(Robert Purinton, colorblind participant, Pocahontas State Park)
Fall with its vibrant colors is the most beautiful season. That’s why people go on scenic drives and visit parks to get the best views.
Now, Virginia state parks are leading the way to help people who are colorblind enjoy the changing leaves too. The park system installed EnChroma-adapted viewfinders at each of its 43 locations, according to a press release from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
“This initiative underscores Virginia’s commitment to enhancing outdoor experiences for all visitors and sets a new standard for state parks nationwide,” Matt Wells, director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, which manages the parks said in the press release. “We’re proud to play a role in opening up a world of vibrant color for colorblind individuals to experience nature like never before.”
Coloring the world
Around 200 to 350 million people around the world are colorblind, reported Smithsonian Magazine, and cannot distinguish between certain hues. This inherited condition affects men at a much greater rate than women. For people who are colorblind the hues of nature, like flowers, birds, and the changing colors of leaves in the fall, appear duller and less vibrant.
The viewfinders that the Virginia parks installed will help people with red-green colorblindness – the most common form of the condition – distinguish between hues. And just like binoculars, the viewfinders, that were made by SeeCoast Manufacturing and fitted with special lenses by EnChroma, also magnify the view.
“Seeing the world in vibrant color is a gift many of us take for granted,” Virginia State Parks Director Dr. Melissa Baker said in the press release. “The EnChroma viewfinders help us create a one-of-a-kind experience for our red-green colorblind visitors and allow them to better enjoy the breathtaking beauty of our state parks.”
Launching the initiative
The project kicked off in July 2024 at Natural Tunnel State Park that is located near the far western tip of the state, according to Smithsonian Magazine. The viewfinder was installed at the park’s gazebo that is located in an overlook that has a 360-degree view of the spectacular scenery.
It was such a hit that the parks department decided to install them in all of the states 43 parks. The project was funded through donations from visitors to the “Round-Up for Parks” program.
But this is not the only initiative that the state is doing to make its parks more accessible. The Natural Bridge State Park also began offering a free mobile app designed for people who are blind or visually impaired. The RightHear app provides instructions in 26 languages and gives real-time audio descriptions of the user's location.
Parks are also becoming more inclusive in other parts of the country, by providing off-road wheelchairs, constructing playgrounds for children with disabilities and even developing trails for people who are neurodivergent. These big steps are helping to make parks more welcoming to all.
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