Listen to the People!
Originating from Toronto, Canada, the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) is a non-profit organization committed to protecting the rights and welfare of wild birds affected by light pollution and window collisions. In response to artificial light, FLAP created Lights Out Toronto!(LOT) that raises awareness of the effects of light pollution on migratory birds, and encourages building owners and operators to turn off unnecessary lights during night migrations. FLAP worked alongside the City of Toronto to develop building guidelines to reduce future window collisions.
Source: http://www.flap.org/who-we-are.php
In Vancouver, the Vancouver Bird Strategy is committed to supporting and enriching a year-round assemblage of native birds. Their objectives include:
- Support Habitat
- Reduce Threats
- Enhance Access
- Enhance Awareness
- Grow Bird-related Tourism
In the short-term (2 years), the organization aims to evaluate city-owned buildings for bird collisions to assess the extent of the issue. Their long-term goals (5 years) include finding solutions to mitigate impacts of light pollution on birds and enforce city-owned buildings and facilities to reduce light pollution. As part of their landscape design guidelines, Vancouver Bird Strategy required the reduction of light pollution through the reduction of unnecessary lights, avoidance of floodlighting and uplighting, and encouraging the usage of minimum wattage fixtures. There are also new guidelines for building designs to reduce window collisions including increasing the visibility of glass structures.
Canadian Law
Jurisdiction over birds is divided between federal and provincial governments. Here they are:
- It is an offence under Ontario law to emit reflected light that kills or injures birds.
- It is an offence under the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA) to kill or injure birds even though you are simply doing it by reflective windows on your buildings.
Want more information? Check out these links.
- Birds protected in Canada under Migratory Birds Convention Act – https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/migratory-birds-legal-protection/convention-act.html
- Species at Risk Act – http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=8BB77EC2-1
There is an urgent need to recognize what Hölker et al (2010b) call the “hidden cost” of technological advances in lighting up the night. They argue the management of darkness needs to become an integral part of future conservation and lighting policies (Hölker et al 2010b).