Lights Out, DFW! Turn off your ligh ts, protect wildlife . It's fall migration! Keep birds flying high by turning off non-essential lighting from 11pm - 6am. Lights Out DFW Building Challenge! The Challenge. Texas is essential for migratory birds, with millions soaring across our Lone Star skies every spring and fall. Most birds migrate at night, and brightly lit buildings can confuse and disorient them on their journey, resulting in deadly collisions. In the US, as many as 3.5 billion birds die from collisions with buildings every yea r! Because of light pollution, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is the 3rd most dangerous area in the United States for migratory birds to travel through. Building Challenge Guidelines Link Lights Out Education Program Link Lights Out Education Link Building Challenge Flyer Link Building Challenge Webpage The Campaign. Lights Out, DFW! is a flagship program of the statewide Lights Out, Texas! campaign, targeting non-essential lighting in the DFW metroplex. Aiming to ensure a darker night sky, all business owners and residents are encouraged to go lights out during bird migration seasons. Throughout fall and spring migrations, collision surveys are conducted daily along set routes in downtown Dallas and Fort Worth to assess lights-out efforts. During these early morning surveys, volunteers document and collect bird-building collision fat alities and 1/12 rescue stunned and injured birds. Collected specimens enter a salvage pipeline to be incorporated into the Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections (BRTC) at Texas A&M University, where samples are taken to support avian research projects at Texas A&M and beyond. TCA has partnered with other non-profit organizations such as Dallas Zoo, Texas Master Naturalists, Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Trinity River Audubon Center, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Tarrant County College Trinity River Campus, and Fort Worth Audubon Society to con duct these surveys. What You Can Do. By turning off non-essential lighting from 11pm-6am , you can provide migratory birds safer passage across the Texas night sky . Certify your home or business with Lights Out For Wildlife! It's free and easy. Click to learn m ore and make the pledge. Use your voice! Be an advocate for wildlife, spread the Lights Out message, and make your community safer for migrating birds. Encourage your local government, businesses, and neighbors to take Lights Out action and consider bird-friendly building options. Lights Out Flyers Outreach Email Templates Advocacy Toolkit Social Media Toolkit In te rested In Volunteering? Volunteers play a crucial role in supporting our collision monitoring efforts. By volunteering with the Lights Out, DFW! team, you help save stunned or injured birds, gather valuable data for research, and promote a darker night sky in our community. The program has encouraged hundreds of citizens to participate in community science. Both groups and individuals are welcom e to show up for morning surveys. Contact MeiLing@tcatexas.org for time and location. Lights Out, Dallas! Find our previous Survey Highlights and Observations below: LOD Spring 25 LOFW Spring 25 LOD Fall 24 LOFW Fall 24 Lights Out, DFW! Updates Want to get updates throughout the Lights Out season? Sign up here for emails! Please click here for Lights Out, DFW! requests. Inquire Here Are you an educator interested in hosting an event or presentation in the DFW region? Education and Outreach Program Lights Out for Wildlife Certification Every person and every business, school, hotel, home, high rise, restaurant, municipal building, and place of worship can receive a Lights Out for Wildlife certification. Certification comes with a certificate to celebrate your pledge to save wildlife and lets you share your commitment publicly with colleagues, coworkers, customers, family, and friends. It provides a public way to show off your commitment to conservation while inspiring others to take action and join in. Certification is a source of pride for all involved and it's free, so sign up today! Certify Your Home or Building Here How We Started And What We've Found. TCA is an on-the-ground leader in a statewide effort to darken the night sky, Lights Out, Texas! This citizen-science and outreach initiative, led by Audubon Texas , started in 2017 in response to a mass fallout-collision event in Galveston that killed nearly 400 songbirds in one night. Our campaign started in fall of 2020 in response to a publication that found, out of the 125 largest urban areas in the continental US, DFW ranks 3rd highest in exposing migratory birds to light pollution. Though originally just Lights Out, Dallas! our work has since expanded across the DFW metroplex with Lights Out, Fort Worth! in Spring 2023. Over each of the past six migratory seasons, TCA has conducted 57 to 80 consecutive surveys, collecting hundreds of mortalities over 100 species. Tha nks to 7,295 hours of volunteer service , TCA has surveyed 5,643 miles , collecte d 3,098 mortalities , performed 324 rescues , and ensured lights-out action from hundreds of businesses and homes . Watch our Texas Parks and Wildlife Special!

