Communications and Outreach Archives - Nature: Accessible for All

Join leaders across government, conservation, clean energy, environmental justice, research, philanthropy, business, culture, and community for an evening built around one thing: useful conversation with people you should know.

The evening will include a welcome from Duke Farms Executive Director, Margaret Waldock, remarks from NJDEP Commissioner, Ed Potosnak, and special guest Jad Abumrad, creator of Radiolab and Dolly Parton’s America.

Come curious and you’ll have the opportunity to meet over 100 leaders in New Jersey. Leave with new connections, new ideas, and a better sense of where New Jersey can lead.

Cocktails and light fare will be served.

Event Details:

Thursday, September 17, 2026
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Duke Farms
1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough, NJ

RSVP – NJ Climate Leaders Gathering

Our Soiree Under the Stars is more than just a celebration of the Nature: Accessible for All program but a way to forge new partnerships, raise awareness and secure funds to help us make New Jersey more accessible.

Pinelands Alliance and its partners have a goal of creating an accessible trail within 30 minutes of every municipality.

If you can’t attend this event, you can support this effort by sharing with your contacts, donating or sponsoring which can allow us to provide reduced rate tickets to those who can’t afford to attend. We appreciate any help you can provide.

The newly launched New Jersey Rural Health Transformation website (https://nj.gov/rural-health-transformation/) provides a central resource for communities, health care providers, partners, and others interested in the program.

Visitors can:
• Define rural — Learn what qualifies as rural in New Jersey and who is eligible for the program.
• Explore NJRHTP initiatives — Learn more about the investments and activities supporting rural health transformation.
• Check program status — Follow the program’s progress as it moves through its five-year funding period.
• Find answers — Explore frequently asked questions about the program.
• Connect with the team — Find contact information and ways to get in touch.
The website also provides an at-a-glance look at the scale of the Rural Health Transformation

This year, the League of American Bicyclists has a new public survey and they are seeking public input. Whether you ride every day, occasionally, or simply care about improving bicycling where you live, your feedback can help shape the League’s 2026 Bicycle Friendly State ranking.

Please consider sharing it with friends, family, coworkers, and fellow riders. The more responses they receive, the stronger the picture we’ll have of bicycling across the country and how we can all improve this piece of micromobility.

Take the survey here, open until September 1st.

The Gloucester County Planning Department is currently seeking public feedback on a proposed connection between the Monroe Bike Trail and Elephant Swamp Trail. Bike Gloucester, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and the Circuit Trails Coalition will provide suggested feedback on the proposal. Review the project presentation, then complete the public survey.

The Watershed Institute releases regular podcasts to help further their mission and connect with the community.

Their work focuses to protect and restore watershed and the natural environment in central New Jersey through conservation, advocacy, science, and education.

In this episode of Watershed Matters, our host Lucia Middleton sits down with Pri Oliveira, Outreach and Inclusion Manager at The Watershed Institute, and our guest Sean Kane-Holland, Access Nature Disability Advocate at Pinelands Alliance, to explore what inclusive access to nature looks like in practice.

You’ll learn:

♿ Why accessibility means something different to everyone
🥾 How trail design, signage, parking, and adaptive equipment can make outdoor spaces more inclusive
🗺️ How accessible trail maps help visitors understand what to expect before arriving
🗣️ Why language access and culturally inclusive outreach matter
🌿 How environmental organizations can bring nature and environmental education directly into communities
🧠 How outdoor spaces can support physical, mental, and emotional well-being
🌉 How projects like the Pemberton Lake Trail and The Watershed Institute’s Hickory Loop Boardwalk are expanding access to nature
🤝 Why listening to people with lived experience is essential when creating inclusive outdoor spaces

You can view the podcast through these apps:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/oLIcdDR1ty4

Spotify: Accessibility in Nature with Sean Kane-Holland

Apple Podcast: Accessibility in Nature with Sean Kane-Holland – Watershed Matters – Apple Podcasts