Accessibility
Genesee Land Trust preserves and protects natural lands and waterways that enhance the quality of life in the Greater Rochester region— providing wildlife habitat, locally grown food, and connections to nature— for everyone.
Everyone has the right to access the outdoors. At Genesee Land Trust we strive to serve every person in our community, including people with disabilities, by becoming increasingly more accessible and by providing an inclusive environment at the nature preserves we manage and the programs and events we offer. We encourage you to join with us in this ongoing process towards greater inclusion. Your feedback, ideas, and suggestions are welcomed!
Several of our nature preserves have been assessed to enable you to make a more informed decision regarding your exploration of these areas. Learn about individual nature preserves and plan your next visit by visiting www.geneseelandtrust.org/explore. After reviewing these descriptions, we encourage you to reach out to us with any questions or to discuss accommodations that we might make to help your experience with us and in the outdoors, enjoyable.
Please contact us at any time. We appreciate learning how our properties and programs can better serve you. We are happy to assist you and invite you to reach out to our Inclusion Point of Contact, Elliotte Bowerman.
Inclusion Point of Contact:
Elliotte Bowerman
Director of Communications
(585) 450-3938
ebowerman@geneseelandtrust.org
Accessibility Improvements to Preserves
Carol Cobia uses an electric scooter to move down the wooden ramp of the elevated observation deck. The deck has shade, benches, and wire guard rails.
October 2024
New Observation Deck Improves Outdoor Access - Just in time for the fall bird migration, an elevated observation deck with an accessible ramp, benches, and shade has opened at Salmon Creek Nature Preserve (492 Bennett Rd. in Hilton). The trail to the deck is wide, grassy, and has some bumps and ruts we are still working to smooth. There is also a slight incline to the 0.5-mile trail from the parking lot to the deck. Rochester Birding Association provided funding to help create the deck, and volunteers from Rochester Davis-Fetch and the Carpenters Union Local 276 built it from rot-resistant native black locust as part of their workforce development program.
A ribbon cutting was held Oct. 28th.
May 2024
Genesee Land Trust receives one of ten national grants from Disabled Hikers and the Land Trust Alliance. This, when combined with local support, will help continue making improvements such as these:
Instead of single-width footpaths, wherever possible trails will be wide enough for two people.
Parking lots, which increase safety and accessibility for all visitors, will be built sooner at several new nature preserves.
Adding shade, seating, and inclusive signage are priorities for new and existing preserves.
Sign language interpreters can be requested in advance at all Land Trust events.
Progress 2022-2024
Over the past two years, thanks to the compassion and generosity of Genesee Land Trust members, we’ve made great improvements. In addition to the observation deck, highlights include:
6 Parking lots created or expanded
6 Benches built for scenic resting - 3 at Salmon Creek Nature Preserve and 3 at Cornwall Preserve (Town of Williamson)
4 Ramps installed to replaces steps up to bridges and boardwalks at Irene Gossin Nature Preserve (Town of Penfield) and Cornwall Preserve
2 New designs for trail signs created to improve readability
1 Shade structure built over a bench at Salmon Creek Nature Preserve
1 Boardwalk updated with toe-kicks to keep wheels from rolling off at Cornwall Preserve
We plan to share more details with you about how we’re becoming a more accessible and inclusive organization on this webpage in the months and years ahead. We welcome your input.
Photo Descriptions
Photo 1: A smiling mother and daughter in a wheelchair hold up a sign that says "I care about" with a picture of planet Earth underneath it, on a sunny fall day at Conkey Corner Park in Rochester.
Photo 2: Two people in blue vests and white hats smile and talk next to a tent during the opening of Salmon Creek Nature Preserve (Hilton).
Photo 3: A young boy stands next to a ramp he and his father built together on a trail at Brookdale Preserve (Chili).
Photo 4: An event attendee in a black hat and sunglasses uses a power chair on a trail at Salmon Creek Nature Preserve (Hilton).
Photo 5: A staff member shares information with an individual with a hat and hiking pole at Irene Gossin Nature Preserve (Penfield).
Photo 6: A group of volunteers install the foundation of an observation deck at Macyville Woods Nature Preserve (Sodus Point).
Photo 7: An ASL interpreter in a white hat during the 2023 Winter Solstice event at Wild Hill Farm (land in Ionia protected by Genesee Land Trust).
Photo 8: Four people traversing the stone dust Genesee Greenway State Park trail (Chili) at our 2024 First Day event.
Photo 9: A new Genesee Land Trust signpost with white, orange, and purple signs help direct visitors on a meadow trail.
Photo 10: Genesee Land Trust staff (and Tilley the dog) use a tape measure to get the width of a parking spot in the parking lot of Salmon Creek Nature Preserve (Hilton).