sustainability Review Ecological Impact of Artificial Light at Night: Effective Strategies and Measures to Deal with Protected Species and Habitats Annika K. Jägerbrand 1,2,* and Constantinos A. Bouroussis 3 1 Calluna AB, Hästholmsvägen 28, SE-131 30 Nacka, Sweden 2 Department of Environmental and Biosciences, Rydberg Laboratory of Applied Science (RLAS), School of Business, Engineering and Science, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden 3 Lighting Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Zografou, Greece;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: When conserving or protecting rare or endangered species, current general guidelines for reducing light pollution might not suffice to ensure long-term threatened species’ survival. Many protected areas are exposed to artificial light at levels with the potential to induce ecological impacts with unknown implications for the ecosystems they are designated to protect. Consequently, it is recommended that precautionary methods for the avoidance and mitigation of light pollution in protected areas be integrated into their management plans. This paper’s aims are to present an overview of best practices in precautionary methods to avoid and mitigate light pollution in protected areas and to identify and discuss what ecosystems should be considered light-sensitive and how to prioritise species and habitats that need protection from artificial light, including examples of legislation covering ecological light pollution in the European Union and in Sweden. The important Citation: Jägerbrand, A.K.; aspects to include when considering light pollution at a landscape level are listed, and a proposal Bouroussis, C.A.