Nature: Accessible for All

2026 - BLUE JOURNEY UNIFIED THURSDAY POOL SESSIONS !
2026-02-05 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-01-29 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-01-22 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-01-08 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Ocean City Aquatics and Fitness Center, 1735 Simpson Ave, Ocean City, NJ, 08226, United States
DIVE INTO THE WARMEST COMMUNITY WE KNOW TO START 2026 – BLUE JOURNEY UNIFIED THURSDAY POOL SESSIONS !
Join Blue Journey Unified the Ocean City Aquatics Center’s warm, saltwater pool and and be active in building community, fitness, water-confidence and friendships.
Session Summary
Coached & Supported Sessions
Water Confidence
Prone Paddling
Swimming
Water Fitness and Strength for those with spinal cord injuries or physical movement challenges
Thursday evenings from 7:00 – 8:00 PM at the Ocean City Aquatics and Fitness Center from JANUARY 8 – FEBRUARY 26. {NOTE: NO SESSION JANUARY 15}
Advanced registration required.
PLEASE – Adult Athletes wishing to take part for the first time should contact Bruckner via voice, text or e-mail for more information before signing up.
ALWAYS FREE for Adult Participants with SCI/D or Movement Challenges

Outdoor Adventures for All: Accessible Outdoor Developed Areas
2026-02-05 14:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Join the U.S. Access Board and the National Park Service for a collaborative webinar on outdoor developed areas. This presentation will highlight provisions in the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Standards that pertain to making camping facilities, picnic facilities and viewing areas accessible for people with disabilities. Accessible design scenarios implemented by the National Park Service will be discussed as well as operational challenges and best practices.
Participants can ask questions in advance during the registration process as well as ask questions during the live session.
Real-Time Captioning and Sign Language Interpretation will be provided.

Pressure Treated Wood for Trail Structures
2026-01-29 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join American Trails as they host this webinar which will discuss the proper understanding of treated wood and construction details for trails.
Presented by:
Robert Fina, Owner, Fina Trails LLC

IHC - Grantee Event: Transform Your Financial Future: A Webinar Series for People with Disabilities in New Jersey
2026-01-28 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Various Dates
Hosted by: The National Disability Institute
Join subject matter experts to gain practical strategies that support financial inclusion and economic stability.
National Disability Institute, supported by the New Jersey Inclusive Healthy Communities (NJ-IHC) project, is hosting a four-part webinar series for people with disabilities, their families, and community partners across New Jersey.
Each session focuses on essential topics, including the foundations of financial empowerment, navigating Social Security benefits, and managing the extra costs of disability.

Ability Walk - Get Out There with Acquired Brain Injury
2026-01-26 13:30 - 17:30 (America/New_York) | Rancocas State Park, 794 Rancocas Rd, Westampton Township, NJ, 08060, United States
Join GOT ABI (Get Out There with Acquired Brain Injury) a partner of the Nature Accessible for All Campaign and discover the trails of South Jersey. GOT ABI meets at different trails each month. Weather permitting so check their facebook and instagram for updates before you leave home.

Choosing the Right Aggregate: Matching Material to Trail Use and Terrain
2026-01-22 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join American Trails in this discussion on tips for identifing appropriate aggregate for your trail and site improvements. This talk will help attendees evaluate site conditions and user needs to select the most appropriate material—reinforcing your team’s technical expertise and the value of well-engineered materials. Trail uses include both pedestrian and vehicular pathways in rural and urban settings.
Presented by:
Tiffany Koss, President, Kafka Granite, LLC

Travel & Tourism for All: Best Practices & Trends for Customers with Disabilities
2026-01-21 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
People with disabilities in the US spend billions of dollars annually on travel, but many report having issues related to their accessibility needs. What types of issues are travelers with disabilities facing and how do we make them feel more welcomed?
Join Craig Kennedy, Program Coordinator and Trainer with the Open Doors Organization, for an informative webinar on best practices for making businesses more accessible, as well current trends for travelers with disabilities.
Craig is a leading expert, with more than 20 years of experience, in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). He spends most of his time on the road for Open Doors, training disability experts for airports and airlines all over the world. Craig’s love for travel drives his passion for disability work and he brings an infectious positive attitude with him wherever he goes in hopes of affecting positive change and bringing improved access to the world of disabilities.

