(A) Cumberland Island

Dear Richard,

Cumberland Island Wilderness

Cumberland Wilderness Not Out of the Woods Yet

Cumberland Island National Seashore is the largest undeveloped barrier island on the eastern seaboard. In fact, when President Reagan signed the bill to designate this area as Wilderness, he recognized the importance of wilderness protection on this portion of the island by stating "This is particularly important in our Eastern States, where few areas remain that are affected primarily by the forces of nature."

As you know, bills in both the House and Senate would split this already small Wilderness area in two by removing the existing wilderness protection from large corridors for vehicular access and establishing motorized concession tours. Thanks to your efforts, neither bill has seen much action. Unfortunately, supporters of the bill may try a backdoor approach by attaching language to an appropriations bill that would have the same impact as if the bill itself had passed.

Please tell your representative and senators to block any attempts to make a backroom deal that would undermine more than 30 years of public and private efforts to preserve Cumberland's precious wilderness state.

Visit us online at www.npca.org

Cumberland Island Development - Undesignating the existing Wilderness, allowing motorized corridors opening up vast areas to development...

Earlier this year you received information on the Cumberland Island National Seashore Wilderness Boundary Act of 2003 (S. 1462), a bill sponsored by Georgia Senators Saxby Chambliss (R) and Zell Miller (D) that will split this already small Wilderness area in two by removing the existing Wilderness protection from large corridors for vehicular access, and establishing motorized concession tours.

In 1972 Cumberland Island was set aside as a National Seashore to "be permanently preserved in its primitive state." Ten years later, the northern half of the island was designated as Wilderness or potential Wilderness. Now, on the eve of the 40th anniversary of The Wilderness Act, S. 1462 and companion legislation introduced by Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) are poised for congressional action; either as a stand-alone bill or as a rider on an Omnibus package.

Take Action >> This bill is currently being discussed in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee - which your senator is a member. It is very important that they hear from you! In fact, many members and staff may be visiting this park on a congressional trip in the coming weeks and your letters will help provide them with important information to prepare them for the trip. Please Click here to Take Action and learn more about this important issue and write your senator today. Another website to also Take Action: Tell Congress not to gut Cumberland Island Wilderness!

Thank you for your continued dedication to protecting the wild places at Cumberland Island and throughout the national park system.

Thank you for your time and dedication to helping enhance and protect our national parks for present and future generations,
NPCA Grassroots Staff

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* National Park Lines is a publication of the National Parks Conservation Association's Park Action Network. To learn how you and your friends can become more involved in national park advocacy, contact our grassroots staff at takeaction@npca.org

Cumberland Island, an unspoiled beach of white sands stretches 17 miles along its eastern shore, giving way to rows of sand dunes, uplands of saw palmetto, forests of yellow pine and live oak, and flats of salt marsh and tidal creeks. Cumberland's 40,000 acres provide habitat for over 300 bird species, American alligators, and one of the largest nesting populations of loggerhead sea turtles along the Georgia coast.

In 1982, Congress designated the northern half of the island as Wilderness with a goal of phasing out activities that were antithetical to wilderness. As a result of this foresight, today, more than 50,000 people annually visit Cumberland Island and are able to enjoy a splendid wilderness experience.

Now, on the eve of the 40th anniversary of The Wilderness Act this September, Georgia Senators Saxby Chambliss (R) and Zell Miller (D), along with Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) have introduced legislation that will split this already small Wilderness area in two by removing the existing Wilderness protection from large corridors for vehicular access, and establishing motorized concession tours. By de-designating roads from Wilderness protection, the bill would violate one of the most central criteria in the Wilderness Act by segmenting the existing wilderness area into smaller, disconnected fragments incapable of providing the isolation and solitude that are the very reason for wilderness.

Currently, only a handful of island residents with valid access rights are legally allowed to drive the primitive roads through the wilderness and potential wilderness areas, and all development is prohibited. The proposed bill eliminates these protections, and opens the wilderness, in perpetuity, to government vehicles, commercial concession tours, and non-conforming uses.

The bill will de-designate hundreds of acres of wilderness. The Wilderness Act was a uniquely non-partisan law that passed both houses by near unanimous consent. In it, Congress declared a public policy of preserving an "enduring resource of wilderness," a resource that was for "the permanent good of the whole people." The bill sponsors should not be allowed to blatantly disregard this goal. This bill will split this already small Wilderness area in two, having impacts that will reach far beyond the Wilderness area on Cumberland drawing into question the nation's commitment to the permanency of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Write your Senators and Representative today to urge them to oppose the Cumberland Island National Seashore Wilderness Boundary Act of 2003 - S. 1462 in the senate and H.R. 4887 in the house. Go to www.fofgroup.org, click on �issues�, then Cumberland Island . This bill will undermine more than 30 years of public and private efforts to preserve Cumberland in a primitive state. Congress should soundly reject it.

Concerned Friends of Fernandina

Concerned Friends of Fernandina is a grassroots citizens group formed to inform and involve residents wanting to

preserve the small town identity of Fernandina Beach and its natural beauty.

"With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed." -- Abraham Lincoln

For problems or questions regarding this web contact webmaster@fofgroup.org

"cfof" are residents of Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Last updated: October 20, 2011.