Living Dark Landscapes: Dark Sky Initiatives from Parks across Europe
Background
Dark skies are increasingly rare in our modern world where artificial lighting permeates urban and rural landscapes alike. Light pollution obscures our view of the stars but also disrupts natural ecosystems, affecting wildlife behaviours and migratory patterns.
In this webinar, organised by EUROPARCs Nature Regional Landscape Parks Task Force, we travelled from the Northern Hemisphere and the cultural value of dark skies presented by Kristian Bjørnstad, to France, where we learned from Manon Rieutord about Le Jour de la Nuit as well as two examples of Nature Parks which have implemented new light policies and how it has changed their territories. Local initiatives and awareness raising on light pollution are key to implementing solutions. The webinar continued with Daniel Gliedner, who highlighted the work on Dark Skies in the Nature Park Our and the light solutions implemented in the municipality of Putscheid. Finally, Jean-François Graffand shared information on the processes and benefits of becoming an International Dark Sky Community.
This webinar highlighted the importance of awareness raising and the various ongoing initiatives in the different countries for example la nuit de l’obscurité in Belgium and the long night of the nature parks in Austria. In Addition, the ‘Paten der Nacht’ organise Earth Night every year in Austria and Germany. In Goričko Nature, the International Night of Bats is organised together with a campaign: turn off the lights vgasnimo posvejte. Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors are celebrating their 10th Dark Skies Festival in February 2025, and the Mayo Dark Sky Festival takes place in Ireland, just to mention a few on-going initiatives. It was encouraging to see so many on-going initiatives in different countries.
Programme:
During the webinar, we heard from three Dark Sky experts. An introduction was given by Kristian Bjørnstad from Norske Parker and head of the NRL Task Force at EUROPARC.
Welcome and Introduction
Marit Schnepf, EUROPARC Federation and Kristian Bjørnstad, Norske Parker and head of the NRL Task Force at EUROPARC
How and why raising awareness about light pollution in Nature Parks
Manon Rieutord, Agir pour l’Environnement
Illuminating what’s needed, how it’s needed, when it’s needed
Daniel Gliedner, Nature Park Our, Luxembourg
The Dark Sky International certifications
Jean-François Graffand, DarkSky France Association
Links shared during the webinar:
Discussing security when lights are switched off: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2022/mar/street-lighting-may-enable-rather-hinder-street-crime
“Good lighting. Business and community guidance” from the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley (UK): https://www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyaonb.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/DARK-SKIES-GUIDANCE-2.pdf
Official website of Le Jour de la Nuit in France and the toolkit for communication (in French) https://jourdelanuit.fr/kit-organisateur
M’illumino di meno (in Italian): https://www.rai.it/milluminodimeno/ https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%27illumino_di_meno
Light pollution map from Mayo (Ireland): https://www.mayodarkskypark.ie/learn/light-pollution-map/
Mayo Dark Sky Guideline https://www.mayodarkskypark.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Protecting_the_NightGM_lowres.pdf
Learn more about the Nature Regional Landscape Parks “Living Landscapes”
http://www.europarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Book_living-landscapes.pdf
Licht im Einklang mit Mensch und Natur (informative video on light solutions, in German) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30kyLMOsFEQ
Light pollution map for Europe: https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/
Health risks associated with light pollution: https://www.frontiersin.org/news/2024/09/06/light-pollution-increase-risk-alzheimers
Get to know the speakers
Manon Rieutord
Agir pour l’Environnement
Manon Rieutord coordinates “Le Jour de la Nuit” (Day of Darkness) in France and is a policy officer on light pollution for Agir pour l’Environnement, a French national NGO dedicated to raising awareness on environmental and health issues.
Daniel Gliedner
Nature Park Our, Luxembourg
After studying electrical engineering, Daniel worked at AEG Lichttechnik by chance in 1993 and felt at home in the field from the very first minute. In 2000, he was appointed Managing Director of an electrical wholesaler in Luxembourg and in 2004, he joined Luxembourg’s largest electricity grid operator, first as a purchaser and shortly afterwards as head of the electrical workshop for switchgear construction and public lighting. In 2019, Daniel joined the Our Nature Park as a technical expert in lighting.
Jean-François Graffand
DarkSky France Association
Jean-François is Delegate of DarkSky International and co-founder of the DarkSky France chapter. Also, as an astrophotographer, he always tries to raise awareness about the necessity to protect the night.
