State News Archives - Page 4 of 11 - Nature: Accessible for All

The NJ Forest Resource Center Jackson, NJ is truly an amazing place as we celebrate the continued efforts to make the spaces more accessible for the entire community to enjoy and learn about the natural significance of New Jersey’s great outdoors.

The recently revitalized quarter-mile Sensory Awareness Trail at the DEP’s Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson, Ocean County, where visitors of all abilities may use multiple senses to explore forest and habitat along the out-and-back route.

Sensory Awareness Trail upgrades, also include an improved permeable surface and an upgraded guide rope for visitors with visual impairments, with wooden markers identifying interpretive exhibits, benches and a new trailhead kiosk provides information on the trail’s accessible features.

The team that came together to make this project come to fruition is a truly magnificent group from Pinelands Alliance, NJFS Nursery, the private sector, NJ State Parks, NJFS FREC, and the Office of Communications, Interpretation and Education. We look forward to more of this type of expanded partnerships in the future!

You can view the full new release – NJDEP| News Releases | Sherrill Administration Invites Public to Participate in National Trails Day Events This Saturday, June 6 (26/P028)

In May, Congress took some progressive strides when the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee approved the BUILD America 250 Act.

However, this bill makes it harder for places to build out the connected active-transportation infrastructure Americans want and need.

This initial bill helps land management organizations understand how to plan advocacy efforts in the coming months.

The Rails to Trails Conservancy has produced a summary of what’s in the bill and what’s not:

• IN: Transportation Alternatives (TA) remains as a 10% set-aside of the surface transportation block grant, growing slowly to about $1.66 billion annually; also, new eligibilities for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) allow funds to be used as a local match, but the bill makes it easier for states to transfer funds out of the program.

• IN: Recreational Trails Program (RTP) persists at $84 million despite the huge delta compared with the $281 million in gas tax receipts paid into the Highway Trust Fund by off-road motorized trail users.

• OUT: Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) is repealed, which creates challenges for communities across the United States pursuing large-scale active transportation networks.

• IN: Safe Streets and Roads for All ramps up at an average per year of $750 million.

• NEW: Surface Transportation Accelerator Grants, a complementary program to BUILD that includes a collection of previously stand-alone discretionary grant programs, is included at $2.4 billion annually and focuses on connectivity across modes of travel, safety and the economy.

These programs are necessary to provide the safe, connected networks that allow people to walk, bike and roll to the places they need to go. You can find RTC’s in-depth analysis of the bill on their website.

Final Days to Share Your Input!

Disability Rights NJ has released a public notice for a Public Input Survey. Tell them What Disability-Related Issues Are Most Important To You and Your Family? This input will guide their 2027 Priority Setting Initiative and issues that matter most to you are reflected in their goals and objectives.

Deadline Extended!!
Surveys will be accepted until Thursday, June 18, 2026.

On average, the survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

You can download a PDF version – Survey PDF and send it to their office at 210 South Broad Street, Third Floor, Trenton NJ 08608.

The new legislative session has begun and NAFA is eager to advocate for smart policies that will help New Jersey build a safer, more accessible outdoor future. Taking this opportunity to notify the community of advocacy opportunities and legislation to ask your local reps to support. Stay tuned for updates!

We are dedicated to continuing to work with partners, legislators and the community for more accessible outdoor spaces and passive recreation.

You can find more about this Bill with the link below.

H.R.7751 – Parks to People Active Transportation Act, requires the DOT to establish a grant program for community greenways.

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