Dark sky parks, a new dimension for protected areas

1. 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

2. Overview • 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 Presentation purpose

3. Bioluminescent protists and crustaceans Vaadhoo Beach, Maldives • (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? Things to see under dark skies

4. Light pollution at sea 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

5. Ecological integrity Commemorative integrity Astronomy, both scientific and amateur Culture, mythology and ceremony Energy efficiency Wilderness experience Landscape beauty Human health Safety and security And how they apply to protected areas and sites 9 reasons to combat light pollution S C C C N N N N N N Natural Areas (parks, reserves) C Cultural Sites and monuments S Sites of Special Scientific Interest

6. Stonehenge, UK 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 Ulugh Beg Observatory, Uzbekistan McClean Building Cape Observatory, South Africa Caracol Chichen Itza, Mexico www2.astronomicalheritage.org

7. Firefly Boreal owl Loggerhead turtle Brown bear Ecology of the night To truly value wild creatures in the wild, we must respect their need for natural darkness

8. 3 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 Ecological impacts of light pollution

9. Impacts on birds 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 Solutions Buildings: light curfews Towers: strobes better than steady; red or amber better than white A bird's-eye view of the forest and the urban jungle Warblers in search lights at Dakota Dunes Casino

10. Elm-leafed goldenrod Red maple 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

11. Why all parks should be dark sky parks Ecosystems run 24 hours Ecosystem management must think about the dark too Visitor experience: the night should be part of wilderness and natural landscape appreciation Visitor attraction opportunities, especially for one-visit parks such as historic sites Respect for aboriginal cultural traditions Low-hanging fruit There 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

12. 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 What is a dark sky park?

13. 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

14. Dark Sky Preserve An 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 Park An 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 RASC dark sky designations www.rasc.ca/lpa

15. 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

16. 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 Starlight Initiative www.starlight2007.net

17. Initiative for an International Association of Dark Sky Parks • 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 www.darkskyparks.org

18. IUCN Dark Skies Advisory Group • General role/objective - advice to IUCN and others • 12 members from 8 countries • Motion for World Conservation Congress • Advice 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 www.dsag.darkskyparks.org

19. The list to date June 10th 2012 Canada 15 Czech Rep 1 Hungary 2 Namibia 1 New Zealand 1 Poland 1 Slovakia 1 Spain 4 UK 2 USA 9 Total 37 La Rioja Starlight Reserve,Spain Plus several IDA dark sky communities Plus many de facto dark sky parks and communities

20. Star party at Torrance Barrens • 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 Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Preserve Hard granite substrate No hills or valleys Isolated from local glare 2-3 hours drive from cities No sky glow Designated observation area Star parties www.muskokaheritage.org/programs/dark-skies/torrance-barrens/

21. NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia • 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 What does being a dark sky park involve?

22. 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

23. Specific cases • Buildings • Parking lots • Roadways • Pathways • Campgrounds • Shore zones • Other properties • Historic sites • Wilderness areas • Signage 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 Photoluminescent road markers at Mont-Mégantic IDSR • Suggested appendices • Reference illumination levels • Colour from various lamp types • Comparative light output from typical bulbs • Approximate times of sunset • Navigation light photometric distribution

24. 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 Summary Hunting the Future by First Nations artist, poet and illustrator Michael Robinson, Canada

25. Northern Lights by Tom Thompson, Canada, 1877-1917