Research suggests most visitors welcome actions to preserve night sky quality

Support for management action to protect night sky quality: Insights from visitors to state and national park units in the U.S.

Authors

J. Adam Beeco (National Park Service, Natural Sounds & Night Skies Division)
Emily J. Wilkins (U.S. Geological Survey)
Anna B. Miller (Utah State University)
Chase C. Lamborn (Utah State University)
Sharolyn J. Anderson (National Park Service, Natural Sounds & Night Skies Division)
Zachary D. Miller (National Park Service, Intermountain Regional Office)
Jordan W. Smith (Utah State University)

Highlights

• Over half of nighttime visitors participate in dark sky dependent recreation.
• Nighttime park visitors overwhelmingly support actions to protect night sky quality.
• Dark sky dependent recreationists have the strongest support for management actions.
• The majority of nighttime visitors want to learn more about night skies topics

Abstract

Light pollution is a global phenomenon where anthropogenic light sources continue to grow unabated, affecting both social and ecological systems. This is leaving parks and protected areas as some of the last vestiges of naturally dark environments for protecting views of the night sky. Yet, even parks and protected areas have outdoor lighting. Alternative lighting practices are needed to reduce or prevent light pollution from within parks. However, making parks darker may not be desirable for some visitors if they believe it will reduce navigability, safety, or restrict how they recreate (e.g., requiring the use of red-light flashlights after dark and before dawn). How visitors will respond to alternative lighting practices that park managers can implement is still unknown. We used an on-site intercept survey at nine state and national park units in Utah, U.S., to investigate nighttime visitors' support or opposition to management actions to protect night sky quality and their interest in learning about topics related to night skies. Further, this study also segmented visitors into two groups: those ‘dependent’ on the dark sky as a resource and those whose activities did not depend on a dark sky. Defining what a ‘dark sky dependent’ visitor is, which has yet to be done in the literature, is a fundamental step to furthering night sky research and management efforts. Across nine parks and protected areas, 62% of nighttime visitors participated in dark sky dependent activities. Findings indicate broad support for management actions designed to improve night sky quality, with between 74% and 89% of all visitors supporting seven different management actions. There was stronger support from dark sky dependent visitors for some elements of alternative lighting practices, but there was still strong support for those who do not participate in dark sky dependent outdoor recreation. Additionally, between 57% and 75% of visitors were interested in learning more about topics related to night skies. This research indicates most visitors would welcome actions to preserve the quality of the rapidly dwindling naturally dark experiences offered by parks and protected areas.

Citation & Link

Beeco, J. A., Wilkins, E. J., Miller, A. B., Lamborn, C. C., Anderson, S. J., Miller, Z. D., & Smith, J. W. (2023). Support for management actions to protect night sky quality: Insights from visitors to state and National Park units in the U.S. Journal of Environmental Management, 345, 118878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118878