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Light pollution ! Help please ?

knobby

By knobby
in The Astro Lounge

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knobby

knobby

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

thanks for reading this.

We've just started an Essex social group here and its growing pretty quickly.

One of the first things we've done is to look for a dark site !

Feeling pretty happy with ourselves (thanks to Simms who did most of the work) we found a pretty decent looking few sites.

Then it was pointed out that the RSPB are doing this - http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/w/wallaseaisland/

This at the moment means more and more high wattage lamps aiming upwards causing a nice orange glow ...

PLEASE could you email this following note to - wallasea@rsbp.org.uk

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Sir/Madam, I am a member of (state organisation or SGL) and am concerned about the large number of floodlights that have been installed at the Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project.

The Dengie Marshes are just across the River Crouch, and it is a favourite location for Essex astronomers. The much lower levels of light pollution are favourable for visual observing and imaging the night sky. It is very difficult to find such an area in Essex. Some Essex astronomers travel large distances to find other suitable sites, so the whole Dengie area is important to us. At night, light glow from bright lighting carries for a considerable distance. From the Dengie Marshes the glow from Southend, Burnham, Maldon and Clacton is readily apparent. The much closer lights at Wallasea are a great concern to Essex astronomers.

Please be assured that I am in full support of the Wallasea project. It will be a valuable resource for protecting wildlife and be a great place to visit. I wish the project all success.

I do understand the importance of providing a safe working environment for those working at Wallasea, especially at night.

However, as mentioned, the large number of floodlights at Wallasea is a concern. So I am asking if the number of flloodlights could perhaps be reduced, or at least pointed downwards. The horizontal positioning of the lights means that they will be very apparent for many miles. If they could be angled downwards, that would help to lessen the light pollution.

On the safety aspect, horizontally mounted floodlights are just as likely to cause an accident as to prevent one. A bright light shining in a persons face can make it difficult to see a hazard. If the lights are aimed at the ground, then the area is illuminated, and workers less likely to be blinded by the flloodlight.

Thank you for reading this. As already mentioned, I wish the Wallasea project all success.

Very best regards (state individual or organisations name )

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Obviously edit it a bit to make it 'your own'

Thanks to Ed, NGC 1502 for bringing this to our attention and the letter / email draft

Many thanks in advance

Knobby

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umadog

umadog

Posted
Posted

We should all write! If we don't act to save the skies then nobody else will. I'm in US and I've done it so you guys in the UK have no excuse ;) Here's what I sent:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a UK amateur astronomer and I'm concerned about the large number of floodlights that have been installed at the Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project.

The area is one of of the few regions left in the UK that is relatively free of urban light pollution. Overly bright lights with fittings that allow a significant proportion of light to spill upwards can be seen for many miles. The resulting sky glow destroys the view of the night sky and alters animal behaviour and local ecology. We are desperate to protect what little darkness we have left. There are many national parks (both in the UK and elsewhere) which have enacted light pollution regulations; both to save the night sky and to minimise impact on animal behaviour (including impacts on birds).

I am in full support of the Wallasea project and I understand the importance of providing a safe working environment. However, I wonder if there are ways to minimise the impact of the flood lighting? Perhaps the number of lights could be reduced or shielded? The horizontal angle of the lights means that they will be very apparent for many miles and light will spill upward. Perhaps the lights can be switched off when the site is not in use? This will save energy and reduced carbon emissions.

Thank you for reading and I wish the Wallasea project all success.

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Wobbly Bob

Wobbly Bob

Posted
Posted

Good on yer Knobby for having ago, i spent 2 years on a one man campaign to do something about the floodlights over the road, even got our local MP involved. All i can say is I hope you have a better result than I did.

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Monty

Monty

Posted
Posted

Don't they realise that bright light harms nature?

There's lots of research that proves the behaviour of insects and amphibians changes under lighting. For example on stretches of motorways researchers have found creatures congregate under the lights which made other areas barren. I would've thought that a nature reserve would have robust policies about lighting and the impact on it's enviroment.

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laser_jock99

laser_jock99

Posted
Posted

A search online should find you a few reoprts showing light pollution is quite damaging to nature insects (i.e. bird food) and migratory birds being the most affected. For this reason alone I would have the RSPB would not allow these unecessary lights in this area. Also I believe there is currently legislation in place which should effectively prevent lighting eyesores in rural areas ( will look it up later).

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umadog

umadog

Posted
Posted

Yes, guys, please write to them and tell them that stuff. I didn't know of specific examples, which is why I was vague about ecological effects in my letter. The RSPB really ought not to be flood lighting anywhere for the reasons you mention. So tell them!

