Starving for Darkness: How exterior lighting impacts wildlife

How exterior lighting impacts wildlife.

Since the industrial revolution and the invention of the electric light bulb, the natural ecosystems of the Earth spend more and more time bathed in artificial light within a 24-hour cycle. How does the artificial light and lack of darkness impact wildlife? How does the obstruction of the night’s sky affect bird migration, pollination, and reproduction?

Much of the study of light and health has been dedicated to the impact of light upon humans, however animals and plants are also intrinsically photosensitive and subject to the unwanted effects of stray light. How can a rethinking of design and codes alleviate some of these harmful effects?

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify exterior lighting conditions that can be harmful to wildlife.
2. Look at existing case studies and projects that have caused harm to wildlife.
3. Understand existing lighting regulations and how these can support wildlife, and what can be done to improve existing standards.
4. To look at existing case studies and projects that have been designed for the wellbeing of wildlife habitats and the environment.

Participants may earn one (1) Landscape Architecture Learning Credit (LACES) credit

Presenter: Jane Slade
Jane Slade, MID, LC, IES is the Specification Sales Manager for Speclines in Massachusetts, a lighting manufacturer’s representative agency specializing in public outdoor lighting through an interdisciplinary approach of blending design, science and the latest technology. She is a lighting educator and researcher at Anatomy of Night (www.anatomyofnight.com), researching the many ways in which light impacts our environment, human health, wildlife, biodiversity, and interdependence. Jane is the host of the podcast Starving for Darkness where these impacts are also discussed. Jane Slade is a Richard Kelly Grant recipient for explorations into the social and emotional impacts of light and lighting, through her work in creating lighting fixtures from waste materials in India, and through art installations focused on manipulating emotional experiences with light and color. She is a member of the IES Committee for Outdoor Environmental Lighting, the IES Progress Committee, a contributor to LD+A on the topic of Wildlife, and is currently writing a book about the natural daylight cycle. In her spare time, she is a yoga teacher.

COSTS: Donations of $10/15/20 per registration which will be donated to Wilderness Alberta.