By Dani Purvis & Sierra Abbasi. Anyone who has had the pleasure of visiting Cumberland Island can attest that its remote, largely undeveloped state supports a striking amount of biodiversity teeming with wildlife. Clean and uncontaminated freshwater, brackish, and saltwater sources across and around the island are critical to the abundant life that draws tens of thousands of visitors to […]
It appears that the welcome mat to Cumberland Island National Seashore (CUIS) has been deforested, with the removal of over a dozen mature live oaks from the mainland visitor parking lot in downtown St Mary’s, Georgia. The parking lot, located directly between the city’s riverfront park and a residential street, has served Seashore visitors for decades. Cumberland Island features one […]
As we gear up for the upcoming sea turtle nesting season, which typically occurs annually in Georgia from late May to mid-August, I’m reflecting on the 2024 sea turtle nesting season and want to share what I’m excited about for 2025! Hopefully you, dear reader, will get excited about the sea turtles coming soon to a coastline near you and […]
By Dani Purvis If you’re like me, and you collect trash whenever you visit national parks like Cumberland Island National Seashore, you can join the ranks of citizen scientists and maximize your impact – participate in a TrashBlitz! Wild Cumberland’s TrashBlitz In October during our annual on-site gathering, Wild Cumberland members collected four full lawn-sized trash bags of marine debris […]
Comments Submitted by Wild Cumberland on the Cumberland Island Land Exchange Read the comments submitted to the NPS on the Cumberland Island Land Exchange by Wild Cumberland below. Wild Cumberland opposes what the National Park Service has most recently proposed for the Cumberland Island Land Exchange. The agency has been negotiating deals with select private property owners at Cumberland Island […]
Nature Sounds Are Necessary Nature sounds affect the integrity and functions of entire ecosystems – in ways that we are just beginning to understand. Excessive and/or inappropriate noise can be detrimental to wildlife (not to mention wilderness character), affecting everything from communication and foraging to navigation and mating. Read more here. Animals detect sound even when they are asleep — […]
Know the Facts About Coyotes on CINS Coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded their range as we have extirpated large predators (wolves, cougars, and bears) and cleared swaths of land. They now inhabit most, if not all, barrier islands in Georgia – including Cumberland. Their survival is attributed to their adaptability, intelligence, and resilience. Research is currently being conducted on other […]
42 Years Without a Wilderness Management Plan! In 1982, Congress designated nearly two-thirds of Cumberland Island as federally-protected Wilderness (8,840 acres) and Potential Wilderness (11,718 acres)…..but to date, the National Park Service (NPS) has not implemented the Wilderness Management Plan required to protect it. Wild Cumberland believes development and implementation of a Wilderness Management Plan would establish the accountability, consistency, […]
Wild Cumberland is marking the occasion with our weekly trivia nights – which double as a fundraiser to support our work! Simply make a donation of $10+ to play each week and join us online. We laugh a lot — and you do not have to be an expert on Cumberland Island to win! It’s easy to play – we’ll […]
Wild Cumberland has always believed that extending protections (or establishing new protected areas) is critical to protecting our existing Wilderness. We’re proud to demonstrate our support for protection of an area known as the Blake Plateau. The Blake Plateau is an elongated, relatively flat expanse of the continental shelf along the southeastern coast. It features more than 200 species of […]