UPDATES - APRIL 2024

Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) 

One of the submissions opposing the development application contained some very important information about microbats and the consequences of this proposed development.  The consequences of which many of us are probably not aware.  

"...the effect of Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) on already vulnerable microbat populations. Microbats have long been identified as key providers of ecosystem services, primarily due to their diet and foraging behaviour. They consume pathogen-carrying arthropods such as malariabearing mosquitos, pollinate and disperse seeds of culturally and economically important plant species, and suppress agricultural pest insects. Microbats provide enormous benefits to the economy and their role in the ecosystem is invaluable, yet they are often disregarded in development and planning initiatives. ALAN has only recently been discussed as a threat to biodiversity and the current literature suggests it has more negative than positive impacts on microbats. ALAN often attracts large numbers of insects that faster flying space-adapted species tend to exploit, though they are not always able to evade aerial predators that also use artificially lit areas as hunting grounds. Conversely, slower flying clutter-adapted species are more sensitive to artificially lit areas, indicating that responses are species-specific and conserving dark patches in urban areas is crucial for the persistence of microbat diversity. ALAN also disrupts microbat drinking behaviours and delays affected species’ emergence times from roosts, thus decreasing their foraging time and putting their health at risk".

 National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife 

Animals and humans perceive light differently. Commercial light monitoring instruments currently focus on measuring the region of the spectrum most visible to humans. It is important to recognise and account for this fact when monitoring light for wildlife impact assessment purposes. Commercial light modelling programs also focus on light most visible to humans and this should also be recognised and accounted for in the impact assessment of artificial light on wildlife.

The aim of the Guidelines is that artificial light will be managed so wildlife is: 

1. Not disrupted within, nor displaced from, important habitat; and 

2. Able to undertake critical behaviours such as foraging, reproduction and dispersal.