The Access Nature Forum was created to bring together a diverse selection of like-minded individuals to have conversations about improving access to natural places. We aim to engage those with disabilities, their families, caregivers, veterans’ groups, assisted living organizations, advocacy groups, nonprofit organizations, state, and local officials, and agencies in a public discourse that identifies public interest, concerns, and ideas, and join their voices for improving access to natural places.
Our goal is to bring about change for the betterment of our collective community. This is an opportunity for a section of our community to express what they need, want, and hope for, to make their lives and outdoor recreation more enjoyable through accessibility to the outdoors and the ability to gain a positive mental and physical health experience.
We will hold quarterly conversations via Zoom with the potential to add more meeting dates as our plan develops. If you are interested in participating in any forum discussion, please fill out the sign-up form below.
This is a work in progress, and we value your input on how we are developing, whether you would change or add to the information we provide, and how you think we can make this forum and website more useful. You can email Sean Kane Holland at sean@pinelandsalliance.com or fill in our survey form.
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Access Nature Forum Schedule for 2023
July 12th at 7pm via Zoom – Registration link will be posted soon.
October 11th at 7pm via Zoom
Get to know your parks! Join us for a conversation with Matthew Johnson who is the Coordinator for Open Space Acquisition & Park Development with Burlington County Parks. He will discuss his role, current projects and initiatives, and ADA-Accessible trails and amenities within the county park system. He will cover opportunities for networking, information on funding opportunities and resources, and how to get involved as well as how the public can support ongoing projects. We will discuss our goals to make the outdoors more inclusive and accessible for individuals with special needs. At the end of his discussion, there will be time to ask questions.
Missed the meeting? Watch the replay.
April 12th, 2023 Access Nature Forum Get To Know Your Parks Meeting:
A conversation with Jeremy Buzzell, Branch Chief for the National Parks Accessibility Program. He discussed his role, current projects and initiatives, opportunities for networking, information on funding opportunities and resources, and items to focus on for our goals. National Parks in New Jersey include Sandy Hook’s Gateway National Recreation Area and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
January 11, 2023 Access Nature Forum Kick Off Meeting
Project Partners
This Forum is a part of The Pinelands Is for Everyone project of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA). We aim to work with people with disabilities and their allies to make nature more accessible, so everyone can enjoy the benefits of being in our region’s magnificent nature spaces. For more information, go to our web site here.
Pinelands Preservation Alliance is the leading environmental constituency-building and advocacy organization for the protection and enjoyment of the New Jersey Pinelands, an ecologically unique region of 1.1 million acres in Southern New Jersey.
Disability Rights New Jersey (DRNJ) protects, advocates for, and advances the rights of persons with disabilities in pursuit of a society in which persons with disabilities exercise self-determination and choice and are treated with dignity and respect.
Hopeworks is a social enterprise that uses technology, healing, and entrepreneurship to transform lives. Its unique trauma-informed approach, combined with high-demand, high-wage technical training and paid work experience helps build young people who can not only get jobs but keep them.
This initiative was funded by an Inclusive Healthy Communities Grant from the Division of Disability Services, New Jersey Department of Human Services.