Join Craig Repasz for a discussion on light pollution and its effects on birds, wildlife, and humans and what you can do to help. Millions of birds pass through Connecticut every spring and fall on their way to and from their summer nesting grounds. Because our state is located along the Atlantic Flyway, many birds use our shorelines and green spaces to rest and refuel during their trip.

Light pollution has wreaked havoc on our night sky. Artificial light emitted by our homes, buildings, streetlights, bridges, and other structures can confuse and disorient birds, causing them to land near buildings, crash into windows, and/or circle around for hours until they drop from exhaustion. The result is catastrophic: There are nearly 1 billion bird deaths in North America each year.

Light pollution also impacts other wildlife, human health, and energy waste.

Please come to learn about the problem and what could be done to mitigate the damage.

Craig Repasz is President of the Friends of Stewart B McKinney NWR, an organization devoted to supporting this important refuge. He is past president of the New Haven Bird Club and past conservation chair of the Connecticut Ornithological Association. He has been the volunteer coordinator for the Connecticut Bird Atlas for six years. He enjoys backpacking and conducts Mountain Birdwatch surveys for the Vermont Center of Ecostudies, focusing on the Bicknell’s Thrush and other high elevation species.

This program is cosponsored by the Guilford Land Conservation Trust and is free and open to all.