BRUNEAU, Idaho — The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation announced Friday that Bruneau Dunes State Park has received the formal designation from Dark Sky International as an International Dark Sky Park.
Bruneau Dunes was officially recognized in early 2024, nine years after the Idaho state park began its efforts to obtain the Dark Sky certification in 2015.
"We are proud of this milestone here at Bruneau. Receiving our certification will help us protect our night skies, which we are known just as well for as our sand dunes," said Bryce Bealba, Bruneau Dunes park manager.
To earn the certification, parks must exhibit "pristine nighttime skies," according to park officials.
In addition to exceptional stargazing conditions, Bruneau Dunes State Park also has two of Idaho's most powerful telescopes.
When the park set its sights on the International Dark Sky Park recognition in 2015, it implemented various ways to monitor and limit the amount of light pollution impacting the area.
Officials began by taking meter readings and inventorying all light visible from within the park. To assist in the light reduction project, Bruneau Dunes received a $20,000 grant from the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, which they used to upgrade the park's outdoor light fixtures to ones that were compliant or certified by the Dark Sky organization.
"I am personally thankful for the hard work our park employees and agency staff put in to make this happen, as well as the outpouring of support letters from the public," Bealba said.
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