Expanding Access to Nature
Black Rock Forest, just south of Newburgh, boasts some of the best hiking opportunities in the Hudson Highlands. Now, thanks to two EPF grants totaling $569,863, a new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible pathway is open at this popular old growth forest. This trail can be safely accessed by just about everyone—including people using wheelchairs or walkers, as well as families with young children and strollers.
Douglas Hovey, the executive director of Independent Living, Inc. offered this perspective, “As a person who uses a wheelchair, being able to experience nature and the great outdoors is such an essential part of my well-being. There are very few outdoor resources for people with disabilities, therefore this addition at Black Rock Forest is significant for the thousands of people living with disabilities in the Hudson Valley.”
“We are thrilled that more visitors will be able to enjoy the expansive trails that make up Black Rock Forest, thanks to the great new addition of the Visitor Access Pathway,” said State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey. “This is a great example of how the Environmental Protection Fund provides real recreational opportunities for New Yorkers.”
The spring the trail opened, parks and environmental communities celebrated an historic expansion of New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). Thanks to the New York State Legislature, the EPF appropriation in the New York State budget grew to $300 million in 2016 and then $400 million in 2022. This historic expansion translates into greater investment in cleaner water and air, park expansions and farmland protection, among many critically important programs. Improving the public’s access to parks and all that they offer are among the great achievements of the EPF.
“Every year, OSI and our many partners work together to make the case for greater investment in the EPF,” said Kim Elliman, OSI CEO and president. “It is gratifying to see how the EPF is making our state’s most spectacular natural landscapes more accessible to a fuller range of visitors and explorers.”
Black Rock Forest is an intact, mature deciduous forest dominated by native species, including rare and endangered plants and animals. The forest provides critical refuge for mammals like the bobcat, coyote, otter, and black bear. The Black Rock Forest Consortium manages the forest and works closely with its partners, including the Open Space Institute, the Orange County Land Trust, and the Hudson Highlands Land Trust to preserve key parcels of land. Together, they have created a wildlife corridor between Black Rock Forest and Schunemunk Mountain encompassing more than 117,000 acres of habitat. To learn more, visit http://blackrockforest.org.