Dark Skies
Dark Skies mural at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Newburyport, MA 2024
This glow-in-the-dark mural highlights the need for Dark Skies for bird, insect, and bat migrations. It is a collaborative effort between local artist Jenn Houle, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge (PRNWR) and The Great Marsh Artists Program overseen by the Artists for the Great Marsh and the Manship Artists Residency.
Multiple species form an infinity symbol as an overarching design to acknowledge the endless nature of the migrations and also as a wish for them to continue in perpetuity. Tree swallows, little brown bat, red bat, green darner dragonfly, seaside dragonlet, monarch butterflies, moths and insects are featured in the mural. The mural functions as a darkness gauge, if the glow-in-the-dark pigments are able to be seen then the lighting conditions are dark enough to support healthy migrations. Dark skies are critical for successful songbird migration especially in September-October and April-May, are necessary for optimal human health, and year round nocturnal pollinator fitness (including magical fireflies!)
Four constellations border the main design and orient the viewer to the cardinal directions while also aligning with the constellations that are visible during seasonal migratory movement: in spring the big dipper (Ursa major) is highly visible while migratory animals move north and in fall Cassiopeia emerges while migratory animals move south. Following suit, the constellation Cygnus is placed in the eastern direction to celebrate summer and Orion in the western direction for winter. Moon phases and constellations also serve to remind viewers that the night sky is a deep part of our human cultural heritage, a sacred space for storytelling and imagining that we hope to preserve and pass on.
Light pollution is an easy solution you can:
Limit outdoor lighting in your home & community to light only what is needed
Use motion activated or timed lights to avoid unneeded lighting, especially during peak migration hours and seasons (Sep-Oct and April-May 11pm-6am)
Light with warm bulbs with a low kelvin rating (3000L or less)
Learn more at darksky.org
The Great Marsh area extends coastally from Cape Ann to southern NH and is a vital stopping ground for songbird & other animal migrants. As PRNWR biologist Nancy Pau summarizes: Parker River “is part of the telemetry network that tracks birds, bats & insects from Canada to South America. Migration is a huge focus for conservation right now as it is the least understood, and the animals are most vulnerable to mortality. Research has shown the carry-over effect of habitat quality of wintering ground and migratory stopovers to general fitness and breeding success in breeding grounds. We've been trying to make those full life cycle connections through the Motus Network... Dark Skies Campaign is an important component of that.”
Funded by Parker River National Wildlife Refuge and the Kathleen Van Demark Fund for the Great Marsh overseen by the Manship Artists Residency with support from the Peter and Kathleen Van Demark Fund, a Donor-Advised Fund at the Essex County Community Foundation.