Accessible trails are everyone’s trails

by Ceal Craig

I had the opportunity to participate in a focus group organized by the state of California’s Coastal Conservancy to discuss how we can improve access to public lands for individuals who might need extra support such as facilities and trails that meet American with Disabilities Act standards, commonly known as ADA. One challenge is effectively communicating information about what already exists. This website, http://www.wheelingcalscoast.org, is filled with helpful information for those who have mobility challenges and want to access the California coast including our Bay Area lands.

On May 4, 2018, the Coastal Conservancy hosted a webinar for grantees and partners on Designing Outdoor Environments that Work for Everybody. A recording of the webinar can be found at https://vimeo.com/268101779. The slides and notes from the webinar are online at http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/pdfs/CoastalConservancyWebinar_05042018_fina....

The Coastal Conservancy works to ensure that all people have access to the coast, and to remove physical barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing the coast. http://scc.ca.gov/about/accessibility/

The Coastal Conservancy has initiated a project to review its policies, programs, services, and facilities to produce an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan. The plan will include opportunities for members of the public to provide ideas, concerns and comments through this website.

The ADA Self-Evaluation will include a review of documents and policies to ensure that people with disabilities have access to the programs and services offered and managed by the Conservancy. The Plan will also evaluate and develop a plan to address physical barriers if they are found to be present in Coastal Conservancy properties.

For more information on this plan, please contact the Coastal Conservancy ADA Coordinator, Amy Hutzel at amy.hutzel@scc.ca.gov.