Earlier this fall, Maybury State Park in Northville hosted a ribbon-cutting for two new EnChroma colorblind scenic viewers.
special viewers for colorblindness
By Heather Johnson Durocher
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Bill and Edie McKnight’s decades-long dedication to their local state park has meant spending as much time as possible on its 26 miles of trails, while also giving back as original members of Friends of Maybury State Park in Northville.
And while the long-married Novi couple doesn’t visit Maybury as often these days, the park remains an unforgettable place they’ll forever cherish.
“With all the walking and the cross-country skiing we did over the years, you could drop us down in that state park with our eyes closed and we’d know where we were,” said Bill McKnight, 86.
More recently, something other than Maybury’s pathways is inspiring McKnight to come back to his beloved park. The spot is now home to two colorblind scenic viewers, an amenity allowing McKnight and others like him who live with red-green colorblindness to see color more clearly, distinctly and vibrantly.
Helping Nature Come Alive in Color
The viewers, made by SeeCoast Manufacturing, have filters produced by EnChroma, a company that manufactures eyewear for colorblindness.
The lenses contain optical filters that remove small slices of light, which help compensate for excessive overlapping in the photopigments in the eye. The filters enhance the vibrancy and saturation of colors, while facilitating color discrimination, depth and perception for people who are colorblind.
For colorblind individuals, some colors are indistinguishable. For example, purple and blue look the same, red appears brown, pink looks gray and green seems brownish or gray.
Numerous state and national parks, including more than a dozen Tennessee state parks, have already offered the EnChroma technology to help enhance colorblind visitors’ outdoor sightseeing experiences.
Expanding Michigan’s Locations
These specially adapted EnChroma lenses now are available at Maybury as well as Ludington State Park in Mason County and Highland Recreation Area in Oakland County. Color blind scenic viewers also have been available at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the Upper Peninsula and William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor in Detroit.
Viewers soon will be added to Muskegon State Park, along Lake Michigan in Muskegon County, and Rifle River Recreation Area in Ogemaw County.
It’s because of state park friends groups – like the one McKnight helped launch years ago – that more of these viewers are available to parkgoers around Michigan.
Earlier this fall, Maybury held a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the fundraising success that allowed for the two EnChroma lenses – one overlooking a picturesque meadow dotted with 44 bluebird houses and the second with views of the park’s pond and fishing dock.
“This is a nice addition,” McKnight said after using the lenses for the first time. “People will be able to see color they’ve never seen before.”
Though it was a cloudy day, preventing him from seeing the colors as vividly as he would during sunny weather, McKnight was pleased with the upgraded view that the EnChroma lenses provided.
“When I looked through, I could see red, which I don’t think I would have seen otherwise,” he said. “I often don’t see the red of leaves. My wife will say, ‘There’s a tree over there starting to turn red,’ and I don’t see it. I’m looking forward to going back on a sunny day – the colors will pop a lot.”
Inspiration Strikes
Joe Wrobel, president of Friends of Maybury State Park, and Barb Krizman, treasurer of the group, recalled learning about EnChroma lenses during an annual Michigan Department of Natural Resources gathering of friends groups.
It was there where they learned a few other state parks were adding these viewers to their list of amenities.
“I didn’t realize there are 13 million people in America who have color blindness and that more men than women have it,” Wrobel said of hearing speakers share stories about EnChroma lenses and their benefits. “There are people who don’t even know they are colorblind, and I found that fascinating.”
It was an “a-ha moment” as much as a humbling one, he said.
“I think I take my health for granted too much – you don’t realize the extent to which some people have limitations their whole life,” he said.
Helping raise funds for these viewfinders was a no-brainer, Wrobel said, adding that this would be another way the park is showing its commitment to accessible outdoor recreation.
Maybury is also a proud participant in the DNR’s track chair program, which allows users to explore areas of the parks where traditional wheelchairs might not be able to maneuver as easily.
“That (program) is near and dear to several of us,” Wrobel said.
The friends group applied for and received a $2,000 Northville Rotary Foundation grant, and an anonymous donor provided $7,000, Krizman said. Friends of Maybury State Park picked up the difference to purchase and install the two viewers for a total cost of $9,500.
“It was a collaborative effort,” Krizman said.
Helping Make the Outdoors Accessible
The specialized viewers for visitors who are colorblind are part of the DNR’s goal to expand accessibility, equity and inclusion.
“I first learned about the EnChroma technology at a presentation given by our diversity, equity and inclusion officer and immediately saw its potential to transform how people experience Michigan’s natural beauty,” said Michelle O’Kelly, chairwoman of the DNR’s accessibility team and friends group coordinator. “We introduced the idea to our friends groups, who quickly embraced the vision and helped bring it to life in parks across the state.
“Thanks to their dedication and support, we’ll have EnChroma-equipped viewing stations in seven Michigan state parks by the end of the year, with additional locations in the works. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped to make this possible.”
You Can Help Make a Difference!
Donations will help the DNR provide more EnChroma technology in state parks. Learn more and make a contribution to fundraising efforts today.
