Speaker Series- Rooted in Darkness: Responsible Lighting to Support Native Plants and Biodiversity
Public Welcome Family-Friendly Registration Required Free Event Chapter Meeting Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
For millions of years, the natural world has thrived on the predictable rhythms of daylight and darkness. While we rest, nature's nocturnal realm comes to life, with at least 30% of vertebrates and 60% of invertebrates active at night. Native plants rely on the length of day and night to regulate flowering, germination, leaf shedding, and pollination. Recent studies reveal that the growth of artificial light at night is increasing sky brightness by 10% each year, creating stress on fragile ecosystems.
Don Ficken - Founder of DarkSky Missouri and Lights Out Heartland and a certified Missouri Master Naturalist and Pollinator Steward - will discuss the fascinating world of nature at night and how adopting responsible lighting practices can safeguard Missouri's ecosystems and your native landscape.
A short member meeting precedes the event