Midnight, moonlight, and survival

On the darkest nights, a small group of interns and volunteers march out onto the beach to measure ambient light. In most locations, lights from hotels, restaurants, homes, and sky glow from nearby cities spill onto the beach. The small group deploys their equipment and measures light beaming into important coastal habitat from outside the park. The darkness, a diminishing natural resource, is a vital part of the habitat for many species including sea turtles and beach mice. These citizen scientists are conducting research to quantify light trespass, sky glow and light related impacts to the habitat of nocturnal animals.