Project Description: Cumberland Island National Seashore is Georgia's largest and southernmost barrier island. The National Seashore has the greatest diversity of habitats and biotic communities of any of Georgia’s coastal islands and is home to over 9,800 acres of Congressionally Designated Wilderness. The park was established on October 23, 1972, to maintain the primitive, undeveloped character of one of the largest and most ecologically diverse barrier islands on the Atlantic coast, while preserving scenic, scientific, and historical values and providing outstanding opportunities for outdoor recreation and solitude. Purpose / Need: Protection of the identified parcels would provide visitor use of undeveloped, pristine beach for recreational activities including swimming, bird watching, and wildlife viewing. It will also ensure the continuity of the Parallel Trail, the 6.1 mile primary north/south artery for hikers and bicyclists, and protect both cultural and natural areas in a prominent section of the park. These tracts contain a unique ecosystem of oak maritime forest that has become uncommon. This important habitat supports nesting for threatened sea turtles and shorebirds. In addition, the area contains historic resources that are part of the Stafford Plantation Historic District. Protection of these lands would allow access to the Historic District for visitors and interpretation by Park staff, and preserve remnants associated with the plantation era and the enslaved African American community. This acquisition will also reduce the incidence of visitor trespass onto private lands as they navigate the island. These lands bisect the park and one parcel is located immediately adjacent to park facilities, including a ferry dock, visitor contact station, and campground, which creates significant opportunity for unwitting trespass by visitors. The National Park Service is working with county officials and private landowners on a land exchange/land acquisition of six parcels of land. This funding is needed to complete acquisition of the six parcels in addition to the FY 2020 appropriation, and three additional tracts identified as part of the exchange process. Portions of the $2.8M would also be used to cover due diligence costs associated with the exchange, including appraisals, NEPA compliance, archaeological investigations, land surveys, and administrative costs to rezone NPS lands conveyed to private owners. Acquiring these tracts strengthens resiliency to climate change by protecting fragile coastal ecosystems and preserving habitat for endangered species. Preventing development also mitigates further coastal erosion.
Miscellaneous
- - DOT funding - $800k allocated to resurface and repair Grand Ave (Main Rd)
- - CUIS is also listed as a recipient of additional funding from the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) that was established by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), designed to fund large projects that would take several years to accomplish with standard funding sources. This is supposed to facilitate the rehabilitation of Seacamp Ranger Station.
- Additional Relevant Links:
- Cumberland Island National Seashore visitors spend $3.4 million annually in Georgia” - GPB News: https://apple.news/AdgUR_FOzT5C-YTVi5qevYA
- Politics, insufficient funding, questionable priorities, climate change, invasive species, and overcrowding all are chipping away at what long has been referred to as America's Best Idea, an increasingly trite phrase that fails to recognize the challenges faced by the National Park Service as it strives to live up to its 1916 mandate to "conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein..." https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2022/04/travelers-view-all-not-well-national-park-system
- https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/08/travel/crowded-national-parks.html