Why should your land trust or conservation organization intentionally seek to implement aspects of universal design and access for your outdoor environment? Universal design has been called “inclusive design,” “design-for-all,” “lifespan design,” and “human-centered design.” This session will give participants an opportunity to begin answering that question, by introducing the principles of universal design and then applying them to planning within your own specific outdoor environment. Universal design serves to result in the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. This session will include an overview of the difference between ADA-compliance and universal access; why universal access is not just about the person with disabilities; and how an outdoor universal access design plan creates practical opportunities for increased local support of conservation.
