In the previous post, we introduced the increasing designation of Golf Courses as Dark-Sky Places which started in the Americas and exploded in popularity worldwide. In today’s post, we delve deeper into why we see this trend emerging in relation to golf courses, some pitfalls we need to beware of and other solutions.
So… Why Golf Courses?
What exactly makes them such a good place for dark spaces? For a start, Golf courses occupy a great area of land. This extensive land mass averages at 150 acres per 18 holes, offering huge potential to create dark spaces under the ownership and control of a single entity (Graham, 2020).
Additionally, since golf courses tend to be community-oriented, certain control and power are in the hands of the community which has a voice in demanding for a balanced development that takes into account the protection of this green space. Furthermore, as a recreational site situated in the natural environment, communities drawn to golfing tend to be attracted by this connection to nature (Graham, 2020). This emphasises the potential of golfing communities as agents of change.
Golf courses can also be a site to promote awareness in the movement. Although it has never been a major source of light pollution, the regularity and continuity of a dimly lit or unlit space at night provide a platform for communities to internalise the value of darkness (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Stargazing Party at the Furnace Creek Dark-Sky Resort (Source: Oasis at Death Valley, 2016)
Pitfalls and Solutions
With that said, green solutions as this can lead to “greenwashing” if it is appropriated by various agencies for promotional purposes. Hence, in the execution and replication of such solutions, there are several guidelines provided for us.
1. Official Certifications
Official certification becomes increasingly important with growing awareness of the “Dark Sky” movement. There is danger in the practice of several existing golfing communities who claim to comply with dark-sky standards without official certification or use the Dark-Sky branding as a marketing tool (Graham, 2020). Not only does this reduce the efforts of reducing light pollution to turning off some lights, but it also diverts attention away from sites that have the potential to reduce their light pollution.
With that said, it might be clearer to lay out how the International Dark-Sky Association acknowledges Dark-Sky Places. Certification is provided through the International Dark Sky Places Program which measures the site’s efforts to preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting polices and public education. The compliance to guidelines is unique to the 5 categories of designation — International Dark Sky Communities, Parks, Reserves, Sanctuaries and Urban Night Sky Places— based on land management, size and sky quality (International Dark-Sky Association, 2020). Hence, claiming to be a “Dark Sky” site without certification may overlook many specific criteria checked in the certification process.
2. Lighting Fixtures
Additionally, the effectiveness of light management can be facilitated through the use of proper light fixtures. Light fixtures can do so by aiming to direct light only where needed, minimizing blue-light emissions, using motion sensors, timers and dimmers to enable the responsible usage of light (Graham, 2020). A site-specific example of light improvement works would be the Terre Blanche, an exclusive residential golf community, in Provence, France which installed partial blackout screens to existing outdoor lamps (Graham, 2020).
Such solutions to lighting though limited to golf courses provide an innovative yet simple nudge towards sustainable changes. As communities learn about the importance of minimising light pollution, actions taken in golf-courses can hopefully serve as a course for greater changes in our cities.
Till next time!
Trudie
References
- Graham, A. H. (2020, September 11). Golf is embracing the ‘Dark sky’ movement. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/11/climate/golf-dark-sky-movement.html
- International Dark-Sky Association. (2020, July 31). International Dark Sky Places. https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/
- International Dark-Sky Association. (2020, January 23). How to become an international dark sky place. https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/become-a-dark-sky-place/
- Oasis at Death Valley. (2016, January 21). [Photograph]. The Oasis at Death Valley. https://www.oasisatdeathvalley.com/connect/stories/let-the-pros-guide-you-at-our-furnace-creek-star-party/