Going Dark for the Stars

Story and photos by Craig Reed

There’s a movement in the McKenzie River corridor to go dark. More specifically, to become a Dark Sky area.

That doesn’t mean pitch-black dark. Instead, the Dark Sky program promotes shielding outside lights, targeting the light, controlling the light with sensors and timers, using a lower level of light, and using a warm color of light, like amber, as opposed to blue/violet light. That leaves the sky above the lights dark so the stars and moon shine more brightly for those who enjoy observing or studying the night sky.

Blue River resident Sha Spady is leading the effort to earn the Blue River Night Sky Alliance the designation of Dark Sky community from DarkSky International, a U.S.-based nonprofit that aims to reduce light pollution. She says this is an ideal time for the area to seek that designation. As rebuilding continues after the destruction from the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire, Dark Sky-approved lights can be installed.

“I’d like to see Blue River turned into an international Dark Sky community,” Sha says. “How easy can it be when you’re starting from scratch? I want people to feel it from their hearts—that it’s the right thing to do and that it’s good for the community.”

Vida area resident Tish Hathaway is also an advocate for Dark Sky.

“I love being in places that are Dark Sky so you can better appreciate the stars,” she says, adding she frequently watches the Little Dipper move across the night sky. “It’s so beautiful when it’s black and you can see all the constellations. It reminds us about how big the world is.

“It’s also important for the wildlife and all the critters that live in the forest,” she says. “That’s their natural environment … to be in the dark.”

Sha has seen the impact of lights as they gradually increased in number across the rural Oregon area she grew up in. She was in her 40s when she first heard about the Dark Sky program. She immediately became a member.

She bought property in Blue River in 1994 and visited the area many times before becoming a permanent resident in 2013.

In 2020, Sha lost 2 houses and a barn on her property to the Holiday Farm Fire.

“It was a shocking experience to say the least,” she says.

After the fire, she had a manufactured home installed on her property.

From her residence on the hillside above Blue River, she noticed an increasing glow in the night sky as the community was gradually rebuilt.

“It seemed like a glow from a city, but it was from only a few buildings,” she says. “I was sitting at the house 1 night and thought, ‘Wow, why don’t we see if we can get the lighting approved to be a Dark Sky community.’”

Sha attended a Lane County community planning meeting and suggested this would be the perfect time to do this. She says many of the people at the meeting knew about the Dark Sky program.

Brandi Ferguson, who is involved in the rebuilding of Rose Village in Blue River, suggested that Sha create a Dark Sky display for a community block party that was held last April.

“It was an effort to get people to become contributors or advocates of our alliance,” Sha says.

The growing movement got the attention and support of DarkSky Oregon. Representatives traveled to Blue River and made 2 presentations on behalf of the program.

“Astronomy is becoming a big thing in Oregon,” Sha says. “It’s good for tourism.”

The Oregon Outback International DarkSky Sanctuary, 2,500,000 acres in southeastern Oregon, is the largest contiguous pristine dark sky zone in the lower 48 states. The area includes the small communities of Adel and Plush, Summer Lake, and the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge. The Central Oregon town of Sisters earned the Dark Skies designation last year.

Lane Electric Cooperative is on board with meeting the Dark Sky requirements for the Blue River area. Matt Mohr, the co-op’s engineering and operations manager, says Lane Electric is working with its manufacturer to obtain the appropriate streetlights.

“Once we get those lights, we’ll figure out a plan to move forward, how to implement them, and how to pay for them,” Matt says. “We would use the new style of lights for any new installs or any replacements of existing lights.

“I appreciate the goals they’re trying to meet with this project. It’s a good time for this, so we’re partnering with the community to make a difference.”

Sha says she believes the community support is there to earn the Dark Sky designation.

“I don’t feel like I’m pushing my weight around for something nobody wants to happen,” she says. “If there hadn’t been the fire, there would have been no thought of doing this. It wouldn’t have been an option.

“But now you talk about Phoenix rising from the ashes. Part of Phoenix is lighting. We could have the best lighting with this project. I’m just trying to educate people about a good thing. I think people recognize they have the opportunity to do something wonderful for this community. I’m optimistic this can get done.”