Virginia state parks using special technology to enhance fall foliage for colorblind visitors
According to Virginia State Parks, the Commonwealth’s park system is the first in the nation to install EnChroma-adapted viewfinders for colorblind guests.
How one state is making fall foliage spotting enjoyable for colorblind visitors
Specialized viewfinders installed in parks across Virginia are allowing guests to view the changing of leaves, despite some people's difficulty distinguishing between hues.
Every year, tens of millions of Americans travel to states in the mid-Atlantic, New England and Great Lakes regions to catch a glimpse of the leaves turning colors during the autumn season. But for those with colorblindness, the event can be rather dull. Thanks to the determination of a park ranger - who also suffers from colorblindness - the vibrant sights of fall foliage can now be appreciated in their full spectrum.
Ethan Howes, a Virginia state park ranger, said the Commonwealth has deployed specialized viewfinders across its notable parks to allow visitors with red-green colorblindness to see the yellows, reds and even browns that make up the fall foliage.
Howes said he drew on research and the deployment of viewfinders in Tennessee before developing a plan for Virginia’s sightseeing sites.
The first installation of EnChroma-adapted viewfinders began in 2023, with 42 locations receiving their viewfinders within the past year.
"We had a family come here, and they stumbled across our viewfinder that we have at our gazebo," Howes told FOX Weather. "They started looking through it, and the father and son were both red-green colorblind. The mother told me they were ecstatic."
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A ridge in the Blue Ridge Mountains is ablaze in Fall colors October 18, 2008 on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah Park, Virginia. The red and gold leaves are drawing hundreds of people to the scenic drive. (Photo by KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
According to the Colour Blind Awareness group, about 300 million people around the world suffer from color vision deficiency, which affects about 1 out of every 12 men and 1 in 200 women.
There are three main types of colorblindness: red-green, blue-yellow, and complete color vision deficiency, which involves only seeing objects in shades of gray. Red-green colorblindness is the most common deficiency among the approximately 300 million affected.
According to Virginia State Parks, the purchase of the viewfinders was funded entirely through donations, and the parks have also invested in special glasses that visitors can use on hikes and other outdoor excursions.
"Seeing the world in vibrant color is a gift many of us take for granted," Dr. Melissa Baker, the director of Virginia State Parks, said in a statement. "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."
Normal color vision versus color vision deficiency (EnChroma / FOX Weather)
‘Give your eyes some time to adjust’
Howes does have some advice for those planning on traveling to the Commonwealth to use the viewfinders.
The longtime parks employee said the devices do not resolve all types of colorblindness, but for the majority of visitors, they’ll notice a vast enhancement.
"It took a little bit of time for my brain to adjust to the sights. So, if anyone does come and visit one of our parks and uses the viewer, it’s not an instant thing. Just take a second, look through it, maybe back away, and then look through it again to give your eyes time to adjust," Howes stated.
Most foliage across the country, including in Virginia, has already reached its peak color, as trees and other vegetation prepare for the long winter season.
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