Blue Journey Unified - First pool session of 2026
2026-01-15 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, United States
Join Blue JourneyUnified for their first session of 2026 on January 15. This event is in collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University. These are open to everyone, but space is limited.
The focus in January is teaching TJU students about inclusive, outdoor aquatic recreation and sports. As the semester progresses Blue Journey will focus on helping those in the Philly area develop a new level of water confidence, skill and fitness so that we can hit the open waters throughout the area in the summer.

Designing Events that Engage Your Community in 2026
2026-01-15 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join American Trails in this webinar that explores the ins and outs of planning events that engage, inspire, and activate your community.
Presented by:
Suzanne Matyas, Social Media and Engagement Strategist, Rails to Trails Conservancy
Brandi Horton, Vice President of Communications, Rails to Trails Conservancy

Accessing Assistive Technology Through Schools, VR, Medicaid & Medicare
2026-01-13 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Join Disability Rights NJ staff as they share important resources available to access essential assistive technology. Assistive technology (AT) plays a pivotal role for many children and adults with disabilities. This webinar provides resources to secure the necessary AT devices and services through school districts, VR, Medicaid and Medicare to support education, employment and foster community living.

IHC - Models of Disability Webinar
2026-01-13 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Understanding models of disability gives us a shared lens for how we interpret need, responsibility, and possibility in disability, aging, health, and social services work. The model we default to, often without realizing it, shapes whether we focus primarily on “fixing” individuals to fit into established structures or on redesigning environments, systems, and policies that create barriers for anyone who does things a little bit differently than the “typical” user. When community leaders understand multiple models, they are better equipped to question assumptions, broaden solutions, and recognize how well-intentioned programs can still exclude people if they are built on narrow, traditional (and often medicalized) definitions of disability. This awareness supports more inclusive planning, more effective use of resources, and stronger outcomes by shifting attention toward how our systems can be improved to promote the participation, contribution, and full inclusion of everyone, especially people with disabilities.
Join Rebecca Martin, Rutgers Bloustein School in this webinar offered by The Inclusive Healthy Communities program.

Aggregate Trail Surfacing: From Fundamentals to Field Application
2026-01-08 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
This webinar goes beyond materials and layering to explore how design, construction, and real-time field decisions shape long-term durability.
Presented by:
Jedediah (Jed) Talbot, Owner, OBP Trailworks, LLC
Erin Amadon, Owner, Town 4 Trail Services LLC
This live webinar is free.
Would you consider a donation to support this webinar?
Webinar Outline
This aggregates 2.0 webinar is a follow up to the Fundamentals of Aggregate Surface Trails webinar held on December 5, 2024.
Level up from basic installation to high-performance results. This session goes beyond materials and layering to explore how design, construction, and real-time field decisions shape long-term durability. Participants will learn how to optimize gradation and matrix selection for varying site conditions, stabilize subgrades with geotextiles, and achieve proper compaction through the right balance of moisture, lift thickness, and equipment. The session also covers planning a drainage-first construction sequence to minimize failures, troubleshooting common issues like rutting and washouts, and adapting methods for accessibility, remote locations, and changing seasonal conditions. Designed for practitioners who already understand the basics and are ready to deliver durable, consistent, and professional-quality aggregate trail surfaces.
Learning Objectives:
– Specify gradation, fabric, lift thickness, equipment, and moisture targets to meet performance requirements.
– Build a drainage-first construction sequence that protects lifts, preserves sheet flow, and minimizes failures.
– Diagnose common failure modes and high-durability remediation strategies.
– Establish a practical QA/QC checklist, including on-site gradation/compaction cues, post-storm inspections, and resurfacing triggers.

Blue Journey Unified Pool Swims - December 2025
2025-12-18 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Ocean City Aquatics and Fitness Center, 1735 Simpson Ave, Ocean City, NJ, 08226, United States
Join Blue Journey Unified at the OC Aquatics Center’s warm, saltwater pool for there last winter pool session. Their goals are building community, fitness, water-confidence and friendships throughout the Fall, and this may become your most inspiring and motivating training session of any week.

Session Summary
Coached & Supported Sessions
Water Confidence
Prone Paddling
Swimming
Water Fitness and Strength for those with spinal cord injuries or physical movement challenges
Thursday evenings from 7:00 – 8:00 PM at the Ocean City Aquatics and Fitness Center from December 4 – 18.

