Belgian national park turns off street lights to combat light pollution and protect wildlife

A groundbreaking conservation initiative in Belgium is tackling one of Europe’s most overlooked environmental problems: light pollution. A Belgian national park has begun switching off streetlights in an ambitious effort to restore natural darkness and protect wildlife habitats in what satellite images reveal to be one of the continent’s most illuminated countries.

The project faces significant community resistance, highlighting the challenge of balancing environmental protection with public safety concerns. André Detournay, a 77-year-old resident of Mazée village who has lived in the area for four decades, represents the skeptical local perspective. “Having lights here is logical,” he explains, noting that streetlights make him feel safer during evening walks with his dog and provide protection against theft.

Belgium’s excessive artificial lighting has created what researchers describe as a “Christmas decoration” effect visible from space, making the Milky Way nearly impossible to see except in the most remote locations. This light pollution disrupts wildlife behavior patterns, affects migratory routes, and interferes with natural ecosystems that depend on darkness cycles.

The park’s radical approach of simply turning off “pointless” streetlights represents a growing recognition that artificial lighting often serves little practical purpose while causing significant environmental harm. The success of this initiative will likely depend on whether conservationists can convince local communities that safety and wildlife protection can coexist, potentially setting a precedent for similar dark-sky preservation efforts across light-polluted Europe.