A national park in Belgium is turning off 75 'pointless' streetlights in an effort to restore natural darkness for wildlife. The project in the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse park in Wallonia aims to reduce light pollution in one of Europe’s most illuminated countries, where the Milky Way is rarely visible.
Local resident André Detournay, 77, opposes the scheme. “I walk here with my dog and it makes me feel safe,” he said. The project, however, targets lights more than 50 metres from buildings and within 50 metres of Natura 2000 protected sites.
Research indicates that street lighting does not necessarily improve safety. Studies in England and Wales found no significant link between reduced lighting and changes in crime or road collisions. Project leader Nicolas Goethals said: “The normal should be darkness. It’s night-time!”
Light pollution is known to harm insects, birds, amphibians and other species. In France, an estimated 2,000 billion insects are killed annually by public lighting. The park has allocated €308,000 to remove the lights by August, treating darkness as a habitat restoration measure.
Goethals has held local talks and night walks to address safety concerns. “We cannot say to an old lady we want to prioritise bats over you,” he said, emphasising the importance of public reassurance. Some locals remain unconvinced, but the project proceeds as a step toward reducing unnecessary illumination.
