In preparation for leaf-peeping season, Virginia State Parks have equipped all 43 managed properties with special viewfinders for the colorblind.
The lenses in the viewfinders allow those with red-green Color Vision Deficiency (CVD) to experience the full breadth of color inherent in the autumnal leaf displays that Virginia is famous for.
Red-green CVD is the most common form worldwide, affecting around 300 to 350 million people, and 13 million Americans. While people with normal color vision see over one million shades of color, those with red-green CVD are estimated to see about 10% of hues and shades.
To them, colors containing red and green can appear dull, washed out and indistinguishable—rendering fall forests with all their luscious reds, delicious oranges, and mellow yellows one big sepia mass.
The viewfinders, made by SeeCoast Manufacturing, are equipped with special lenses from another firm called EnChroma designed to help those with CVD experience an expanded range of visible color.
“This initiative underscores Virginia’s commitment to enhancing outdoor experiences for all visitors and sets a new standard for state parks nationwide,” said Matt Wells, director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, which manages Virginia State Parks. in a statement. “We’re proud to play a role in opening up a world of vibrant color for colorblind individuals to experience nature like never before.”
The installation began in 2023 in Natural Tunnel State Park, an initiative that was led by Chief Ranger Ethan Howes who is himself colorblind. The other 43 parks would receive their viewfinders this year, which started on July 26th with a ceremony at Pocahontas State Park in which 6 colorbind Virginians were invited to try them out.
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“You all see this every day, huh?” said Bryan Wagner, one of the participants. “Everything’s not the same green. The colors are more vibrant.”
Smithsonian Magazine, covering the topic, detailed how color blindness is dependent on the X Chromosome, and that the condition is nearly 10-times more common in men than women.
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Fall color phasing is much richer in varitation in the temperate zones of the world where mountains run north to south—such as the Appalachians and the Rocky Mountains, and as such Virginia, containing one of the most biodiverse sections of Appalachia, is noted for its gorgeous fall colors.
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