(by Zoe Dawson)
July celebrates Disability Pride Month – a time to honor the diverse disability communities and the fight for inclusion and accessibility. It is observed in July because of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law in July 1990. This established a legal guarantee of equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities in employment, transportation, telecommunications, public accommodations, and other areas of daily life. Despite continued progress, access, inclusion, and acceptance remain ongoing challenges.
NH Audubon recognizes barriers to accessing nature for people with varying abilities and remains committed to our mission to protect NH’s natural environment for all people and wildlife. Last year, we took time during Disability Pride to update on a new accessibility project (the All Persons Trail at the Massabesic Center) and we’re proud this year to be able to provide an update on our newest accessibility project, the Audio Tour along the Silk Farm Wildlife Sanctuary All Persons Trail.
The Audio Tour provides historical information about the Silk Farm Wildlife Sanctuary at our McLane Center headquarters, ecological information about the surrounding habitats and features, and seasonal information about the wildlife that visits or calls the sanctuary home. There are 13 stops to listen to, beginning at the kiosk in our meadow with some history about the property and ending near the center entrance at one of our pollinator gardens to learn about an invasive species, with many fascinating topics in between. This project, spearheaded by Community Outreach Coordinator Anita Fernandez, wouldn’t have been possible without several staff members who dedicated their time as narrators and installed the stops, our neighbor Tom McGee from Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success, and New Hampshire Public Radio’s producer Jessica Hunt for help with recording and editing.
We invite people of all abilities to come and visit the Audio Tour at Silk Farm Wildlife Sanctuary to experience nature from a different perspective; we hope you enjoy it! Plus, if you find yourself in Concord on Saturday, July 18, Able NH is hosting Disability Pride at the State House. Learn more about the event here.