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Comments Submitted on Cumberland Island Visitor Use Plan

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), on behalf of 15 conservation organizations, has submitted formal comments on the National Park Service’s proposed Visitor Use Management Plan (VUMP) for Cumberland Island National Seashore.

While supporting the Park Service’s goal of providing thoughtful public access, the coalition raises serious concerns about proposals that could permanently alter the island’s primitive character.

Key Concerns Include:

    • Doubling Daily Ferry Limits
      The plan proposes increasing daily ferry visitation from 300 to 700 people — the most significant change to island management in over 40 years. The coalition argues this increase is unjustified, inadequately studied, and risks crowding, habitat degradation, and loss of solitude.
    • Expansion of E-Bikes and Commercial Services
      Proposals to allow up to 100 bikes per day (including e-bikes), expand beach riding zones, and introduce new concessions and facilities could significantly impact wilderness values and sensitive wildlife.
    • Wilderness Impacts
      Nearly half the island is designated Wilderness. The coalition urges the Park Service to develop a formal Wilderness Management Plan before expanding access or development.
    • South End Beach Protections
      The updated draft removes previously proposed protections for heavily used South End Beach, despite documented impacts to shorebirds and critical habitat.
    • Development Near Nightingale Beach
      Proposed new facilities fall within designated critical habitat for piping plovers and other protected species.
    • Feral Horse Management, Zoning Clarity, and Visitation Costs
      The comments also address ecological harm from the oversized feral horse population, concerns about zoning changes and land exchanges, and rising ferry costs that create barriers to equitable access.

The coalition recommends maintaining the 300-person daily ferry cap, or at most considering a modest increase to 400 per day — paired with concrete monitoring, mitigation, and funding commitments.

Cumberland Island is one of the last large, undeveloped barrier islands on the Atlantic coast. The primary goal of the Visitor Use Management Plan, as the Park Service itself acknowledges, must be to preserve the island’s fundamental resources and wilderness character for future generations.

Read the full comment letter here.