Across the globe, only 125 parks in 22 countries have been designated International Dark Sky Parks since the program launched in 2001. These places commit to implement and maintain good outdoor lighting and provide dark sky programs, as an act of conservation. Southern Idaho’s natural wonders typically receive little fanfare.
Bruneau Dunes State Park is a perfect example, as it quietly earned the International Dark Sky Park designation in June. Park staff members worked diligently for nine years to achieve the honor. What was the process like, and what can visitors expect at Bruneau Dunes State Park? A Labor of Love Earning DarkSky International’s coveted Dark Sky Park designation involves much more than monitoring data; the title requires a sustained effort from park staff and the community.
Chelsea Chambers, Public Information Specialist at the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, gives us a peek behind the curtain, sharing some of the tasks that went into the monumental effort. “The process started in 2015,” Chambers comments. “The park had to change all their outdoor fixtures to be dark sky compliant.
” Workers replaced all traditional light bulbs with red bulbs and covered those they could not change with red lenses. Park staff regularly records dark sky meter readings to ensure the area has minimal light pollution. Chambers says, “Park Manager Bryce Bealba participated in some Owyhee County zoning and planning meetings, discussing the need for building.