A clinical psychology doctoral student at Pacifica Graduate Institute, Jordan Perzik focuses on community counseling. With a longstanding interest in environmental issues impacting Southern California, Jordan Perzik is particularly concerned with the growing problem of light pollution, which affects our quality of life and the nocturnal habits of animals and plants.
A recent book project by photographer and former park biologist John Ashley entitled Glacier National Park: After Dark takes a look at a protected region still minimally impacted by light pollution. Using a long-exposure technique, the author captures vast layers of stars in the night sky.
This technique also reveals encroaching light pollution sources in even the most remote areas of the United States. In this case, light from Babb bleeds into the sky from behind Chief Mountain, and Cardston, Alberta’s lights are reflected in the waters of Glacier National Park. Most worrying are the lights apparent from rapidly developing areas such as the Flathead Valley.
In response to this encroachment, Glacier National Park’s natural resources program manager is guiding an application process for the park and adjacent Waterton Park to be designated as an “International Dark Sky Preserve.” This is seen as a way of preserving the integrity of numerous species that have evolved to feed and reproduce in natural darkness. For example, fireflies are not able to mate effectively with light pollution, and this impacts the food supplies of animals further up the food chain, such as bats.
A recent book project by photographer and former park biologist John Ashley entitled Glacier National Park: After Dark takes a look at a protected region still minimally impacted by light pollution. Using a long-exposure technique, the author captures vast layers of stars in the night sky.
This technique also reveals encroaching light pollution sources in even the most remote areas of the United States. In this case, light from Babb bleeds into the sky from behind Chief Mountain, and Cardston, Alberta’s lights are reflected in the waters of Glacier National Park. Most worrying are the lights apparent from rapidly developing areas such as the Flathead Valley.
In response to this encroachment, Glacier National Park’s natural resources program manager is guiding an application process for the park and adjacent Waterton Park to be designated as an “International Dark Sky Preserve.” This is seen as a way of preserving the integrity of numerous species that have evolved to feed and reproduce in natural darkness. For example, fireflies are not able to mate effectively with light pollution, and this impacts the food supplies of animals further up the food chain, such as bats.
