NAVIGATING DARKNESS: A PROPOSAL FOR DARK INFRASTRUCTURE TO REDUCE LIGHT POLLUTION AND ENHANCE NATURES PATHWAYS

Background: Light has become a form of spatial barrier, much like a road or wall, that disrupts wildlife movement. Therefore, the study explores how dark infrastructure can be used to support nocturnal biodiversity movement across the fragmented urban district of Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Metro Manila, Philippines.

Aim: To propose a conceptual dark infrastructure in BGC to reduce light pollution and foster nocturnal movement.

Methods: Using QGIS, a geographic information system, several maps were created for analysis, including a biotope map, an ecological management map, and an ecological connectivity map of a selected sub-watershed unit surrounding BGC. Data for some of these maps were imported into the software from geoportal PH and light pollution map.info.

Results:The findings reveal that much of the sub-watershed unit requir es creative and improvement strategies, such as establishing vegetation buffers and replacing traditional street lighting. Several nodes were subsequently placed and connected to create dark movement routes for nocturnal wildlife and navigate the previously glaring urban district.

Conclusion: Through a proposed dark infrastructure, it affirms that mitigating light pollution and enhancing ecological connectivity are not competing objectives but can be synergistically addressed through landscape architectural interventions. By treating landscapes as both light filters and habitat corridors, urban environments like BGC can be redesigned to support nocturnal biodiversity while preserving essential urban functions.