When Jim Maurer was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease about sixteen years ago, he was determined to stay active.
"Physical activity is a priority," he said. "It's got to be. It has to be the first thing you think about."
Maurer, who lives in Greece, has stayed true to his goal. He regularly plays pickleball and golf. On a bright and breezy day in October, he was eager to try something new.
Genesee Land Trust recently installed an accessible observation deck at Salmon Creek Nature Preserve, 492 Bennett Road (County Rd. 220) in Parma, so birders of all abilities can enjoy their hobby.
Maurer agreed to test how well he could navigate the quarter-mile path from the parking lot to the birding platform.
Land Trust executive director Lorna Wright and a couple of her colleagues joined him on the trail, which snakes through part of the 25 acres which were a cornfield before the Land Trust bought the parcel from a local farmer a few years ago. Now, it's wide-open grassland filled with native meadow plants like aster and golden rod.
"Which is unusual in our area and really important for grassland birds to be able to have a place to nest and call home," Wright said.
Maurer used a three-wheeled walker to travel the path. Right away, he noticed the uneven surface caused by tire tracks left by the construction equipment that was used to build the platform this summer. This is the kind of feedback Wright wants to hear.
"Making this path smoother, that's something we have that's really top priority, because having the platform is fantastic, but we want people to get there," she said.
After walking at a pretty good pace for about a hundred yards, Maurer is ready for a break. He uses a folding chair to sit for a few minutes. There is a bench around the midpoint of the trail, but he thinks there should be more resting spots.
"Yeah, one here and one there would be good," he said, pointing to an area along the trail.
Genesee Land Trust's commitment to making its lands available to people with a wide range of abilities is partly the result of their partnership with Rochester Accessible Adventures (RAA), a nonprofit that was founded in 2015 when a group of community members came together to find solutions to a recurring problem: People with disabilities did not have the same access to health and wellness activities as their peers.
A review of the Land Trust's entire operation is underway with this in mind.
"Not just our preserves, but also things like our website and our programming," Wright added. "We're working through a list of many things to continue to work on. We know we're just starting the journey."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 26% of people in the United States are living with a disability. This includes individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and people with physical challenges associated with aging.
RAA works with community organizations, schools, local governments and businesses to ensure that these groups can enjoy recreation spaces alongside their friends and family members.
"When we step outside of a program kind of mindset, we really look at who's already providing those kinds of experiences, and how can they be supported in bringing everybody in," said RAA executive director Anita O'Brien.
Nine years ago, the organization scored its first victory after encouraging Erie Canal Boat Company in Fairport to provide accessible bikes and kayaks. Today, adaptable boat launches and inclusive recreation opportunities can be found along the Canalway from Buffalo to Albany. RAA also recently worked with Genesee Valley Audubon Society on a strategic inclusion plan and with Region 8 of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to assess the amenities on its properties across eight Finger Lakes and Central New York counties.
But beyond the programs and infrastructure, RAA challenges its partners to adopt an inclusive mindset and ask themselves if people with disabilities feel seen and welcomed when they visit their website or location. Do they hire employees with disabilities and include them in the decisions and planning?
"I definitely felt a shift in the past five or six years of people's willingness to embrace this idea and even see around the barriers," O'Brien said.
Back on the trail at Salmon Creek Nature Preserve, Jim Maurer was within sight of the accessible birding platform. He pushed his walker up a ramp, and then he reached the top, where he found some sturdy benches and a bird's eye view in every direction.
"Pretty nice," he said. "This is beautiful out here."
There weren't many birds around, but Maurer enjoyed a few peaceful moments in nature. Still, he thought it took too long to reach this spot. A four-wheeled walker with a seat that can be used to stop and rest at any point would have gotten him here faster, he said.
"Once you're here, this is great. And I'm believing you when you say it's downhill going back," he laughed.
O'Brien said Rochester Accessible Adventures would like to make an all-terrain motorized wheelchair available for people to use to reach spots like this. She thinks local recreation planners should consider investing in them, too.
And for people who don't drive or don't have access to a vehicle, RAA stresses the need for recreation sites to be on public transportation routes.
"We have heard things like, 'People aren't asking for transportation out to Salmon Creek Nature Preserve' ", O'Brien said. "Well of course they're not because until recently, there was no incentive to go there."
This story was produced by WXXI's Inclusion Desk, focusing on disabilities and inclusion.
