Migrating birds need our help right now because urban light pollution is a hazard. “Travis Audubon and a coalition of other local and state organizations want us to flip the switch for birds this spring! Nearly two billion birds migrate across Central Texas skies each spring and fall, and many of them fly at night. Spring migration is already underway and we want to make their journey as safe as possible. Artificial lighting can cause birds to be disoriented and collide with buildings, and these avoidable collisions kill up to one billion migratory birds annually in the United States. The good news is that everyone can help. Let’s turn off all nonessential indoor and outdoor lighting from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. March 1–June 15, but especially during peak migration dates of April 22–May 12. Please shut off porch and garage lights, close your curtains and shades, and ask your office building management to shut off their lights at night, too. You’ll be protecting birds while also saving money on energy. Learn more at https://travisaudubon.org/lights-out-texas
Native grass seeds can be planted in the spring, so this is a great time to start a pocket meadow. Native American Seed in Junction, Texas, sells native seeds and seed mixes designed to be an “ecosystem in a bag.” https://native-american-seed6.mybigcommerce.com/ For example, non-native turf can be replaced with their “Thunder Turf.” There is even a “Pocket Prairie Mix” specifically designed to increase biodiversity in urban landscapes. Those who do not have a yard can still help restore lost habitat by following Homegrown National Park’s “Container Gardening With Keystone Plants” guide: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/keystone-container-gardening?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsCgBhDEARIsAE7RYh1DkLJ9m2fxUapyqkUDUfWjqdsEZkWfxAy9Hea2FxK_Gl5OtaRLgzEaAio1EALw_wcB.
North Loop Neighborhood Association 