Through the support of many organizations and with the passion of teams around the country, our parks are becoming more accessible for many of our visitors. Each newsletter we would like to highlight a success around the country of a park or system that is working to improve access. To kick us off we want to share a story and some information about a state who has gone all in and hired a full-time employee to help address the issue and highlight some of their first-year successes.
Tennessee State Parks
Accessibility for all is everyone’s job
Tennessee has set an ambitious goal for its state park system – to become the most accessible state park system in the nation. Its efforts are grounded in the belief that everyone, regardless of ability, should be able to explore and enjoy Tennessee’s natural wonders.
A key part of this commitment is Ryan Jolley’s recent appointment as Accessibility Coordinator. With a background in disability advocacy and inclusive program design, Jolley is steering the parks toward being accessible for everyone. As he travels to parks he shares that his goal is “equipping all of our state parks staff to embody that accessibility is a part of everyone’s job” Jolley shared in an interview with NewsChannel 5 Nashville. Jolley’s responsibilities include overseeing accessibility projects, gathering visitor feedback, and collaborating with local organizations, as well as advising and training across the state. Tennessee Lookout
Tennessee’s accessibility efforts are ahead of schedule. Numerous parks across the system feature all-terrain wheelchairs, adult-sized changing tables, wheelchair-friendly paved trails and overlooks, colorblind viewfinders and accessible canoe and kayak launches. A detailed overview of these projects is available on the Tennessee State Parks official site.
Looking ahead, Tennessee State Parks plan to expand accessible trail upgrades, adapt programming for guests with diverse needs, redesign its website to meet WCAG standards, and host workshops to gather community feedback and train staff. Officials are actively seeking funding and partnership opportunities to further these improvements.
“Tennessee State Parks teammates are making our parks more welcoming and inviting,” said Greer Tidwell, deputy commissioner of TDEC for the Bureau of Conservation, when speaking about the addition of Ryan and the goals for accessibility statewide. “We recognize that in order for Tennessee to lead the nation in making the outdoors accessible, we all need to humbly learn from those who experience the outdoors with various abilities.”
