Category: Inclusive Programs

Blue Journey Unified is offering several opportunities for community engagement, and recreation with their inclusive open water programs for individuals with mobility and spinal cord disabilities.

Register and check out the list of events – here

For public and private land managers and educational staff seeking to expand their recreational opportunities to undeserved communities with disabilities. Untied Spinal has produced a blog posting i would like to share with the Nature Accessible for All audience on How to fund adaptive outdoor recreational equipment and activities – United Spinal Association

United Spinal Association also has several working groups open to disability advocates. Their Outdoor Access Working Group knows that having fun does not come cheap for the disability community. Adaptive equipment and activities can cost thousands of dollars. They have identified funding sources to help offset the expense. This article shares their knowledge about writing successful grants for foundations and government sources. They have also compiled a list of organizations that welcome such grants.

Last Tuesday, May 5th our partners over at Ocean Positive headed way inland to join 18 members of the NJ School of Conservation team for an inspiring training session talking about safe, inclusive outdoor recreation that builds communities and inspires others to care about the places we love from the ocean to the mountains.
This was done in conjunction with Pinelands Alliance’s – Nature Accessible for All campaign.

Ocean Positive was on the campus of NJ SOC for a Safe & Positive for All training — and what was supposed to be a 90-minute session turned into a genuine conversation about what it means to ensure that everyone who immerses themselves in nature can have a lifetime of safe and positive experiences.

What happens when you put 18 outdoor educators in a room and ask them to think about who might not feel safe or welcome in the spaces they steward? The staff at NJSOC, soon found out.
Educators. Field staff. People who spend their lives helping others connect with the natural world. They shared their inspiration and insight that makes this work matter.
By training the trainers, these best practices don’t stop with the 18 people in that room. They have the potential to reach the nearly 4,000 people who visit NJSOC each year for programs and field experiences — many of whom may be living with spinal cord injuries, movement and sensory limitations, or neurological differences that standard wilderness safety training too often overlooks.

The NJSOC team doesn’t just teach conservation — they live it. Making sure their programs are accessible and empowering for everyone is a natural extension of that mission.
Grateful to Kerry, Tanya, and the entire NJSOC team for having us. Nature is for everyone. Making that true in practice — not just in principle — takes training, intention, and teams like this one.

Out N’ About is a group recreation program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each month, ONA brings adults together through social events, creative programs, and community outings that spark connection and create something to look forward to.

Registration for June 2026 Events Closes Wednesday, May 20th

Registration – Out N’ About (ONA) | Group Recreation for Adults with Disabilities

For resident veterans of any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States declared by the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to have a service-connected disability of any degree qualify for the free hunting and fishing licenses, permits and stamps. The New Jersey DEP Fish and Wildlife is reimbursed for the cost of these items issued to certified disabled veterans from the state’s General Fund.

Eligible veterans must initially be certified by Fish and Wildlife to receive these free licenses, permits and stamps.

For those interested in learning more can visit this link – NJDEP| Fish & Wildlife | Disabled Veteran License Information

Since the beginning of 2023 Pinelands Alliance’s Nature Accessible for All has made it part of our mission to offer inclusive nature programming. These educational programs include the use of all-terrain wheelchairs for events ranging from Pinelands 101 – Native Plant and Wildlife, Local History, and Birding programs.

David Matthau reporter for WHYY sat down with Sean Kane Holland, Access Nature Disability Advocate with Pinelands Alliance and past participants to learn more about these fantastic programs for the entire family.

Read the full story here – Birding events for those with reduced mobility – WHYY