Accessibility Guidebook for Outdoor Recreation and Trails Part I

This online engineering PDH interactive presentation provides an updated version of the original “Accessibility Guidebook for Outdoor Recreation and Trails”.

Accessibility always is more difficult and costly to implement as an afterthought. When recreation professionals understand what is needed, accessibility becomes integrated into the thinking, planning, designing, construction, and maintenance of every project from the beginning. In line with the Forest Service direction, this presentation aims at helping designers and managers apply Forest Service Outdoor Recreation Accessibility Guidelines (FSORAG) and Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG) to their work and to provide guidance for integrating accessibility into the start of outdoor recreation site and trail projects.

This presentation begins by introducing the fundamentals of outdoor recreation and trails accessibility, including the importance of accessibility and the terminology required for addressing it. The presentation also discusses the importance of universal design and program accessibility. It continues to discuss the means of applying accessibility guidelines to your site, and the safety components to achieve an inclusive design. The presentation also explores the important tools for accessible recreation including guides, specifications, and standards for different operators of public lands, such as outfitters, guides, and ski operators. The presentation ends by exploring construction and maintenance practices as means of designing access into the outdoor environment.

This 2 PDH online interactive presentation is applicable to Forest Service employees and their partners, designers, managers, recreation professionals, and technical staff who are interested in ensuring inclusive outdoor recreation opportunities.