The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Region 9 Office is hosting ‘Get Outdoors & Get Together Day’ on June 14 at Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center, Erie County.  

Get Outdoors & Get Together Day brings people of all abilities, ages, identities, and backgrounds together for fun, healthful activities as part of Governor Kathy Hochul's efforts to broaden the diversity of users and ensure inclusivity of access to public lands. This year’s statewide event is hosted by DEC and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, in partnership with the Office of the Chief Disability Officer, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Veterans' Services, the Office of Mental Health, and the Justice Center for the Protection of People With Special Needs. Full details, including schedules, can be found on DEC's website.

DEC Region 9, in partnership with the Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation, is offering the following free opportunity for the public in Western New York:  

Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center  

Date: June 14, 2025 

Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Location: 93 Honorine Dr., Depew, NY 14043

Contact: Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center, (716) 683-5959 or Reinsteinwoods.org  

Free activities include:

• Guided walks; 
• Hoverball archery; 
• Birding opportunities, including learning to use binoculars; 
• Face painting; 
• Geocaching; 
• Camping demonstration; 
• Snowshoeing 101; 
• Information about kayaking and canoeing; 
• Scavenger hunts; 
• Sensory-calming space; 
• Food trucks; 
• Giveaways, door prizes, and more!

Partner organizations include:

• Black Girls Hike Buffalo 
• Buffalo Ornithological Society 
• Cheektowaga Youth Engaged in Service 
• Cradle Beach 
• Daemen University – Nancy Haberman Gacioch Veterans Center 
• Feminist Bird Club of Buffalo 
• DEC Forest Rangers 
• Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation 
• Office for People with Developmental Disabilities 
• Parks on the Air 
• Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve 
• Slow Roll Buffalo 
• Team Red, White & Blue

Accessible features at this site: Picnic tables, boardwalk, audio tours, and visitor center with interpretive exhibits, classrooms, and restrooms.

Transportation to the event: The NFTA Parks Adventure Bus is offering free transportation from the main terminal in Buffalo. Riders can visit both Reinstein Woods and Como Lake in the same day. The bus will stop at Reinstein, then head to Como Lake. When the bus departs Como Lake, it will make another stop at Reinstein before heading back downtown. Paratransit clients: Service to each park will also be provided on PAL for eligible riders. You can reserve trips arriving at the park at 10 a.m. Vehicles will leave the park at 2 p.m.  

The event will be held rain or shine. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own snacks, water, and sunblock. Participants are encouraged to Love Our New York Lands all year by practicing Leave No Trace™ principles and by recreating safely and sustainably and hiking in suitable conditions based on weather and experience level.