Tips for Safe Exploring Archives - Page 2 of 4

The Monmouth County Department of Health & Human Services Division on Aging, Disabilities and Veteran Services provides a great resource for individuals with disabilities looking for opportunities to enjoy the summer fun at the beach with their – Accessible Beach Guide – Welcome To Monmouth County, New Jersey

In this guide, information on accessible beaches, walkways, ramps, parking, and surf chair availability, as well as beach fees, lifeguard hours, and amenities, is readily available.

The guide is organized alphabetically by town and provides municipal phone numbers and websites for updated information. Please note that information in this guide is subject to change. It is recommended to check the municipality’s website or call before you visit to verify the information.

The Ocean County Office for Individuals with Disabilities provides a great resource for individuals with disabilities looking for opportunities to enjoy the summer fun at the beach with their –Accessible Beach Guide 2026

In this guide, information on accessible beaches, walkways, ramps, parking, and surf chair availability, as well as beach fees, lifeguard hours, and amenities, is readily available.

If you have any questions or would like to request hard copies, you may contact Sean Wright at swright@co.ocean.nj.us

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.

The second online town hall focused on improving access to the Pinelands for people with disabilities.
Despite being the most crowded state in the nation, New Jersey has a large amount of open space, including the 1.1-million-acre Pinelands National Reserve. The forests, streams and ponds found here are an important resource for residents in the region.

Unfortunately, access to the vast natural areas found in the New Jersey Pinelands can be difficult if not impossible for people with physical or other disabilities. Visiting natural places can be uncomfortable, unsafe or impossible. Barriers may include a limited number of accessible sites or a lack of comprehensive and reliable information of the accessible sites that do exist.
PPA wants to help overcome these barriers so everyone can enjoy the benefits of time in nature and visit the parks, forests and preserves which our state and communities have protected.

Check out this video and hear from advocates on the need for accessible nature sites and the criteria needed for creating and promoting these areas to the public. In this video, volunteers are evaluating the Blue Trail at Evesham Townships Black Run Preserve for accessibility for all persons.