,
public institutions and private bodies• Cooperation in the conservation of clear night skies• Dissemination of knowledge
Principal promoters• Canary Islands Astrophysical Institute• La Palma Biosphere Reserve (Spain)• Canary Islands Government and Spanish Ministry of Environment• UNESCO Canary Islands Centre• International Astronomical Union
Activities• Starlight Foundation, Spain - 4 starlight reserves declared• Since 2007 - international conferences and working group
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Initiative for an International Association of Dark Sky Parks
www.darkskyparks.org
• Started 2008 in Slovenia and Croatia
• Representatives of protected areas, NGOs and the lighting industry
• Experts in biology, natural and cultural heritage, tourism and ecotourism
• Annual symposia and dark-sky camp
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IUCN Dark Skies Advisory Group
www.dsag.darkskyparks.org
General role/objective - advice to IUCN and others12 members from 8 countries
Motion for World Conservation CongressAdvice to IDA Sark Sky Places Program
World list of dark sky parks and reserves• Country, Name• Central latitude and longitude• Constituent protected sites and areas• Management agency• Recognizing body, date of recognition• Web site
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The list to dateJune 10th 2012
Canada
15Czech Rep
1Hungary
2Namibia
1New Zealand
1Poland
1Slovakia
1Spain
4UK
2USA
9
Total
37
Plus several IDA dark sky communitiesPlus many de facto dark sky parks and communities
La Rioja Starlight Reserve,Spain
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Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Preserve• Ontario provincial conservation reserve since
1977• Muskoka Heritage Foundation initiative• Canada's first dark sky preserve, 1999• Other conservation reserves in central Ontario
also have dark sky protection policies• All six Muskoka townships regulate dark-sky
friendly lighting practices
www.muskokaheritage.org/programs/dark-skies/torrance-barrens/
Hard granite substrateNo hills or valleysIsolated from local glare2-3 hours drive from citiesNo sky glowDesignated observation areaStar parties
Star party at Torrance Barrens
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What does being a dark sky park involve?
Dark sky values integrated within plans
• Park management plans
• Community plans
• Site plans
Outdoor lighting standards
Visitor engagement
Wilderness astronomy
Outreach and external relations
Cooperative research and monitoring -
ecology of the night, scotobiology
NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia
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Visitor engagement
• Night ecology talks and hikes
• Night sky talks, including cultural traditions and myths
• Star parties
• Static displays
• Travelling planetaria, audio-visual presentations
• Wilderness astronomy
• Citizen science
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What should be in outdoor lighting standards?
Guidelines• Illumination levels - minimum necessary• Colour of illumination - amber or red• Extent of illumination - targeted, no spillage or glare• Duration of the illumination - curfews• Use of retro-reflecting materials - roadways• Use of fluorescent materials -pathway markers• Tower navigation avoidance beacons - flashing red• Light pollution abatement beyond park boundaries - outreach• Shorelines - avoid reflections
Specific cases• Buildings• Parking lots• Roadways• Pathways• Campgrounds• Shore zones• Other properties• Historic sites• Wilderness areas• Signage
Suggested appendices• Reference illumination levels• Colour from various lamp types• Comparative light output from typical bulbs• Approximate times of sunset• Navigation light photometric distribution
Photoluminescent road markers at Mont-Mégantic IDSR
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Summary• Dark sky protection is an
emerging and growing movement
• Natural fit with protected areas
• Main focus still on astronomy
• Canada and USA lead
• Most DSPs are small
• Some urban communities manage light pollution, but …
• Only one urban star park
• Reserve approach is the best:• Core protected area plus
surrounding community
Hunting the Futureby First Nations artist, poet
and illustrator Michael Robinson, Canada
Page 28 of 28Northern Lights by Tom Thompson, Canada, 1877-1917