Apply for a 10-week internship at Texas Conservation Alliance. TCA seeks conservation leaders to engage in real projects to protect Texas wildlife. CAREERS IN CONSERVATION INTERNSHIP PROGRAM Thank you for your interest in TCA’s 10-week internship program. The Fall 2026 Application cycle has closed. Please check back for upcoming opportunities. To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Campus Civic Engagement Fellows Program A New Opportunity! TCA is seeking university and college students who are passionate about civic engagement, community leadership, and the conservation of Texas wildlife to serve as inaugural Civic Engagement Fellows during the Fall 2026 semester . Developed in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the Campus Civic Engagement Fellows Program is a pilot leadership initiative that prepares students to organize nonpartisan civic engagement efforts tailored to their campus communities. Fellows will explore the critical role of civic participation and public policy in the American conservation movement while inspiring active, informed participation in our democracy among their peers. Position Description Priority Application Deadline: Monday, August 17, 2026 To Apply: 1. Download and fill out the program application 2. Email your application, resume, and cover letter to internship@tcatexas.org 3. Subject line: First name Last Name – Civic Engagement Fellows Check back for details on upcoming Careers in Conservation Internship opportunities. Texas Conservation Alliance (TCA) is seeking interns who are passionate about protecting Texas wildlife and their habitats. Our Careers in Conservation Internship Program is helping train the future conservation leaders of Texas. Participants work alongside TCA’s seasoned conservation professionals and experience the frontlines of saving wildlife and their habitats in the state. Internship projects vary, but the opportunity to develop technical acumen, exercise transferable skills, and cultivate conservation leadership is integral to every TCA experience. Potential Projects Organize wildlife habitat restoration events. Restoring degraded wildlife habitat is critical to the conservation of species. Interns will research opportunities, build community partnerships, and coordinate event logistics. Potential projects include litter pollution removal from Texas waterways, planting native plants, and removing invasive species to restore prairie, and reforestation through community tree-planting events. Propagate native prairie plants. Interns based in the Dallas-area can gain experience working with and learning more about Texas native plants and greenhouse propagation methods at the Native Plant Propagation Center, located at and in partnership with the Dallas Zoo. The Center cultivates well over 10,000 seedlings each year across more than 100 species of native grasses, shrubs, and forbs for prairie conservation around the state. Lead bird collision surveys (spring and fall only). Lights Out Texas is a statewide behavior-change campaign aimed at saving migratory birds from building-collisions by encouraging businesses and residents to turn off non-essential lights during spring and fall migration. Bird collision surveys are an important component of the scientific research of this campaign. TCA leads surveys in downtown Dallas and Fort Worth as well as on-campus at Texas A&M University, College Station, during spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) migration seasons. Interns will help lead the survey two days each week in addition to another project. Promote Lights Out for Wildlife. Interns will strengthen the Lights Out for Wildlife brand by promoting the behavior-change campaign through community outreach, social media marketing techniques, and presentations. Interns may also help reach out to municipality officials, business owners, and community members to encourage taking action during bird migrations. Lights Out for Wildlife is a program to certify homes, businesses, and/or buildings by taking Lights Out action to save birds and other wildlife impacted by light pollution. Interns will assist in promoting the certification program and create strategies to encourage participation.

Spring 2026 Texas Native Plant Sale Pre-order your plants below. March 30 - April 13 Pick up 4/18 Plant Packages - $38 Scroll Down to Pre-Order: March 30 - April 13 Pre-Order Form March 30 - April 13

Resources Find useful links to contact us, subscribe to our newsletter, find paddling and hiking trails in East Texas, pay an invoice, and more. Conservation Advocacy Guide > Contact Us > Native Plant Sales > News Blog > Pay an Invoice > Photo Release and Liabilty Waiver > Subscribe to our Newsletter > Update Your Contact Information > Website Questions, Errors, Issues > Conservation Advocacy Guide https://b85fa64f-5984-494f-95b7-93cad910acf9.filesusr.com/ugd/60f40b_d967a7d80cea4a41be18f59610f3b686.pdf Texas Native Plant Sales https://www.tcatexas.org/local-native-plants Photo Release and Liability Waiver https://www.tcatexas.org/liability-waiver Website Issues mailto:michael@tcatexas.org Contact Us https://www.tcatexas.org/contact News Blog https://www.tcatexas.org/blog Subscribe to Our Newsletter https://www.tcatexas.org/mailing-list East Texas Outdoors https://easttexasoutdoors.org/ Pay an Invoice https://www.tcatexas.org/invoice-payment-form Unsubscribe https://www.tcatexas.org/unsubscribe

