WHAT IS “LIGHTS OUT TEXAS”?
“Lights Out Texas” is a campaign of education, awareness, and action that focuses on turning out lights at night during the spring and fall migrations to help protect the billions of migratory birds that fly over Texas annually.
WHAT SHOULD I DO DURING “LIGHTS OUT TEXAS”?
We encourage everyone to turn off non-essential lights at night from 11 pm – 6 am during the full fall and spring migration periods, and where conflicts apply, prioritize lights out during the critical peak migration periods.
WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES FOR “LIGHTS OUT TEXAS”?
Turn off all non-essential lights from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. each night during migration season.
Do not use landscape lighting to light up trees or gardens where birds may be resting.
For essential lights (like security and safety lighting) use the following dark skies friendly lighting practices:
Aim lights downward;
Use lighting shields to direct light downwards and avoid light shining into the sky or trees;
Use motion detectors and sensors so lights are only on when you need them;
Close blinds at night to reduce the amount of light being emitted from windows.
You can find examples of dark skies friendly lighting from the International Dark Sky Association and additional guidance and language regarding dark skies from the McDonald Observatory’s dark skies resources and recommended lighting practices.
WHEN IS “LIGHTS OUT TEXAS” IN 2022?
Fall Migration Dates*
Full Fall Migration Period: August 15 – November 30
Critical Fall Peak Migration Period: September 5 – October 29
Spring Migration Dates*
Full Spring Migration Period: March 1 – June 15
Critical Spring Peak Migration Period: April 19 – May 7
*Please note that migration dates vary from year to year. Visit the Audubon Texas website for the latest dates.
WHO IS INVOLVED WITH “LIGHTS OUT TEXAS”?
In 2022, the management of “Lights Out Texas” for Spring of 2022 was co-facilitated by Texan by Nature and Audubon Texas, with a total transition of the statewide initiative to Audubon Texas in the Summer of 2022. Learn more and see the latest “Lights Out Texas” Resources at tx.audubon.org/urbanconservation/lights-out-texas
Visit the Audubon Texas website for the latest information and resources on “Lights Out Texas”
Lights Out for Wildlife – Certify Your Home or Building with Texas Conservation Alliance
Recommended Lighting Practices (for energy companies, but practices are applicable across all industries)
Note-this article is extracted from the Texan by Nature website at: https://texanbynature.org/projects/lights-out-texas/.
You may want to read the original article for additional information.
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