We’ve all been there before: you select that perfect bench, bollard, or bike rack for your park or public space only to find out that within a week the furnishing was vandalized or even stolen. Site furnishing take the most abuse compared to any other park element, so before you select that perfect furnishing here are a few things to consider.

When discussing backcountry trails, one of the first questions I usually get asked is, “Do our new or existing trails need to be ADA compliant?”

If compliance measures aren’t practical due to terrain, access for equipment is difficult and will impact the environment negatively, or federal laws that protect threatened or endangered species will not allow this level of construction then they often do not need to be compliant. In many cases, backcountry trails meet most, if not all, of these exceptions.

Many agencies may feel a little overwhelmed when they first look at their aging campgrounds and are told to bring them up to current ADA regulations. You want to maintain the natural character of the campground without turning it into a concrete jungle. After all, the natural environment is why the public has been coming there for years. So, where do you start?