Founded in 2020, the Idaho Dark Sky Alliance (IDSA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving as a central resource for dark sky preservation efforts. Our mission is to protect the night sky and reduce light pollution within the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve through education and advocacy. IDSA collaborates with municipalities, government agencies, and partner organizations to manage operations, provide educational programs, and secure financial resources to support dark sky activities.
How We Got Here
In the 1990s, residents of the Wood River Valley began to notice light pollution was encroaching on their view of the night sky. The main proponent to address light pollution was Dr. Stephen Pauley – a.k.a. Dr Dark. He spent several years educating and working with local elected officials on light pollution issues. The movement gained momentum when Ketchum adopted one of Idaho’s first dark sky ordinances in 1999. The cities of Hailey, Sun Valley and Stanley and Blaine County soon established similar dark sky ordinances.
In 2016 a group of local dark sky advocates worked with the communities and the Forest Service to pursue dark sky designation through the International DarkSky Association (now DarkSky International). The local group felt that a reserve would be the best fit for our area and spent two years gathering data and working through the application process. Having the dark sky ordinances in place was a key step to meet the requirements for designation. The Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve was officially recognized on December 17, 2017, becoming the first designated Dark Sky Reserve in the United States.
Continuing the Work Today
The designation of the Reserve was the result of more than two decades of thoughtful planning and forward-looking policies by city and county leaders, local businesses and organizations, and public land managers. Maintaining our status as a reserve requires ongoing monitoring, education, and close collaboration among all partners. The Idaho Dark Sky Alliance continues to play a central coordinating role, working with our partners to protect the night sky and reduce the impacts of light pollution throughout the region.