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Capricorn

Capricorn

Posted
Posted
We've just started an Essex social group here and its growing pretty quickly.

One of the first things we've done is to look for a dark site !

Feeling pretty happy with ourselves (thanks to Simms who did most of the work) we found a pretty decent looking few sites.

Looking from the other side:

You have just formed then chosen somewhere and are complaining about an RSPB reserve that has been there for some time.

You have chosen a location that isn't basically a dark site and suffers, or will suffer, from light pollution - not really a good choice.

You say you have found a few good looking sites, try one of the others perhaps ?

I can understand it if you had an established group and a history, even better an actual observatory, but you say yourself you have just formed and are an informal group.

Are you actually on the reserve land ? Just wondering if you are tresspassing. :grin: :grin: :grin:

If the development goes ahead and they put in place the things they hope to it may be an opertunity to be on good friendly terms and perhaps establish an astronomy group on the reserve. Access, publicity even possibly buildings, instead what I read is "Everyone please complain to them!". The concern is that this does little to get 2 different hobbies to interact succesfully.

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Cath

Cath

Posted
Posted

Don't they realise that bright light harms nature?

They certainly disrupt their lives yes. Which is why I find what they are doing VERY strange indeed!

The last thing the wildlife needs is man made lighting upsetting their world.

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knobby

knobby

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Looking from the other side:

You have just formed then chosen somewhere and are complaining about an RSPB reserve that has been there for some time.

You have chosen a location that isn't basically a dark site and suffers, or will suffer, from light pollution - not really a good choice.

You say you have found a few good looking sites, try one of the others perhaps ?

I can understand it if you had an established group and a history, even better an actual observatory, but you say yourself you have just formed and are an informal group.

Are you actually on the reserve land ? Just wondering if you are tresspassing. :grin: :grin: :grin:

If the development goes ahead and they put in place the things they hope to it may be an opertunity to be on good friendly terms and perhaps establish an astronomy group on the reserve. Access, publicity even possibly buildings, instead what I read is "Everyone please complain to them!". The concern is that this does little to get 2 different hobbies to interact succesfully.

Hi...

It is and has been the darkest site in Essex for a long time.

The reserve isn't the problem, its what they are starting to do to the reserve which entails high power security lighting.

We have if you read the suggested email pretty clearly stated our case and indeed support for what they are doing in a friendly manner ( I think so anyway)

And no ... we wouldn't be on their land trespassing, its the other side of the river :p

Thanks for your interest though... you've helped keep this thread near the top where its more visible to others:D

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umadog

umadog

Posted
Posted

You have chosen a location that isn't basically a dark site and suffers, or will suffer, from light pollution - not really a good choice.

...

I can understand it if you had an established group and a history, even better an actual observatory, but you say yourself you have just formed and are an informal group.

And you are just a troll.

EDIT:

On a different note, did anyone have trouble with their e-mails getting though? I had "message delayed" announcement from <wallasea@rsbp.org.uk>

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SteveNickolls

SteveNickolls

Posted
Posted

Hi,

I sent an email to the RSPB and have had a reply today.

"Dear Mr Nickolls,

Thank you for your message about the lighting on our unloading facility. We have had several messages on this matter which I have passed on to our project manager, as I will this one.

The unloading facility is a temporary structure, with the current planning consent running until 2019. The project may well need the unloading facility beyond this date but it will be removed once our habitat creation project is completed.

The import of material is 24/7 operation so lighting is required to ensure a safe and effective working environment. The lighting scheme for the project has been carefully designed to provide the required lighting whilst keeping light pollution to a minimum. The scheme has been assessed and approved by planners using these criteria.

We anticipate that the lighting will be turned off when ships are not being unloaded but methods of work have not yet been approved. Once the shipping operation is up and running a thorough review of the process, including lighting, will be carried out.

As the project is in its infancy and the lighting not yet functioning, I hope all your fears will be allayed once we are up and running. If you would like to know more about the project ,the links below my signature will take you to our web pages

Best wishes

Hilary

Hilary Hunter

Wallasea Island Public Engagement Manager"

My reply-

"Dear Hilary,

Thank you for your prompt reply to my concerns. I appreciate the position your organisation finds itself in. 2019 sounds an awful long time away though. As regards the need for safety on site can this not be done in a cleverer fashion by having the lighting directed downward as opposed to allowing light spill into the sky? This is a similar situation to that faced by local authorites (street lighting) where either foresight in the choice of lighting or adaptations to block stray light pollution are undertaken. Having personally worked alongside planners for many years I know their limitattions when it comes to such technical matters and the limitations of their legislation. Anyway I do hope your manager will be able to put in place adequate remedial changes to the lighting on the site so that the night sky can be enjoyed alongside site safety. It may be that contact with the environmental health department will allow specialists with light pollution expertise to advise on the scheme?