For more information about the wide variety of accessible recreation opportunities the DNR offers at state parks, campgrounds, boating access sites, state game areas, trails and more, go to Michigan.gov/DNRAccessibility.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Bill and Edie McKnight’s decades-long dedication to their local state park has meant spending as much time as possible on its 26 miles of trails, while also giving back as original members of Friends of Maybury State Park in Northville.
And while the long-married Novi couple doesn’t visit Maybury as often these days, the park remains an unforgettable place they’ll forever cherish.
“With all the walking and the cross-country skiing we did over the years, you could drop us down in that state park with our eyes closed and we’d know where we were,” said Bill McKnight, 86.
More recently, something other than Maybury’s pathways is inspiring McKnight to come back to his beloved park. The spot is now home to two colorblind scenic viewers, an amenity allowing McKnight and others like him who live with red-green colorblindness to see color more clearly, distinctly and vibrantly.
Helping Nature Come Alive in Color
The viewers, made by SeeCoast Manufacturing, have filters produced by EnChroma, a company that manufactures eyewear for colorblindness.
The lenses contain optical filters that remove small slices of light, which help compensate for excessive overlapping in the photopigments in the eye. The filters enhance the vibrancy and saturation of colors, while facilitating color discrimination, depth and perception for people who are colorblind.
For colorblind individuals, some colors are indistinguishable. For example, purple and blue look the same, red appears brown, pink looks gray and green seems brownish or gray.
Numerous state and national parks, including more than a dozen Tennessee state parks, have already offered the EnChroma technology to help enhance colorblind visitors’ outdoor sightseeing experiences.
Expanding Michigan’s Locations
These specially adapted EnChroma lenses now are available at Maybury as well as Ludington State Park in Mason County and Highland Recreation Area in Oakland County. Color blind scenic viewers also have been available at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the Upper Peninsula and William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor in Detroit.
Viewers soon will be added to Muskegon State Park, along Lake Michigan in Muskegon County, and Rifle River Recreation Area in Ogemaw County.
It’s because of state park friends groups – like the one McKnight helped launch years ago – that more of these viewers are available to parkgoers around Michigan.
Earlier this fall, Maybury held a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the fundraising success that allowed for the two EnChroma lenses – one overlooking a picturesque meadow dotted with 44 bluebird houses and the second with views of the park’s pond and fishing dock.
“This is a nice addition,” McKnight said after using the lenses for the first time. “People will be able to see color they’ve never seen before.”
Though it was a cloudy day, preventing him from seeing the colors as vividly as he would during sunny weather, McKnight was pleased with the upgraded view that the EnChroma lenses provided.
“When I looked through, I could see red, which I don’t think I would have seen otherwise,” he said. “I often don’t see the red of leaves. My wife will say, ‘There’s a tree over there starting to turn red,’ and I don’t see it. I’m looking forward to going back on a sunny day – the colors will pop a lot.”
Inspiration Strikes
Joe Wrobel, president of Friends of Maybury State Park, and Barb Krizman, treasurer of the group, recalled learning about EnChroma lenses during an annual Michigan Department of Natural Resources gathering of friends groups.
It was there where they learned a few other state parks were adding these viewers to their list of amenities.
“I didn’t realize there are 13 million people in America who have color blindness and that more men than women have it,” Wrobel said of hearing speakers share stories about EnChroma lenses and their benefits. “There are people who don’t even know they are colorblind, and I found that fascinating.”
It was an “a-ha moment” as much as a humbling one, he said.
“I think I take my health for granted too much – you don’t realize the extent to which some people have limitations their whole life,” he said.
Helping raise funds for these viewfinders was a no-brainer, Wrobel said, adding that this would be another way the park is showing its commitment to accessible outdoor recreation.
Maybury is also a proud participant in the DNR’s track chair program, which allows users to explore areas of the parks where traditional wheelchairs might not be able to maneuver as easily.
“That (program) is near and dear to several of us,” Wrobel said.
The friends group applied for and received a $2,000 Northville Rotary Foundation grant, and an anonymous donor provided $7,000, Krizman said. Friends of Maybury State Park picked up the difference to purchase and install the two viewers for a total cost of $9,500.
“It was a collaborative effort,” Krizman said.
Helping Make the Outdoors Accessible
The specialized viewers for visitors who are colorblind are part of the DNR’s goal to expand accessibility, equity and inclusion.
“I first learned about the EnChroma technology at a presentation given by our diversity, equity and inclusion officer and immediately saw its potential to transform how people experience Michigan’s natural beauty,” said Michelle O’Kelly, chairwoman of the DNR’s accessibility team and friends group coordinator. “We introduced the idea to our friends groups, who quickly embraced the vision and helped bring it to life in parks across the state.
“Thanks to their dedication and support, we’ll have EnChroma-equipped viewing stations in seven Michigan state parks by the end of the year, with additional locations in the works. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped to make this possible.”
You Can Help Make a Difference!
Donations will help the DNR provide more EnChroma technology in state parks. Learn more and make a contribution to fundraising efforts today.
For more information about the wide variety of accessible recreation opportunities the DNR offers at state parks, campgrounds, boating access sites, state game areas, trails and more, go to Michigan.gov/DNRAccessibility.
