| Description |
Urbanization has impacted night skies throughout the world. As of 2016, nearly one-third of Earth's population was unable to view the Milky Way due to widespread light pollution. Aside from diminishing the cultural and aesthetic value of night skies, light pollution impacts human health, ecosystem functionality, and economic well-being. Although study of the night sky has emerged as an area of applied research, many knowledge and implementation gaps still exist. This study aims to foster awareness, planning capacity, and night sky-friendly development in Moab, UT and the broader Grand County, UT area of the Spanish Valley. To this end, our project utilizes a pioneering, comprehensive, and streamlined lighting inventory procedure. Our lighting audit of publicly- and some privately-owned fixtures will provide a baseline that local decision-makers can use to evaluate the potential benefits of lighting-related capital investments, regulatory changes, and incentive programs. The baseline can also be used to benchmark on-the-ground changes over time. Because the lighting audit findings will be publicly available on Google Maps, the project also supports citizen science and public participation in local government. This paper will cover the lighting audit procedure, findings, and policy recommendations, all of which may inform the City and County's efforts to protect and preserve dark skies in the area. |
