New Zealand dairy farms cut light pollution through shed-lighting upgrades
Kaikōura received international recognition as a dark sky sanctuary in September 2024. That year, Kaikōura District Council also adopted new lighting requirements through its district plan. Protecting Hutton’s shearwaters, also known as tītī, was the motivation for seeking sanctuary status. The farm project put changes to outdoor lighting into practice in working dairy operations.
The installations followed three principles: directing illumination towards the ground, choosing warm light and limiting spill beyond the area requiring illumination. Fully shielded fixtures kept the light below horizontal level. The replacement LEDs had a colour temperature of 3000 Kelvin, complying with the council’s provisions for outdoor lighting. These changes reduced illumination escaping towards the sky and into neighbouring areas.
Electrician Dan Farr, of Dan The Sparky, sourced and fitted the replacements at participating farms. He said adapting existing farm lights to dark-sky requirements need not involve substantial work or expense. In many instances, he said, an existing floodlight could simply be exchanged for a shielded fixture using a warm LED. The participating sites included the Sequoia and Rockwood dairy sheds, both belonging to Mylor Dairy Ltd, and the Boyd dairy shed on Old Beach Road.
Justin Hocking, operations manager at Mylor Dairy Ltd, said the changes had substantially reduced light pollution at the company’s two sheds without disrupting farm activities. He also reported lower electricity consumption and less intrusive illumination, which he said benefited both workers and cows.
Trust project co-ordinator Colette Doughty said farmers had given the initiative considerable support. Some had ceased using their exterior lights entirely without affecting their operations, she said. Will Doughty, the council’s chief executive, welcomed farmers’ willingness to test a different approach and described the results as an example of community co-operation to protect the local night sky.
Sam McCulloch, Fonterra’s regional manager for Tasman Marlborough, described the initiative as an example of modest changes producing environmental benefits. He said he hoped practical demonstrations on operating farms would encourage other farmers to review their own outdoor lighting and consider whether similar adjustments could help.
Local dairy farmer Simon Mackle said he had previously believed cows needed lighting in the cowshed yard. During foggy mornings, he had observed hundreds of Hutton’s shearwaters flying in circles over the lights, apparently confused. Switching off the exterior lighting had left cow movement unaffected, he said. Mackle said he believed the lights had been contributing to light pollution, disturbing neighbours and impairing people’s view of the night sky in Kaikōura.