Through grassroots advocacy and community coalitions, Texas Conservation Alliance (TCA) protects and preserves wildlife and wild habitats for the future benefit of all Texans. TCA is the State Affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation We are proud to be the Texas Affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation, the country's largest conservation organization. Partnering with NWF connects TCA to national issues and gives national attention to local efforts in Texas. TCA History For 55 years Texas Conservation Alliance (TCA) has advocated for wildlife, wildlife habitats, and protection of Texas’ waterways. TCA’s founder, Ned Fritz , a legend among Texas conservationists, launched TCA with the vision, energy, and integrity to ensure decades of success under the name TCONR or Texas Committee on Natural Resources. TCA has built public support to establish numerous wildlife refuges, state and federal parks, wilderness areas, and other wildlife areas, resulting in more than 250,000 Texas acres under public protection. TCA’s efforts prevented damming Texas rivers with five unnecessary reservoirs that together would have permanently flooded 150,000 acres of bottomland habitat including forests and prairie. TCA’s forest work ended clearcutting on 200,000 acres of national forests in Texas and led to better management of all our country’s national forests. TCA has played key roles in coalitions that stopped a private toll road through the Big Thicket National Preserve, prevented canal dredging through Caddo Lake and up the Trinity River to Dallas, obtained increased funding for Texas state parks, promoted water conservation, and secured higher water quality standards for Texas rivers and creeks. TCA provides program support for our 55 Alliance Member Groups and Trains Community Groups to address pressing, local environmental issues. TCA has recruited thousands of Texans to active conservation and advocacy, and has served as a pipeline for many advocates into conservation leadership roles including through our robust, TCA Careers In Conservation Internship Program. TCA has long observed that Texans are much more likely to protect an area they have visited and come to love. TCA conducts education programs and outdoor activities associated with issue projects to connect families to nature and foster a conservation ethic. TCA’s Texas Conservation Action Team is a community-driven, hands-on habitat restoration program with three key purposes: 1) restore habitats by planting trees or prairie, removing invasive species, and removing litter pollution 2) educate new communities and young people about how to become involved in conservation and about the big environmental issues facing our state, and 3) promote and cultivate a commitment to Texas environmental conservation into the future. TCA’s programs to protect wildlife habitat and water resources benefit all Texans by safeguarding nature’s essential ecosystem services such as water filtration, flood control, carbon sequestration, air purification, and more. By protecting landscapes and advocating for public lands, our work supports experiential education opportunities such as hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, birding, nature study, and other outdoor activities. Time outside has been shown to be essential to physical and mental wellbeing, benefits that every Texan deserves.

Sign-up for TCA's newsletter or update your current preferences.

Careers in Conservation No announcements at this time. This page was last updated on 06/16/2026. ********** Texas Conservation Alliance is committed to inclusion, diversity, and equity as core tenets of the organization, where everyone is respected and valued regardless of race, creed, ancestry, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or national origin.

Spring 2026 Texas Native Plant Sale WBU East Dallas Pre-Order form below March 16 - April 1 Plant Packages - $38 Scroll Down to Pre-Order: March 16 - March 30 Pre-Order Form (March 16 - April 1)

Update Contact Information Use the form below to update your contact information and preferences

Invoice Payment Form

Lights Out Education Program About The Lights Out, Texas! Education package is designed to engage students through three tailored, TEKS-aligned modules for grades 3–5 and grades 6–8. The goal of this program is to empower students to explore bird migration, light pollution, and urban ecology through inquiry-based lessons and real-world data. This program builds scientific literacy and fosters student-led action by utilizing a holistic strategy to shift awareness, behavior, and advocacy toward bird-friendly cities. Access the curriculum here: https://act.audubon.org/a/lights-out-texas-curriculum The grade 3–5 lessons, developed by Travis Audubon and Defenders of Wildlife, are designed to spark early environmental stewardship through age-appropriate content. During the lessons, students are engaged in discussions and wonder-driven, hands-on activities to connect conservation topics with traditional classroom learning. The grade 6–8 lessons, developed by Texas Conservation Alliance and curriculum consultant Meridith Cooper, integrate real data from the Lights Out, Texas! Monitoring Project to further the connection between the classroom and real-world data collection. Throughout the lessons, students utilize their critical thinking skills and complete student-led action projects to emphasize the importance of advocacy in the conservation field. For The Birds , developed in partnership with Maritimus Magazine, is a supplemental activity in the form of a digital game. Students navigate this interactive story to build a city that is beneficial for both people and wildlife as they learn about the impacts of light pollution and urban development on migrating birds. Play For The Birds here: ForTheBirds.neocities.org Though still in its early phases, TCA’s education program has already shown promising results in expanding awareness. By combining classroom-based learning with community engagement, we are laying the groundwork for long-term conservation impact. Through these two approaches, we aim to track meaningful outcomes in three areas: student awareness and action, educator engagement, and community impact. The goal is for students to develop a deeper understanding of bird migration, light pollution, and urban ecology. Students are powerful messengers, and create an impact by carrying the Lights Out message into their homes and communities. Even simple activities such as creating a poster or writing a letter can spark greater advocacy efforts. Teachers who integrate Lights Out into their classrooms are helping shape the next generation of environmental stewards. The curriculum fosters cross-curricular connections, from science and writing to real-world problem-solving while focusing on local conservation topics. The Lights Out message expands beyond urban centers, impacting rural and suburban communities. Through nature centers, Texas Master Naturalist chapters, and grassroots efforts, every Texan can understand and appreciate the benefit of Lights Out . Questions or comments: Contact Hannah@tcatexas.org

Join TCA or support us by donating today. Contributions are tax-deductible and used to protect wildlife and wild habitats in the state of Texas. TCA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Make a Donation to Texas Conservation Alliance Donate