Virginia parks installed a new system for colorblind people: How it works

He autumn It is usually one of the favorite seasons for nature lovers by the incredible colors and tones that its landscapes offerTo enable more people to marvel at the yellows, reds and browns with which the station paints every space, the Virginia State Parks Authority has launched a major inclusion initiative by installing Special viewers for color-blind people.

According to the agency in a statement, statement, Virginia has become the first park system in the United States prepared for colorblind visitors. from the installation of adapted visors in the 43 locations that make up its system.

All people who suffer from colour blindness and visit the parks will be able to fully enjoy the shades of autumn foliage

“One in 12 men (8%) and one in 200 women (0.5%) are colorblind. In the United States alone, 13 million people are colorblind and 350 million worldwide. With more than eight million people visiting Virginia State Parks annually, approximately 341,000 are colorblind.”detailed the Parks Department to give an idea of ​​the scope of the initiative.

People with normal vision can Enjoy over a million shades of color, it is estimated that Those with red-green color blindness only perceive about 10% of those shades and shades.For them, colors containing red and green can appear dull, discolored and difficult to distinguish, explains the Parks Department.

Natural Tunnel State Park was the first to have a special viewer at the urging of Chief Ranger Ethan Howes, who is colorblind.

“Seeing the world in vibrant color is a gift that many of us take for granted.“EnChroma viewers help us create a unique experience for our red-green colorblind visitors and allow them to better enjoy the stunning beauty of our state parks,” explained Virginia State Parks Director Dr. Melissa Baker.

The lenses of the viewfinders, precisely, They are designed with special optical filters that help people with red-green color blindness see an expanded range of visible colors.were created in 2010 by EnChroma, a California company that produces cutting-edge glasses for color blindness and low vision, and other color vision solutions.

The implementation and acquisition of the devices was carried out through donations made through the Round-Up for Parks Program.

As a background to this initiative, which was generalized to the entire system in 2024, last year, the Natural Tunnel State Park was the first to have a special impulse viewer Chief Ranger Ethan Howes, who is colorblind, was instrumental in the decision to bring the entire system on board.

The implementation and acquisition of the devices was carried out through donations made through the Program Round-Up for Parkswhich allows users to contribute funds to State Parks when making an online purchase, officials said, highlighting the progress that can be achieved through the coordinated work of officials and citizens.

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