Nebraska state parks to foster vibrant vision for all with colorblind glasses
As the autumn air turns crisp, not everyone can enjoy the vibrant color of fall's foliage in Nebraska. For those who are colorblind, they may see a field of yellow or washed-out color rather than the vivid reds, oranges, yellows and greens.
On Monday, Nebraska Game and Parks announced the launch of a campaign to make the outdoors more enjoyable to those with colorblindness at state parks. Games and Parks is working with EnChroma to provide colorblindness kits with colorblind glasses.
EnChroma reports that around 8% of men and .5% of women are colorblind, adding up to nearly 350 million people worldwide. People with red-green color vision deficiency, which is the most common type of colorblindness, can only see about 10% of colors compared to those with regular color vision.
The idea to bring the glasses to Nebraska has been led by Margot DesRocher from the parks division. DesRocher attended a national conference for parks where she learned about similar programs in Virginia State Parks and North Dakota Parks and Recreation.
In Virginia, EnChroma-adapted viewfinders have been installed at each state park and North Dakota offers glasses at every state park.
Spokeswoman Shawna Richter-Ryerson said Nebraska Game and Parks looks to serve all Nebraskans, including those with color vision deficiencies.
"By bringing our outdoor spaces into full color for them, we are supporting our mission and vision to care for the state's fish, wildlife, park and outdoor recreation spaces, while inspiring people to enjoy the outdoors and outdoor recreation for generations to come," Richter-Ryerson said in an email to the Journal Star.
It's also an addition that Richter-Ryerson looks forward to as being a parent of a child who is green-red color deficient.
"I'm excited he may have an opportunity to someday see a broader range of colors than he currently does when exploring the outdoors," Richter-Ryerson wrote.
The kits cost about $850 and include glasses for the most common types of color deficiency. Once enough funding is received, glasses will be available at no cost for guests to check out during their park visits.
The first two individuals or organizations to sponsor a kit will receive a complimentary pair of EnChroma Outdoor Deutan Lens glasses, valued at $379, as part of the campaign launch from EnChroma.
Richter-Ryerson said their initial goal is to raise enough money to have glasses at the three parks with education centers — Schramm Park State Recreation, Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area and Ponca State Park.
"Eventually, we'd like to offer kits at each of our state parks and recreation areas. We have more than 76," Richter-Ryerson wrote.
As soon as the funding is reached, Richter-Ryerson said they will begin providing kits. Those interested in donating can visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search for "EnChroma" to learn more.
Fort Niobrara
Nebraska National Forest
Trees in autumn
Indian Cave
Upper Big Cedar Falls
Fort Robinson
Aspen Pond
Smith Falls State Park
Branched Oak
Indian Cave
Boyer Chute
Missouri River Bluffs church
Nebraska National Forest
Fort Robinson
Niobrara in autumn
Gifford Point
Nine Mile Prairie
Arbor Lodge in fall
Indian Cave State Park
Neale Woods
Lake Minatare
Wildwood Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Sioux County
Fort Robinson
Niobrara River
Nebraska National Forest
Indian Cave
Reach the writer at 402-473-7241 or . On Twitter Love
Trending Topics Reporter
