Cumberland Island National Seashore
Subtitle: a history of conservation conflict
By: Lary M. Dilsaver.
Publisher: University of Virginia Press
Published: 2004
Place of publication: Charlottesville
Language: eng
Number of pages: 323
Subjects: Conservation of natural resources -- Georgia -- Cumberland Island National Seashore.; Environmental protection -- Georgia -- Cumberland Island  National Seashore.; Cumberland Island National Seashore (Ga.) -- History.; Cumberland Island National Seashore (Ga.) -- Management.; Cumberland Island National Seashore (Ga.) -- Environmental conditions.
Description: "In Cumberland Island National Seashore: A History of Conservation Conflict, Lary M. Dilsaver uses the island as an example of the difficulty of converting privately owned lands into public space. The fate of the island has galvanized national environmental groups, the descendants of powerful families, historic preservation organizations, and African-American heritage societies. The local populace wanted to enjoy the beaches and the fishing but also to attract as many visitors as possible from the nearby I-95."

"First a history of the establishment, management, and conservation issues of the site, Cumberland Island National Seashore also serves as a revealing look at the ongoing national battle between ecosystem preservation, historic conservation, and lingering private use in the park system. By focusing on the history of one national park, Dilsaver shows vividly the difficulties of preserving land and wildlife while providing recreational opportunities for the public."

"The core of Dilsaver's story is interest-group lobbying and conflict, involving wealthy and powerful opponents, and the Park Service's sometimes fruitless attempts to run a middle course following agency tradition and a web of legal constraints. Engagingly written and supplemented with historical illustrations and maps, Cumberland Island National Seashore offers a glimpse behind the process of establishing a national park area. It will interest scholars and students of historical geography, environmental history, and conservation and preservation, professionals in park and recreation management, and perhaps above all, those who have come away from an enjoyable visit to the seashore and wondered about its complete, albeit rocky, history."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 271-308) and index.