As a world-first organization, FLAP has mobilized the NGO, business, educational and government sectors to find progressive ways to protect birds from the hazards of our built environment. Over the past 15 years, FLAP has collaborated with dozens of environmental organizations, governments at all levels in Canada and the United States, business associations, industry groups and post-secondary institutions to create several world-first programs. These include Lights Out Toronto!, Toronto's Bird-Friendly Development Guidelines, and its Bird-Friendly Rating System and Acknowledgement Program.
	These programs and policies were all developed at the instigation of - and in close association with - FLAP. Thrilled with these successes, we will continue to share our expertise with the City of Toronto and developers, architects, planners, construction and renovation companies wishing to achieve bird-friendly certification for their buildings. Despite these achievements, our enthusiasm is constantly stifled by a most persistent impediment. The fact is, in order to prevent birds from colliding with windows, one must make glass appear as a solid object to the bird's eye. Existing techniques that follow a tried-and-true bird-friendly criterion fail to satisfy commercial tastes. Though FLAP recognizes and respects the demands of the corporate sector in maintaining aesthetically attractive building facades, we struggle with the reality that vital research to find more agreeable solutions sit dormant, while the death toll of birds steadily increase. Bird collisions with windows is now ranked one of the leading causes of bird death across North America. Therefore, the urgency to find a viable solution has reached an all-time high. With your financial support, FLAP can engage in a fundamental locally-based research program that aims to create a viable, bird-friendly glass that serves to protect millions of migratory birds in the urban environment.
	In an effort to meet the demands of the corporate sector meant finding a technique that is discernible only to the birds eye. This required obtaining a better understanding of the fascinating world of birds. In doing so revealed the answer might lie in the bird's eye. Unlike humans, birds can see ultraviolet light (UV) light that is a part of natural sunlight. Birds use this UV light for behaviors such as reproduction and feeding - a bird's life without UV light would be the equivalent of humans seeing everything in black and white, only worse. Without UV light, birds ability to survive would be seriously compromised.
	This unique ability has inspired FLAP to partner with researchers in an effort to see how windows treated with UV markings may serve as a bird collision deterrent. If proven effective: aesthetic demands will be met, and FLAP can then work toward making UV glass become as common to architecture, as tempered glass is to vehicles. To this end, FLAP seeks your support to help fund our research initiative. By investing in FLAP, together we can mitigate human-related bird casualties, while enhance the natural biodiversity of our urban environment. When you contribute $10.00 or more per month through the FLAP Monthly Giving Plan, you not only help support the vital work of FLAP, you will also receive two issues per year of the FLAP newsletter, Touching Down. All donations are tax-deductible.
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