Accessible nature

Are ableist views preventing the tourism and recreation sectors from being accessible and inclusive? This is a question arising from a scoping review of policies, practices and infrastructure related to nature-based settings. The review found many barriers were related to operator or designer assumptions about the value of the experience for people with different disabilities. Access standards are yet to catch up with the concept of “accessible nature”. Assuming blind people can’t appreciate a view, for example, are embedded in systems and processes. Consequently, access barriers are created albeit unintentionally.  But other barriers exist such as threats to conservation values that say, a footpath could impose. When creating built structures, it’s important to consider the negative impacts on both social and ecological aspects. A more worrying view is that it is not safe for people with disability to experience certain landscapes. This perpetuates organisational notions that people with disability need extra care or special settings. Or that people with disability can’t or don’t experience nature in the same way as non-disabled people. 

From the conclusions

Ableist views are embedded and perpetuated in the tourism and recreation cultures which create unnecessary access barriers. The authors conclude there is a pressing need for specific standards for nature-based tourism and recreation spaces. When developing such standards people should ensure they are not underpinned by ableist views. It’s important for everyone to have easy access to the experiences nature offers. The title of the scoping review is, Accessible nature beyond city limits – A scoping review. The authors are based in Canada.

From the abstract

Not everyone gets to experience the benefits of interacting with nature. Focusing on access for persons with disability, we systematically examined research on the accessibility of nature-based tourism and recreation spaces outside of urban/community settings. This study sought to examine policies, services, physical infrastructures, and regulatory standards intended to enable equitable use of nature-based settings by individuals of all ages and abilities, particularly persons with a disability. Findings indicate there are considerable gaps in the provision of services and information that enable people to choose nature experiences. There are three ways to look at accessibility: the adaptation pathway, the accommodation pathway, and the universal design pathway. Management implications There are growing calls to promote inclusive nature experiences in tourism and recreation spaces outside of community settings. Management of such spaces must reconcile equity concerns with a host of other priorities like environmental conservation. More research is required to underpin detailed standards for universal access as part of management priorities.  Partnerships that involve management personnel, environmental and public health researchers, and persons with a disability are needed to identify effective management synergies. Photo by Jane Bringolf