The trend is towards the extinction of public lighting in the Val-d'Oise, as in the very urban agglomeration community of Val Parisis, where thirteen out of fifteen municipalities are preparing to plunge part of the night.
But in the more rural sector of the department, to the west, we are also interested, and for a long time, in light pollution.
The municipalities of Vexin, a region straddling Val-d'Oise, Yvelines and Oise, are more and more numerous to practice nocturnal extinction.
Parmain is the latest.
But in others, like Haute-Isle, located in the natural reserve of the loops of the Seine, it is a habit of more than twenty years.
The village has adopted this environmental protection measure since part of its perimeter was classified as a Natura 2000 area. Others came there thanks to the confinement, such as Vétheuil, for example, who had taken advantage of this situation. exceptional to test the device.
“Insects and birds are better regulated this way”
Since then, the village has rekindled, in particular due to work carried out on the main road.
“But we are going to switch off again in July and August”, announces the mayor (SE), Dominique Herpin-Poulenat.
Then, the municipality wishes to perpetuate the measure, “but we are waiting for subsidies from the region to buy clocks which allow us to adjust lighting slots.
“Already, during the test phases, “I had almost only good feedback, comments the chosen one.
We see more glowworms.
And according to the locals, insects and birds are better regulated that way.
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Read alsoPublic lighting: in Val-d'Oise, thirteen cities will test the extinction of lights during the night
The regional natural park (PNR) has decided to work on the issue in turn to encourage all communities to get involved.
In 2021, a survey was launched with municipalities to identify practices.
And a specialized research firm is in the process of carrying out a complete mapping.
“They list all the lighting points and take readings to draw the map of light pollution,” explains Maëlle Ladislas, project manager at the park.
The PNR wants to cross-reference this data with the information it already has concerning the presence of birds, bats or moths.
Much of the pollination takes place at night
In the long term, measures could thus be taken to preserve the "black frame", the nocturnal version of the green frame within which animals and insects circulate freely.
The challenge is all the more important as a large part of the pollination takes place in the dark, thanks in particular to moths.
The natural park plans an action on the subject next October, on the occasion of the national event the Day of the night.
