How York’s Dark Skies Initiative Is Redefining Responsible Illumination

In this interview, we speak with Dr Hall to find out what inspired the project, how it’s reshaping thinking about light in cities, why the initiative is capturing national attention, and the research being carried out at York St John University. Plus, we share how Fagerhult is advancing responsible, bio-inclusive lighting solutions to support this movement.

A Spark in the Dark

What began as a student research project inspired by the North York Moors’ Dark Skies Festival has evolved into an ambitious demonstration of what a city can achieve when science, sustainability, and design come together.

“I took my students to the National Park and met with Mike Hawtin, Head of Nature Recovery,” recalls Hall. “He was talking about the Dark Skies Festival, and that really inspired me and my students.”

That conversation led Hall to investigate how events like the Dark Skies Festival shape public awareness and behaviour. “We wanted to understand how exposure to these experiences impacts public perception and whether it leads to pro-environmental behaviours,” she explains. The resulting research – gathered through months of fieldwork – became the foundation for something much larger.

From the National Park to the City Centre

The next step was translating the lessons from the wild into a city context. “We started to ask, how can we take what we’ve learned from the National Park and apply it to a densely populated area like York?” says Hall.

That question stemmed from a crucial realisation shared by Hawtin – that the boundaries of the National Park don’t contain the problem. “Nature and natural entities don’t know any boundaries,” Hall explains. “Those lines are human constructs. So, anything that can be done to reduce light pollution near the park is beneficial, as it helps the park itself. The more we extend responsible lighting practices beyond protected areas, the stronger the ecological impact becomes.”

The project team is now installing a Dark Sky meter to collect data on light pollution, alongside handheld meters used by students to measure lighting levels across campus. They’re also studying local biodiversity – from moths and bats to hedgehogs – to understand how light affects the life around them. Early research highlights the urgency of this work: light pollution is increasing by as much as 10% each year, with 99% of outdoor light in the Northern Hemisphere wasted rather than useful. Excessive artificial light is known to disrupt ecosystems – lighting hedgerows can reduce nocturnal biodiversity by up to 80%, while moths, which pollinate a third of all plants, are particularly vulnerable to artificial light. Even hedgehogs, naturally light-averse, can become desensitised when fed in lit areas, increasing their risk of road collisions.

By gathering data and experimenting with warmer, directional lighting, the University hopes to demonstrate how urban areas can reduce wasted light, protect wildlife, and inspire wider change. “Our work at York St John shows that responsible lighting isn’t just about seeing the stars,” says Hall. “It’s about creating healthier, more sustainable environments for people and nature alike.”

Small changes, such as upgrading light fittings, adjusting tones to warmer hues, and running awareness campaigns about switching off unused lights, are already demonstrating how simple, scalable actions can make a measurable difference.

Changing Perceptions of Darkness

For Hall, one of the greatest challenges isn’t technical – it’s cultural. “We haven’t had our ‘plastics moment’ yet when it comes to light pollution,” she says. “People see brightly lit environments as beautiful or safe, but we don’t yet recognise that excessive lighting is pollution – just like noise or waste.”

Public understanding, she argues, is key. “We’re not the ‘light police’. This is about responsible lighting – thinking about what kind of light we need, where we need it, and when. If a university can reduce light pollution without compromising safety, then so can businesses and cities.”

The stakes are high. Hall points out that light pollution is increasing by up to 10% each year across the UK and Europe, impacting not only biodiversity but also human health through disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms.

A Shared Mission with the Industry

The research being done at York has attracted attention from across the lighting sector, including us at Fagerhult UK – a company committed to advancing responsible and bio-inclusive lighting.

The work that Dr Hall and her colleagues are leading shows how research, data, and design thinking can come together to make our built environments more sustainable. It reinforces our own journey toward developing lighting solutions that minimise ecological impact while maintaining comfort and safety.

This shared vision builds on Fagerhult’s ongoing efforts, such as those explored in our article ‘Lighting the Path Towards Darker Skies’, which highlights how careful specification, smart controls, and spectral awareness can help preserve natural darkness.

Science Meets Light: Professor Gaston’s Perspective.

Hall’s message also resonates with the work of Professor Kevin Gaston, a leading voice in ecology and a member of the DarkSky International Board.

In a recent discussion with Fagerhult, Gaston explained that light pollution is a rare kind of environmental challenge – one we can reverse almost instantly. “Lighting is a problem we can change quickly,” he said. “The task is to minimise biological effects and find the best trade-offs.”

Both Hall and Gaston emphasise the importance of collaboration between researchers and lighting professionals. Industry innovation, academic insight, and public engagement must align if we are to restore our connection with the natural night.

Lighting the way forward - responsibly

York’s Dark Skies Initiative demonstrates how research can directly inform practice – and how lighting can become a force for environmental good.

From the wild moors to the city centre, Dr Jenny Hall’s journey shows that every community can take steps toward responsible illumination. It’s a reminder that darkness itself has value – ecological, cultural, and human – and that by embracing it thoughtfully, we can help nature and ourselves thrive.

At Fagerhult, we believe that innovation and sustainability go hand in hand. Through bio-inclusive lighting design and continued collaboration with researchers and environmental partners, we aim to create solutions that illuminate responsibly – so that future generations can still look up and see the stars.

For more information about how Fagerhult can deliver responsible outdoor lighting projects, get in touch with us