Best Regards,"

I hope this helps knobby. Planners are involved in such developments but they are not expert in it and have quite a limited scope to comment. I fell short on mentioning the statutory nuisance provisions of part 3 of the Environmetal Protection Act of 1990 as this is not affecting the enjoyment of your property (Where a local authority establishes any one of these issues -includes lighting-constitutes a nuisance (ie is unreasonably interfering with the use or enjoyment of someone’s premises) or is prejudicial to health they must generally serve an abatement notice on the person responsible. However if the RSPB get proper advise and are prepared to pay for the changes this light pollution issue could be at least partially settled.

I hope this helps.

Steve

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knobby

knobby

Posted
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Hi,

I sent an email to the RSPB and have had a reply today.

"Dear Mr Nickolls,

Thank you for your message about the lighting on our unloading facility. We have had several messages on this matter which I have passed on to our project manager, as I will this one.

The unloading facility is a temporary structure, with the current planning consent running until 2019. The project may well need the unloading facility beyond this date but it will be removed once our habitat creation project is completed.

The import of material is 24/7 operation so lighting is required to ensure a safe and effective working environment. The lighting scheme for the project has been carefully designed to provide the required lighting whilst keeping light pollution to a minimum. The scheme has been assessed and approved by planners using these criteria.

We anticipate that the lighting will be turned off when ships are not being unloaded but methods of work have not yet been approved. Once the shipping operation is up and running a thorough review of the process, including lighting, will be carried out.

As the project is in its infancy and the lighting not yet functioning, I hope all your fears will be allayed once we are up and running. If you would like to know more about the project ,the links below my signature will take you to our web pages

Best wishes

Hilary

Hilary Hunter

Wallasea Island Public Engagement Manager"

My reply-

"Dear Hilary,

Thank you for your prompt reply to my concerns. I appreciate the position your organisation finds itself in. 2019 sounds an awful long time away though. As regards the need for safety on site can this not be done in a cleverer fashion by having the lighting directed downward as opposed to allowing light spill into the sky? This is a similar situation to that faced by local authorites (street lighting) where either foresight in the choice of lighting or adaptations to block stray light pollution are undertaken. Having personally worked alongside planners for many years I know their limitattions when it comes to such technical matters and the limitations of their legislation. Anyway I do hope your manager will be able to put in place adequate remedial changes to the lighting on the site so that the night sky can be enjoyed alongside site safety. It may be that contact with the environmental health department will allow specialists with light pollution expertise to advise on the scheme?

Best Regards,"

I hope this helps knobby. Planners are involved in such developments but they are not expert in it and have quite a limited scope to comment. I fell short on mentioning the statutory nuisance provisions of part 3 of the Environmetal Protection Act of 1990 as this is not affecting the enjoyment of your property (Where a local authority establishes any one of these issues -includes lighting-constitutes a nuisance (ie is unreasonably interfering with the use or enjoyment of someone’s premises) or is prejudicial to health they must generally serve an abatement notice on the person responsible. However if the RSPB get proper advise and are prepared to pay for the changes this light pollution issue could be at least partially settled.

I hope this helps.

Steve

Top stuff Steve!

At least she seems to be answering the emails ... I has the same reply today, told her I'd keep I'm touch and thanked her for her time :D

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SteveNickolls

SteveNickolls

Posted
Posted

I recieved the following response from the RSPB today- "

Dear Stephen,

The lighting system at Wallasea has been carefully designed to light only the work area using shielded down lighting and keeping light pollution to a minimum.

Once the system has been tested and adjusted we will review to ensure that we are only lighting the areas that we need to for as long as we need to and any light pollution is minimised.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Tyas

Wallasea Island Project Manager

RSPB

1 Old Hall Lane

Tolleshunt D'Arcy

Maldon

Essex

CM9 8TP

Tel: 01621 862621

Fax: 01621 869015

Mobile: 07736 792481

chris.tyas@rspb.org.uk"

I would like to reply to this. How correct are the comments that 'only light the work area' and 'shield down lighting'? How long has the place been lit up? I am happy to ask that the review of lighting be expidited before the beginning of this year's observing in dark skies (September?). Would the observers wanting to use the area be happy to meet the manager on site to negotiate matters and build up a rapport?

Cheers,

Steve

P.S. Anyone else get a reply from the RSPB?

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