Ready, Set, Access: Planning to Bridge the Digital Divide
2025-12-17 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Join the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center as they explore practices that support assessment, organization, remediation, and the creation of user-friendly digital content that facilitates community engagement. Many state and local government agencies are gearing up for the upcoming effective dates of the new ADA Title II rule on website and mobile app accessibility.
This webinar will NOT focus on the technical specifications for making digital content accessible, but rather on strategies agencies can use to approach this process to maximize effectiveness and efficiency.

Great Lakes ADA Center Art, Culture, and Recreation Accessibility
2025-12-11 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
Join the Great Lakes ADA Center for this webinar on accessibility.
Arts, culture, and civic spaces are vibrant community anchors, but accessibility needs in these venues are often complex and unique. Many organizations want to understand their ADA obligations but lack tools tailored for theaters, museums, historic sites, and public spaces. This session introduces the Arts & Culture Accessibility Hub’s free tools to understand ADA requirements, plus a clear cycle—assess, plan, connect, learn, implement—to turn intention into action. Participants will leave with practical steps to meet compliance and strengthen accessibility beyond the ADA.
Individuals will be able to submit questions for the speaker in advance during the registration process.
Human Generated Real-Time Captioning will be provided for this session.

Wapalanne Women's Wellness Weekend
2025-12-05 - 2025-12-07 | New Jersey School of Conservation, 1 Wapalanne Rd, Sandyston,, NJ, 07826, United States
Join the New Jersey School of Conservation for Wapalanne Women’s Wellness Weekend!
Take time to step away from the noise of daily life and immerse yourself in a weekend of rest, renewal, and connection with nature and with yourself.
From December 5th-7th, the Wapalanne Women’s Wellness Weekend will bring together women of all ages for a nurturing retreat focused on mind, body, and spirit wellbeing.
What to Expect:
• Guided yoga, meditation, and breathwork sessions to help you slow down and center.
• Nature walks, forest bathing, and outdoor reflection in our beautiful forest setting.
• Workshops on holistic health, art, mindfulness, and self-care led by experienced facilitators.
• Community meals, journaling, and meaningful conversation to foster connection and renewal.
Whether you’re seeking calm, clarity, or simply a weekend to focus on you, this experience is designed to restore your balance and remind you of the beauty within and around you.

Access Nature Forum - Mahwah Environmental Volunteers Organization
2025-12-03 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Join us on December 3rd at 1:00 PM Via Zoom.
Join us for a discussion with MEVO (Mahwah Environmental Volunteers Organization) Inc., which was a recipient of PPA’s stipend project. MEVO was able to welcome in an existing partner, the Bergen County Department of Adult Special Services (BCASS), to their farm to volunteer at a high frequency. BCASS had been volunteering with MEVO previously, but due to limited staff on MEVO’s end, they were not able to welcome them as frequently as they liked. The stipend from the Pinelands Preservation Alliance afforded them the ability to welcome BCASS anywhere from 2-4 times a month from April to September.
BCASS brought groups of anywhere from 5-15 adults on a given visit, where they stayed for an hour each time. MEVO emphasized sensory experiences that would allow the clients to connect with the farm and the outdoors while they came to visit. Every visit started with a sensory farm tour where the groups could touch, taste, see, and smell what was going on at the farm. Since they camefrequently, they got to witness the farm changing from spring to summer, to fall, through their senses. While at the farm, clients helped with tasks such as weeding, lining the perennial and herb beds with a rock border, laying down mulch, and more. MEVO focused on tasks that fit the range of abilities for the group on the given day. If clients were more excited to tour and experience the farm that day, they would spend all the time of their visit happily on that.
About MEVO: The Mahwah Environmental Volunteers Organization is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit located in Mahwah, New Jersey, whose mission is to be the model for the creation of scalable ecological solutions that inspires and empowers people to take action for a better future. MEVO engages its community in boots on the ground and hands-in-the-dirt volunteer projects that range from working on our two market garden farms, assisting in large-scale trash cleanups on Stag Hill in Mahwah, and trail building in partnership with the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. MEVO’s other programs include their Farm to School Program, spring, summer, and fall internship opportunities, and their Community Supported Agriculture Program. To learn more about MEVO and their volunteer opportunities, you can visit mevo.org

The Power of Visibility and Community Advocacy
2025-12-02 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Join us and discover practical strategies to amplify your impact.
Don’t miss the final session in our Human Experience of Black People with Disabilities and Their Rights Under the ADA series featuring Elizabeth Booker Houston, a lawyer, social scientist, professor, standup comedienne, and political commentator.
This webinar will explore how embracing visibility can combat the intersectional discrimination faced by Black disabled individuals. We’ll discuss how sharing your authentic experiences can spark important conversations, foster understanding, and drive social change within your communities.
To learn more about the Human Experience of Black People with Disabilities webinar series, visit the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center’s Research webpage.

