Become a Program Partner

Program partners help persuade cities, businesses, and the general public to turn off or modify artificial light at night to provide migrating birds with safe passage between their nesting and wintering grounds.

Purpose:

Persuade the public and businesses to turn off or modify artificial light at night to provide migrating birds with safe passage between their nesting and wintering grounds.

Who Can Participate:

Any organization within Missouri or connecting states that is committed to promoting and achieving the Lights Out Heartland purpose.

Expectations:

  1.  While spring and fall migrations can span many months, Lights Out Heartland will focus its efforts during the calendar months of May (Spring migration) and September (Fall migration) of each year. For each of these months, partners agree to:
    • Host or participate in at least one outreach or educational event focused on Lights Out/Light Pollution within their region (to be defined). Partners can collaborate with other partners on such events.
    • Cross-promote activities/events of all other partners using social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, websites, etc.).
  2. Throughout the year, partners agree to:
    • Meet virtually at 1:30 pm on the third Thursday on the odd months of the year or as otherwise agreed to by the partners for the purpose of planning and collaboration.
    • Share best practices to minimize and mitigate light pollution’s impact on migrating birds
    • Promote Lights Out Heartland within their membership and with the public.
    • All project collaborators will promote Lights Out Heartland on their website or social media.  

Partner Meeting Schedule for 2024

Lights Out Heartland Program Partners meet by ZOOM at 1:30 pm on the third Thursday of odd months of each year.   The ZOOM meeting will start at 1:00 pm allowing time for potential partners and partners with questions to informally chat with organizers.

For 2024, the Program Partner meeting schedule is 1/18, 3/21, 5/16, 7/18, 9/19, and 11/21.   

Our Program Partners

Below is a list of our program partners.

StateOrganizationWebsite
ArkansasArkansas Audubon SocietyVisit
ArkansasArkansas Natural Sky AssociationVisit
ArkansasPink House AlchemyVisit
StateOrganizationWebsite
IowaGreen Iowa AmeriCorpsVisit
StateOrganizationWebsite
KansasJohnson County Community CollegeVisit
KansasTopeka Aubudon SocietyVisit
StateOrganizationWebsite
MissouriAudubon Center at RiverlandsVisit
MissouriBurroughs Audubon SocietyVisit
MissouriCity of Kansas CityVisit
MissouriColumbia Audubon SocietyVisit
MissouriDarkSky MissouriVisit
MissouriKC Zoo & AquariumVisit
MissouriGateway Arch National Park MissouriVisit
MissouriGreater Ozarks Audubon SocietyVisit
MissouriMissouri Department of ConservationVisit
MissouriMissouri River Bird ObservatoryVisit
MissouriMissouri Sierra ClubVisit
MissouriSaint Louis ZooVisit
MissouriSt. Charles County ParksVisit
MissouriSt. Louis Arts Chamber of CommerceVisit
MissouriSt. Louis Audubon SocietyVisit
MissouriTyson Research CenterVisit
MissouriWashington University - St. LouisVisit
MissouriWildlife Rescue CenterVisit
StateOrganizationWebsite
OklahomaOklahoma Alliance for Geographic EducationVisit

Our Goal

Turn lights out during bird migration to help birds travel safe.

LEARN MORE: Scientific evidence suggests that artificial light at night has negative and deadly effects on many creatures including amphibians, birds, mammals, insects and plants. Learn more at DarkSkyMissouri.org or DarkSky.org.