These areas, where National Parks, Nature Sanctuaries, Marine Reserves, and other protected zones are located, will have higher lighting restrictions than the rest of the country.
The excess of artificial light produced by people has a great impact on flora and fauna. Most living beings –including humans– rely on the day/night cycle for their fundamental biological processes, so the introduction of artificial light into habitats means the alteration of the natural conditions of the environment, directly impacting their circadian cycle.
The New Lighting Standard, which comes into effect in October 2024, seeks to protect habitats from the excess of artificial light, thus incorporating Biodiversity Protection Areas as a defense against light pollution. These areas, where National Parks, Nature Sanctuaries, Marine Reserves, and other protected zones are located, will have higher lighting restrictions than the rest of the country.
Andean Juncal Park, a Biodiversity Protection Area
The Andean Juncal Park, by hosting wetlands protected by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, will be part of the Biodiversity Protection Areas contemplated by the New Lighting Standard. Located 145 kilometers from Santiago in the Los Andes commune, the park extends over approximately 14 thousand hectares and, since 1911, has belonged to the Kenrick family. In 2003 its administration was taken over by Catherine Kenrick and, at that time, it became an exclusive area for conservation, tourism, and scientific research. Catherine describes the abundant biodiversity present in the park: “Not a day goes by without us discovering something new.”
In the area, at least 68 species of flora, 69 species of birds, 10 mammals, five reptile species, and two amphibian species inhabit. Even in recent years, endangered species like the Andean cat and the matuasto reptile have been sighted. 93% of the flora and 98% of the fauna in the park are native, including seven endemic flora species and five endemic fauna species. Additionally, it has five wetlands, home to various bird species and a water source for mammals.
There are 24 glaciers within the perimeter, representing about 15% of the total glaciers that still remain in the Aconcagua Valley. According to the park administration, this equates to fourteen hundred hectares of glaciers, which means a vital water reserve for an area at risk of drought like the Valparaíso Region.
Due to its “high ecological value,” this park is one of the 16 sites with the Ramsar International Recognition in Chile, which grants special protection to its biodiversity. Achieving the protection of this immense ecosystem has been a work of decades, emphasizes Catherine. “Recently in the park, a herd of seventy guanacos and more than a hundred mountain parrots were sighted. That was something that didn’t exist before; at the beginning, we didn’t see a single guanaco, barely a fox. It’s impressive to see how animals sense that there is an area here where they are safe,” she said.
Dark skies, a key part of the park’s ecosystem
Daniela González, executive director of the Cielos de Chile Foundation, highlights the relevance of dark skies in the conservation of this habitat, as they “provide a service to ecosystems contributing to their conservation.” The New Lighting Standard recognizes this contribution by establishing differentiated measures for Biodiversity Protection Areas like the Andean Juncal Park.
Despite being so close to cities like Los Andes and Santiago, this park stands out for the quality of its skies. Giuliana Vidal, former park ranger of the Andean Juncal Park, was able to observe this during her stays on the property. “The park has a beautiful night sky, but the light pollution is noticeable,” she pointed out.
Mining activity in the Aconcagua Valley has become a point of concern for the conservation of dark skies in the park. In the Los Andes commune, there are already mining projects by Angloamerican, Codelco, and Nutrex.
“Many times around the perimeters of the operations, lights are used that are not appropriate and not even at times related to the mining extraction itself. Therefore, considering that it is a Biodiversity Protection Area and that the lighting standard specifies restrictions that are even stricter, it is necessary to have care and control over this type of activity,” concluded Daniela González.