Understanding Trail Aggregates: Foundation for Performance
2025-11-20 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join American Trails as they host this discussion on using stone aggregates for trail surfaces. Lay the groundwork by explaining the basics of aggregates, the range of material options available, and why material selection matters. Trail uses include both pedestrian and vehicular pathways in rural and urban settings.
Presented by:
Tiffany Koss, President, Kafka Granite, LLC

Outdoor Tech for Good
2025-11-13 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Learn how AllTrails is providing free data insight tools for public land managers and park partners to inclusive outdoor nonprofits.
Presented by:
Cece Kirkwood, Impact Program Manager, Partnerships & Giving, AllTrails
John Ribes, Impact Program Manager, AllTrails
Pitt Grewe, Head of Public Land Partnerships, AllTrails

2025 Harvest of Hope Food & Wine Tasting
2025-11-11 18:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | McLooe’s Pier House, 1 Ocean Ave, Long Branch, NJ, 07740, United States
Join Monmouth and Ocean County Center for Independent Living at the 2025 Harvest of Hope Food & Wine Tasting,
This signature event will feature complimentary tastings from incredible local restaurants, fine wines, craft beverages, desserts, a live auction with international auctioneer CK Swett, and a special performance by YouTube sensation NGXB, all in support of Moceans’ mission to empower individuals with disabilities!
Your presence and support would help shine a spotlight on this important cause and bring even more visibility to the restaurants, artisans, and community leaders who make the evening so special.

Click here to reserve your tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/harvest-of-hope–2025

Neuroscience and Yoga Community Showcase
2025-11-11 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
GOT ABI speak about Abilities Walks: in-person, nature-based walks integrate gentle yoga practices to enhance neuroplasticity, autonomic nervous system regulation and cognitive restoration.

Abilities Walk: Special EVENT -- Abilities Walk at Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge***
2025-11-09 13:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, 6 Sawmill Road, Medford, NJ, 08055, United States
Join Get Out There with Aquired Brain Injuries for a FREE Entry at Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge
sponsored by GOT ABI ($10 normal adult entrance fee.)
SPONSORED LIMIT: Only 15 spots available—all fees covered by GOT ABI!
Action Required: You must register by Thursday, November 6th.
Sign-ups exceeding 15 will be added to a waitlist.

Blue Journey Unified at Temple University
2025-11-08 15:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Temple University, 1800 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Join Blue Journey Unified for an inclusive indoor pool event at Temple University. The initiative’s goals are to enhance health quality, recreation opportunities and social engagement among individuals with physical or movement challenges by making outdoor aquatic recreation experiences welcoming, positive and safe for everyone.
Those interested in attending the event are asked to contact Blue Journey Unified via email at bruckner@bcoceanpositive.org

Mithcell-Vassar Vision Awareness Day
2025-11-06 11:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Shadowbook at Shrewsbury, 1 Obre Place, Shrewsbury, NJ, 07702, United States
Join Hackensack Meridian Health and the Mitchell-Vassar Bright Future Legacy Foundation for a day of community outreach, resources and impactful discussion.
Learn more about the event and registration is required, visit – http://events.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/vad2025 or call 800-560-9990.

The Outdoor Professional Conference
2025-11-04 - 2025-11-07 | San Diego Convention Center, 111 W Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA, 92101, United States
The Outdoor Professional Conference (OPC) is your place to connect, grow, and lead in the outdoor recreation and education space. From robust education sessions and social events to hands-on career development, OPC is the gathering for those who work in and care about outdoor programming.
This year they are offering several workshops related to inclusivity and accessibility including:

Wilderness Safety Training
Outdoor accessibility
Closing Plenary “Maximizing Potential A Journey to Empowerment” Friday, November 7

Somerset County Park Commission Open House Focus Group Sessions for All Terrain Wheelchair
2025-10-30 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Somerset County Parks, 355 Milltown Rd, Bridgewater, NJ, 08807, United States
Are you interested in attending one of Somerset County’s Park Commission Open House Focus Group Sessions to help guide the county on what adaptive equipment would work best for visitors to the county parks?
