Cumberland Island National Seashore News Release
February 14, 2012
For Immediate Release
Fred Boyles 912-882-4336 ext. 227
CUMBERLAND ISLAND TOURS MARK IMPORTANT MILESTONE
St. Marys, Georgia - February 11, 2012 marked six months of operation of the Lands and Legacies Tours on Cumberland Island National Seashore. Since its beginning on August 11th 1,284 visitors have taken the five to six hour trip that takes them to Plum Orchard, the Settlement and other historic sites on the Island. The overall reaction from visitors has been highly positive according to comments offered by those who have taken the trip. The program utilizes vans to carry up to 10 people at a time with as many as two trips per day taken. “The Lands and Legacies Program has proven to be very popular by those visitors to have taken the tour,” stated Fred Boyles, Superintendent of the National Seashore, “Our Park Guides along with the rest of the staff have done a great job getting the program started and working through the problems that can crop up with any new initiative.”
Of the1,284 visitors that have taken the tour, 41% have been adults, 56% have been seniors (over 62) and 3% have been children (under 16). Roughly 11% of the visitors that have taken the concession passenger ferry to the Island in the last six months have been those who took the tour. This may indicate that the new tour has attracted many new visitors to the Island who may not have visited otherwise. Another statistic about participation in the tour was that the average trip was 7.4 visitors. Of the 143 days that the tour was offered, on only one day did the tour not run due to lack of participation. The tour has been used by handicapped visitors which was an important goal of the program.
The South End Shuttle was also initiated in early August. Participation in that service was not quite as popular. That program offered visitors a lift between the Dungeness Dock, the Dungeness beach crossover and Sea Camp. The Shuttle was popular on days of high visitation and during hot weather.
Federal legislation passed in 2004 requires a minimum of five tours and a maximum of eight tours daily to visit historic sites on the north end of the Island. After completing a Transportation Management Plan and required environmental compliance resulting in a Finding of No Significant impact in May 2009, the park was cleared to start the tours. Lack of funding to support the full initiative prompted the park to seek permission to pursue a more modest proposal for a limited time to assess the effectiveness of the program.
The park will continue to offer the program and monitor its participation. A visitor use study is planned for the program later in the year to formally assess reaction to the program. The program did not operate on those days that when a hunt was scheduled or on the days that the ferry does not run during the winter months.
Advance reservations are usually necessary and highly encouraged. There have been instances when visitors came to take the tour only to learn that the program was booked full. Reservations can be made by calling 912/882-4335 or toll free at 877/860-6787. Important information about the program is available at the park’s web site www.nps.gov/cuis (Lands and Legacies Tours). The fee for the tour is $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and children.
Cumberland Island is the largest barrier island off the coast of Georgia, encompassing more than 36,000 acres of maritime forests, salt marsh and beaches. The island is also home to over 9,800 acres of Congressionally designated Wilderness. The island’s natural and cultural resources provide a rich and diverse habitat for wildlife and offer a glimpse into the long history of coastal Georgia. Established in 1972, 2012 is the 40th anniversary year the park has been operated by the National Park Service. The Seashore is accessible by foot-only, passenger ferry from the historic community of St. Marys, Georgia.
--NPS--
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