Author: Sean Kane-Holland
Rails to Trails Conservancy partnered with the American Hiking Society, American Trails, the League of American Bicyclists, People for Bikes and the Safe Routes to School Partnership —representing national, state and local advocacy organizations, local elected officials, and businesses—for a federal letter supporting trails, walking and biking. The letter calls on Congress to include a fortified Transportation Alternatives program. It also asks Congress to maintain broad eligibility for trails, walking and bicycling across transportation programs, as well as existing provisions for safe walking and bicycling, in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization.
The coalition is encouraging individuals, public and private organizations to share the final version of this letter with local members of Congress to increase visibility and showcase the nationwide demand for programs and policies that support walking, biking and trail infrastructure. You can find the letter and more information about how to engage Congress here.
The Burlington County Commissioners are seeking the public’s input on county parks, regional trails, parks programs and how residents would like to see open space funds invested.
Burlington County residents and visitors are encouraged to participate in an online survey about county parks, trails, recreational facilities and programs, open space and other needs. There are 41 questions in the survey. Most questions are related to existing Burlington County Parks and community programs. There are also questions about future investments and Burlington County’s passive and active recreation needs.
All responses will remain anonymous, and the feedback will be used as part of an update to Burlington County’s Open Space and Recreation Plan.
To complete the survey, visit Burlington County Open Space & Recreational Needs Assessment
These courses are designed to make learning American Sign Language engaging, accessible, and community centered.
CorpsTHAT group courses are perfect for:
-Beginners or those refreshing their ASL skills
-Individuals, families, educators, and professionals
-Anyone interested in Deaf culture and inclusive communication
What you can expect:
-Interactive group sessions
-Clear instruction with real-life signing practice
-A supportive and welcoming learning environment
-Focus on both ASL language and Deaf culture
Course details:
-Format: Group classes (virtual via Zoom)
-When: Winter, spring, summer and or fall
-Duration: 10 weeks for an hour twice a week sessions
Spots are limited for a maximum of 8 students per class to ensure quality interaction.
Here is a great resource for land managers seeking to complete trail and nature site accessibility improvements. The document provides ADA accessibility tools to determine if the surface is improved to a firm and stable surface. Offering low-cost, sustainable solutions for the improvement of ADA-accessible trails, more people will have access and connectivity will increase in our community.
This study outlines the long-term benefits of using naturally occurring, binders applied topically to unpaved trails and discusses the expected increases in firmness and stability.
Full article – http://National Institute for Transportation and Communities – ADA Accessible Trail Improvement
Hello Nature Accessible for All advocates. I wanted to share with you this article from The Guardian from the end of last year. It covers a story focused on disability accessibility in the outdoors. Last year, Soar Experiences, offered free outings at Mohonk Preserve in New York State The small non-profit tour operator services people with limited mobility.
Learn more about the event and the outcomes in the full article – ‘Everyone said it was impossible’: disabled hikers find freedom through off-road wheelchairs | Disability | The Guardian
In this holiday season while we all are sitting snug by the fire strategizing for next year’s projects, I wanted to share this resource produced by American Trails. Foundations of Sustainable Trails: A Trail from Start to Finish (Online Training) – American Trails. This five-part online training discusses what it means for a trail to be sustainable. It describes the lifecycle of sustainable trails and includes lessons on hydrology, structures, tools, tread and alignment. These are all important concepts if you are seeking to make trail improvements for not only sustainability but also accessibility for visitors of varying abilities.