Speaker
Description
Artificial light at night poses significant challenges to astronomy, biodiversity, human health, and cultural heritage, yet the Philippines currently lacks a coordinated national initiative for dark sky conservation. This study aims to develop an organizational framework for establishing and expanding a Philippine DarkSky chapter during its first year of operation. Using an action research approach, the study documents the processes of stakeholder engagement, partnership building, volunteer recruitment, public outreach, and strategic planning through organizational records, interviews, surveys, and activity evaluations. It examines the opportunities and challenges of building a sustainable, community-driven movement for dark sky conservation while fostering collaborations among government agencies, academic institutions, environmental organizations, and local communities. The study is expected to identify key organizational strategies and best practices for sustaining dark sky initiatives in the Philippines. The resulting framework will provide practical guidance for emerging DarkSky chapters and contribute to broader efforts in environmental conservation, science communication, and the preservation of natural night skies.
