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Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: July 29, 2024
Contact: Starr Anderson, Public Relations and Marketing Specialist, 540-460-1540, starr.anderson@dcr.virginia.gov

Virginia State Parks becomes first park system in the nation to install EnChroma-adapted viewfinders for colorblind guests at every park

(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Jillian Sherman, colorblind participant, Pocahontas State Park)

(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Zachary Easparro, colorblind participant, Pocahontas State Park)

(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Robert Purinton, colorblind participant, Pocahontas State Park)

RICHMOND, Va. & BERKELEY, Ca. – Virginia State Parks is leading the way in inclusivity by becoming the first park system in the nation to install EnChroma-adapted viewfinders for colorblind guests at each of its 43 locations.

The viewfinders, made by SeeCoast Manufacturing, are equipped with special lenses from EnChroma designed to help those with red-green Color Vision Deficiency (CVD) experience an expanded range of visible color.

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.

“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. “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 of EnChroma-adapted viewfinders at Virginia State Parks began in 2023 with Natural Tunnel State Park, an initiative that was led by Chief Ranger Ethan Howes who is colorblind. The remaining 42 locations received their viewfinders in 2024.

The purchase of the viewfinders was funded by donations received through the Round-Up for Parks Program, allowing visitors to donate to Virginia State Parks when making a purchase online or at a park. Since 2018, visitors have donated nearly $300,000, which has been invested in improving offerings and activities.

"Seeing the world in vibrant color is a gift many of us take for granted," said Virginia State Parks Director Dr. Melissa Baker. "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.”

To launch this color accessibility initiative on July 26, six red-green colorblind people traveled to Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield, Virginia, to try the EnChroma viewfinder and share their perspectives on the experience. They included a carpenter, policy analyst, medical dispatcher, personal trainer, permit specialist and college student.

Click here to see videos of their reactions and/or to download photos and images of Virginia State Parks as they appear to the red-green colorblind.

“Virginia gives visitors unrivaled access to beautiful forests, breathtaking mountain views, stunning rivers and the renowned colorful leaves in fall,” said Erik Ritchie, CEO of EnChroma. “Virginia is truly for lovers of the outdoors but it’s also for lovers of color too. That’s why we applaud Virginia State Parks for working with EnChroma to make its colorful beauty more accessible to those who are red-green colorblind.”

One in 12 men (8%) and one in 200 women (0.5%) are colorblind. In the U.S. alone, 13 million people are colorblind and 350 million worldwide. With over 8 million people visiting Virginia State Parks annually, approximately 341,000 are colorblind.

Virginia State Parks joins over 400 organizations worldwide in supporting colorblind guests by installing the SeeCoast viewfinders with EnChroma lenses or loaning EnChroma glasses. This includes nearly 100 state and national parks across 25 states. The patented lenses are engineered with special optical filters that help people with red-green color blindness see an expanded range of visible color. EnChroma glasses are for people with deuteranomalous and protanomalous CVD. They work for approximately eight of 10 red-green colorblind people, but are not a cure for color blindness and results and reaction times vary. A study by the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio illustrated the benefits of the glasses.

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About Virginia State Parks

Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. For more information about Virginia State Parks’ activities and amenities or to reserve one of the more than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-933-PARK or visit virginiastateparks.gov.

About EnChroma

Based in Berkeley, Calif., EnChroma produces leading-edge eyewear for color blindness and low vision, and other solutions for color vision, sold online and through Authorized Retailers worldwide. Invented in 2010, EnChroma’s patented eyewear for color blindness combines the latest in color perception, neuroscience and lens innovation to improve the lives of people with color vision deficiency. EnChroma received an SBIR grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It earned the 2020 Innovation Award in Life Sciences from the Bay Area’s East Bay Economic Development Alliance. For more information call +1-510-497-0048 or visit enchroma.com.

About SeeCoast Manufacturing

SeeCoast Manufacturing is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of coin- and non-coin-operated telescopes and binoculars. A family-owned and operated company, SeeCoast sells and concessions its own equipment, which can be found in every U.S. state and in more than 80 countries. To learn more, go to seecoast.com.

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