The North Fork is Changing

Since I was a little girl, nighttime on the North Fork has been absolutely magical. Every summer night, as the sun would set over the Long Island Sound, my front yard would come alive with fireflies, and bats would dance between the trees that lined my street. As twilight would fade into the night, the first few stars would appear, and later, thousands more would join them, allowing us to gaze into the Milky Way Galaxy. Nights spent stargazing with my family and friends inspired my love of science and strengthened my connection to the many important people in my life. Some nights when there was a full moon, my friends and I would walk down to the beach. Typically dark, the night was bathed in moonlight giving our world a mystical glow.

This universe my friends and I experienced was unlike that of most of the world. The magic that came from this uninterrupted darkness is something few people have had the pleasure of experiencing: because of outdoor lighting. While some might argue you can see stars anywhere, very few people have the privilege of seeing an entire galaxy. Since those days I spent with my friends, the North Fork has become increasingly populated and increasingly well-lit. Those starlit or moonlit nights are now interrupted by uplit trees, lighting along driveway edges, porch lights, and light posts left on all night long. Dark, peaceful, quiet nights have become speckled with human interference.

As more lights continue to appear across the North Fork, I fear that generations to come will not be able to experience the magic that I did growing up. I fear that families will not have the memories of watching meteor showers, searching for constellations, or taking a walk through a moonlit wonderland together. I worry that these beautiful moments I treasure will no longer be possible on the North Fork. Despite this, I am hopeful that through education, outreach, and advocacy, we still have time to prevent the loss of this natural wonder for good. I hope that this will inspire you to take action, to take the pledge, become a partner, or make a change to become a steward of our night sky.