RADAR
Dark Sky, Healthy Yard
We spend a lot of time thinking about how our outdoor spaces look in daylight. It may be time we started thinking about how they function after dark, too.
By Jennifer Reynolds
The best outdoor lighting highlights specific areas while preserving natural darkness. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF LAMPAS (TORBEN ESKEROD). VIDEO: YB_X/ENVATO
Most of us tend to think of our yards in terms of daylight. We notice the sunny front step, the shady side yard, the path to the back door, the trees that frame the deck. But what happens after sunset?
Quite a lot, it turns out. Why darkness matters As awareness of light pollution grows, more homeowners are embracing dark-sky principles — using outdoor lighting that provides safety and beauty without overwhelming the night. It’s a simple change that can have a surprisingly positive impact on local ecosystems.
Many birds, bats, insects, amphibians and other wildlife depend on darkness to navigate, feed and reproduce. Excessive outdoor lighting can disrupt these natural behaviours. Bright, blue-toned lights can contribute to disorientation and habitat loss. Even plants rely on predictable cycles of light and darkness to regulate growth and seasonal changes. In nature, night isn’t empty space — it’s an important part of the ecosystem.
Many birds, bats, insects, amphibians and other wildlife depend on darkness to navigate, feed and reproduce. Excessive outdoor lighting can disrupt these natural behaviours, while bright, blue-toned lights can contribute to disorientation and habitat loss.
Darker skies can help preserve ecosystems as well as save energy. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF DARKSKY.ORG
Light for people, not the whole neighbourhood
The good news? Being a better neighbour to wildlife doesn’t mean sitting in the dark.
Thoughtful outdoor lighting can make a property safer and more inviting without flooding it with glare. Start by replacing cool, blue-white bulbs with warm-toned LEDs (3000K or less). Choose fixtures that direct light downward rather than outward. Motion sensors can also help, especially when sensitivity and range are adjusted to focus on people approaching a door or pathway rather than every raccoon in the yard.
Just as important: keep light where it’s needed. If a fixture is shining into a neighbour’s window, washing out their view of the night sky or spilling into garden beds and natural areas, it’s probably doing more harm than good. A simple fall lighting audit
Fall is a great time for a lighting audit, when earlier sunsets make us more aware of how our homes are lit. Walk around your property after dark and ask a few simple questions: Is this light helping anyone move safely through the space? Is it lighting a doorway, step or gathering area? Or is it simply on because it always has been?
Ironically, the most beautiful outdoor lighting is often the least noticeable. Instead of flooding a property with light, it highlights pathways, entrances and gathering spaces while allowing shadows — and twinkling stars — to remain part of the experience.
Just as our yards need sunlight to thrive, they also need darkness to rest, recover and support the countless creatures that come alive after sunset. The healthiest outdoor spaces leave room for all the stars. CAA
Downward-facing fixtures and properly adjusted motion sensors reduce unnecessary light. | PHOTO: COURTESY BED BATH & BEYOND
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