A Brighter, More Accessible Outdoor Future for Idaho
Image: National Environmental Education Foundation
Idaho Business for the Outdoors believes that Idaho’s public lands and spaces are for people of all abilities and recognize how critical it is to continue making steps in the direction of inclusivity and accessibility for all. Studies show that being outdoors reduces stress, improves sleep, lowers risk of depression, and increases focus and attention. Our public lands, along with their benefits, should be available to everyone.
Fortunately, there have been many successful efforts in the right direction already—programs, grants, laws, and organizations are all being established with the goal of creating a more inclusive and accessible outdoor experience for people with disabilities. The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) has $150,000 in grant funding to make public lands more accessible and enjoyable for Americans of all abilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability and provides equal opportunity for people with disabilities in accommodations, employment, and transportation. Organizations like Outdoors for All Foundation works to enrich the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities through outdoor recreation.
What Can We Do?
Although there's been progress, there is still a long way to go. One of the most important steps to inclusivity in outdoor recreation is making information about our trails more accessible. People with disabilities should have better access to the information they need to decide if they want to experience a particular trail or not. Mathew McCoullough, Director of the Washington, DC Office of Disability Rights, said that the biggest barrier is website accessibility. “People need to be able to plan before they travel to these outdoor spaces,” McCoullough said, “but those with vision or learning disabilities who utilize text-to-speech technology to help them read websites often find that park websites aren’t laid out in a way that the technology can decipher."
We can also start with our local playgrounds and parks. Children gain vital social skills from playgrounds, and this opportunity should be available to children of all abilities. ADA regulations ensure that kids with or without disabilities have access to and can use playground equipment. It also invites parents and caregivers into the play area to supervise children.
Image: City of Boise
Image: City of Boise
Accessible Outdoor Recreation Opportunities in Idaho
The City of Boise's Ridge to Rivers program is committed to making sure people of all abilities have access to the Boise Foothills. The Ridge to Rivers Trail System offers a variety of trail types and experiences for people who use mobility devices.
Designed for people with disabilities, Boise Parks and Recreation's AdVenture Program offers wilderness excursions, recreational activities, fitness programs, sports, and social programs. The program is available for both youth and adults and has a wide variety of activities.
The Idaho Fish and Game Department has an active program that encourages everyone to experience Idaho's wild outdoors. The goal is to improve access to hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing sites for persons with disabilities. Idaho Fish and Game follows ADA standards and is committed to working with groups that promote access to the outdoors for people with disabilities.
Idaho Fish and Game's website states, "Partnerships with private landowners, Idaho counties and federal and state agencies allow us to incorporate accessible designs into facilities for hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing. We want to be proactive in promoting equal access to Idaho's bountiful outdoor resources and encourage suggestions on how we can make Idaho more accessible."
Links to Accessible Outdoor Recreation Opportunities in Idaho
How We're Getting Involved
In Idaho Business for the Outdoors’ Adopt-The-Greenbelt Program put on with The City of Boise, our team and partners work to ensure that people with disabilities are able to participate in the important work we do to protect and preserve our public lands. We work closely with Boise Parks and Recreation to guarantee this program is an accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable program for all participants.
As part of our commitment to providing a more accessible and inclusive environment, Idaho Business for the Outdoors is currently working on a complete accessibility website overhaul to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the official international standard to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. We hope this will allow people with all abilities to access the information we share.
In addition to the accessibility website edit, we will be taking steps to ensure that our social media platforms are more accessible as well. This includes implementing alt-text in photos, adding captions to our videos, and making our text screen-reader capable. It is important to us that all of our supporters, business members, and friends are able to access our content.
Our mission is to provide a collective, nonpartisan business voice in support of the investments, jobs, innovations, revenues, and wellness benefits sustained though the preservation of Idaho’s outdoors and publics lands. Our scenic bikes trails, rivers, lakes, and mountains are vital to our quality of life. Everyone deserves to reap those benefits, regardless of ability.
If at any time you encounter any accessibility issues on our website or with our content, please don't hesitate to reach out to annanaylor@idahobo.org.