It is, after all, called “the great outdoors”! People who spend time in nature—surrounded by forests, meadows, rivers, lakes, and wildlife—experience the benefits of improved physical and mental health. Even a brief visit to a natural setting is good for body and soul!

Unfortunately, nature isn’t always as easy to access as it should be. People with disabilities often find it challenging to reach natural areas where they can enjoy fresh air, scenic views, and activities like birdwatching, fishing, wildlife photography, art projects, and nature journaling.

Thanks to four grants totaling over $46,000, Raritan Headwaters is actively working to expand access to nature at our 170-acre Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve in Bedminster, which is also home to our headquarters.

• The Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA) granted us a $10,000 award to construct a 400-foot boardwalk connecting a parking lot to a dock overlooking the property’s beautiful pond, making it accessible for people in wheelchairs. Fed by a stream, the pond provides habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including beaver, mink, herons, songbirds, turtles, and fish.
• J. Grassmann Trust contributed $10,500 to fund building materials and an ADA accessible gangway leading to the dock.
• The John and Margaret Post Foundation provided $10,000 to refurbish the dock and enhance the approach to the gangway.
• The Garden Club of America granted us a $16,000 award to upgrade our Sensory Garden by adding a wider, more stable pathway suitable for wheelchairs. This unique native plant garden provides a feast for the senses, filled with colorful, fragrant plants and a variety of textures.

The PPA grant is part of a statewide initiative called “Nature: Accessible for All,” whose goal is to remove barriers that discourage or prevent people from exploring natural places. The PPA is partnering with dozens of organizations across New Jersey to make parks, preserves, and trails more accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities.

The initiative aims to raise public awareness, and it features an online directory of accessible locations. This mobile-friendly site, https://www.accessnaturenj.org, recognizes that people with disabilities need accurate information to help them plan successful visits to natural areas.

The new boardwalk will be built with the help of volunteers, and construction is expected to begin early this fall. All improvements will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Once finished, the dock and boardwalk upgrades will let us provide more hands-on educational and recreational programs in the pond area, accessible to visitors of all ability levels.

The Sensory Garden path project will be completed in early September. In addition to upgrading the path, we plan to add more seating, birdhouses, and provide visitors with binoculars, field guides, and audio tools.

For the past several years, Raritan Headwaters has been working to make our facilities and programs more friendly to people with physical and developmental disabilities. Even before being awarded the four new grants, our accessible programs had expanded to serve approximately 82 people with disabilities.

We were especially proud this spring to include a birdwatching team made up of people with disabilities in our annual Bird-A-Thon. This dedicated team visited parks with wheelchair-accessible trails and observation spots, using specialized equipment like scopes and listening devices to identify as many bird species as possible.

The four grants significantly support our efforts, and we appreciate the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, E.J. Grassmann Trust, John and Margaret Post Foundation, and the Garden Club of America. Thank you!