NIGHT SKY AND DARK ENVIRONMENTS: BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR ARTIFICIAL LIGHT AT NIGHT ON BLM-MANAGED LANDS TECHNICAL NOTE 457 1 1. Introduction 1 Glossary terms are sometimes highlighted in bold throughout this technical note, and definitions appear in the glossary. 1.1 Why Attention to Outdoor Lighting is Important Outdoor lighting at night is considered essential to modern human life. It allows us to safely extend our daytime activities into the night hours—everything from work activities to high-speed travel to leisure and recreation. Yet outdoor lighting can have many negative consequences if not used responsibly. Outdoor lighting can interfere with our enjoyment of the night sky and negatively impact the many ecological processes that depend on darkness. Without proper precautions, the addition of artificial light at night1, commonly known as ALAN, can change the natural night sky conditions and affect scenic, historic, cultural, scientific, recreational, and ecological values that depend on darkness and dark night skies. The mission of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The BLM is responsible for more land than any other federal agency, approximately 245 million acres Piper Mountain Wilderness in California.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTkzMzk=