by John McMahon

With the annual Spring migration over North America well underway for a wide variety of bird species, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has announced this year’s Lights Out initiative to protect birds as they migrate. It directs State-owned and managed buildings to turn off non-essential outdoor lighting from 11p.m. to dawn during the period from April 15 through May 31. The program is also in effect during the peak fall migration from Aug. 15 through Nov. 15. State agencies are also encouraged to draw blinds when possible and to turn off non-essential indoor lighting during these specified times. In general, Lights Out is a simple concept that urges commercial and residential property owners and managers to reduce their nighttime light pollution by turning off or dimming non essential lights. Experts remind the public that as a general principle any exterior lighting is more bird friendly when directed downward rather than up into the sky.

Recent studies have shown that some populations of migratory birds are in decline; and in addition to loss of habitat, climate change, deforestation, and pesticide use, misdirected and excessive outdoor lighting (called light pollution) and the resulting brightening of the night sky (called sky glow) interfere with birds’ ability navigate by the stars. Even more tragic is the way that lights on buildings can disorient and confuse these nocturnal travelers, particularly in adverse weather, and can draw them away from their normal flight patterns, thus causing them to circle endlessly around tall lighted structures. In fact, it has been estimated that millions of migratory avians perish this way annually, a grim fact that has given rise to the term fatal light attraction. Buildings lit from the inside can also affect birds on the wing in the dark, and collisions with windows are another source of bird fatalities.

In addition, brightly illuminated nightscapes over larger areas like cities and suburbs can delay or hasten a migration schedule, thereby disrupting birds’ normal schedules for feeding, nesting and breeding. One recent study has shown that while in flight, migratory birds are more likely to engage in stop-over behavior near illuminated areas, causing them to avoid natural areas like forests that would better benefit them on their trek. This diversion may ultimately decrease their fitness to accomplish their journey in a healthy condition.

While putting limits on illumination at night to reduce the threats to migrating birds is a beneficial first step, restricting uncontrolled lighting should be reduced over the whole year to protect other wildlife active at night. Even in naturally dark rural settings a single source of continuous artificial lighting throughout the night effectively fragments the natural nocturnal environment by disorienting animals, attracting or repelling them in ways that disrupt mating and reproduction, communication, hunting and foraging and migration. For example, moths, which pollinate many plants crucial to both wildlife and human well-being, are severely confused by outdoor lighting fixtures and are distracted from the night-blooming flowers that they had long ago evolved to visit. And fireflies using their own flickering light to attract mates are seriously compromised by the presence of bright lights, resulting in potential delays in mating and a reduction in egg-laying behaviors.

But what can you do? Fortunately, there are several easy ways to help: use light only if it’s needed and turn it off when it’s no longer necessary. Additionally, direct light properly so that it does not affect wildlife, and make sure that it is only as bright as necessary. Indeed, your human neighbors will also thank you for keeping your lights from intruding onto their property and into their homes. In that way you can help to preserve a calm and peaceful nightscape in your community.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservations page on the Lights Out initiative can be found here:
https://dec.ny.gov/news/press-releases/2025/4/dec-and-ogs-remind-new-yorkers-to-keep-lights-outto-protect-migrating-birds

For more information on sensible outdoor lighting in general, see DarkSky Internationals “Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting” at:

Written by John McMahon

By Dianna Goodwin

If you are planting a tree this spring or working on landscaping around existing trees on your property, consider the needs of pollinators and other small creatures who live in your yard.

Give them a Soft Landing

“Soft landings” are natural landscapes designed for the area under the shade of a tree that take the survival of critters like fireflies and bumblebees into account. Insects need habitat for shelter and egg laying. In nature, that habitat is often under trees. If you think about a natural forest floor, it is covered with decaying plant parts like leaves, twigs, and rotting logs. Collectively, this forest floor covering is known as “duff”. You can create a healthy and ecologically significant microhabitat under your suburban trees by leaving the leaves and twigs that falls from a tree under the tree’s dripline (that is, under the circumference of the canopy above) and planting a diverse array of native shade plants in the natural flower bed that results. The duff provides a soft landing for insects seeking a vegetative substrate or connection with the ground for hiding from predators, pupating, finding moisture, or, in the case of many ground bees and beetles, excavating small burrows for egg laying.

Keep it natural

In order to create a soft landing for wildlife, you need to avoid conventional gardening practices like mowing under the trees, putting down landscape cloth, and adding “neat” wood chip mulch. Wood chip mulch creates an impenetrable barrier for insects trying to reach the ground. And never, ever apply any chemicals to a soft landing natural garden bed, or any pollinator garden. Don’t use insecticides or fungicides or herbicides or fertilizers. The native plants are nourished by the decaying leaves and do not need any other artificial input. Avoid damaging your tree’s roots: start planting about 3 feet away from the tree trunk. Plant seeds or small plugs which require minimal digging. Heather Holm’s website provides detailed information on how to create a Soft Landing bed.

Go native

It is important to use native plants that have been grown without insecticides in your soft landing bed. Avoid cultivars since they are usually less attractive to insects and birds than the original native plant and may provide inferior food rewards for pollinators and sap suckers. Sustainable Saratoga will be selling a number of native perennial shade plants that are suitable for a soft landing bed at the Pollinator Palooza Native Plant Sale on June 1, 2024. Plants anticipated to be offered in this year’s Palooza that will do well under a shade tree are included in this list.

You can also buy native plants online from Prairie Moon or from local native nurseries like Wild Things Rescue Nursery or Catskill Native Nursery. Do not buy plants from any nursery or big box store unless the plants are certified to be grown without pesticides. American Beauties plants are sold in nurseries throughout the region and are safe for wildlife. All other nursery plants are suspect and should not be placed in soft landing gardens as they may be death traps for insects.

Perfect for them and easy for you

Soft landing beds are easy to maintain once established. They don’t need raking or watering or spraying. You just leave them alone and enjoy the show.

Resources

See Heather Holm’s website for more information. Download a printable PDF including plant list.

Find more resources on our Pollinators and Native Plants pages