Academy Town Square: Lights Out Philly
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
6:30 PM-8:00 PM
Join us for a conversation hosted by Sophia Schmidt, environmental reporter for WHYY, to better understand the challenges that birds face in urban environments and the ways that we can better protect them.
During the fall 2020 migration season, a perfect storm of events led to the tragic deaths of thousands of birds from window strikes. This sorrowful occurrence galvanized a volunteer group called Bird Safe Philly, which is determined to prevent something similar from happening again. Through their Lights Out Philly campaign, the group was able to convince many of the city’s building owners to turn out their lights at night during the spring and fall migration periods.
Panelists include
- Keith Russell - Bird Safe Philly member, birder, science communicator and program manager of urban conservation for Audubon Pennsylvania.
- Brandon Cuffy - architectural researcher who develops innovative approaches to protecting urban wildlife habitat through building design.
- Don Haas - general manager of One, Two and Three Logan Square and Brandywine Realty Trust, BOMA Philadelphia Sustainability committee member and a Lights Out Philly partner.
- Jason Weckstein - Academy of Natural Sciences curator of ornithology who has been conducting research using the salvaged birds collected by Lights Out Philly volunteers.
This program is presented in conjunction with the Academy’s current exhibition Conversations With Birds.
Academy Town Square: Lights Out Philly is a pay-what-you-wish program with a recommended donation of $15.
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