Cumberland Island: Land Swap Proposal Sparks Debate Over Private Construction
The National Park Service proposes trading 9,800 acres of wilderness for private land to allow eight new homes, drawing 12,500 public comments.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
A proposal to exchange federally protected wilderness for private land on Cumberland Island has ignited a dispute over the balance between conservation and private development. The National Park Service, which has managed the 18-mile barrier island since 1972, seeks to consolidate private ownership on the west side of the island. In return, descendants of the Carnegie family would be permitted to construct up to eight new private homes.
The island contains roughly 9,800 acres of wilderness designated by Congress to be preserved in a primitive state. The park service currently owns the land proposed for the swap, which overlooks the Cumberland Sound and Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. Under the plan, the agency would acquire the private parcels currently owned by two branches of the Carnegie lineage. This acquisition would allow the park to better manage natural and cultural resources on the Atlantic beachside, where development could then be prohibited.
Park Superintendent Melissa Trenchik defends the strategy as a way to protect the majority of the island. She noted that the agency received more than 12,500 public comments on the proposal. Trenchik stated that if the park service takes no action, development on the private land is already possible. She described the eight new structures as modest and subject to permanent conservation limits, including a height cap of 35 feet.
Critics argue the proposal contradicts the spirit of the land's protected status. Joseph Manning, an attorney with Defenders of Wildlife, rejected the characterization of the homes as modest. He pointed to the allowance for 15,000 square feet, which includes driveways and outbuildings. Manning described the exchange as a trade for McMansions. He views the move as part of a wider administrative effort to privatize public lands, citing similar exchanges in Grand Teton, Yosemite, and Bears Ears.
Manning argued that these land exchanges are not being conducted to expand public access. He claimed they benefit specific special interests or small groups of individuals. He stated that the Cumberland Island deal fits this pattern by favoring a handful of families.
Barclay McFadden, a great-great-grandson of Thomas Carnegie, countered that the opposition is driven by unfounded hysteria about Gilded Age wealth. McFadden, who is involved in one of the land deals, said his family has lived on the island for generations. He noted that five generations of family members are buried in a local cemetery. McFadden stated that his family has acted as stewards of the island, preventing it from being converted into a golf course in the 1970s.
Jamie Ferguson, a cousin of McFadden and co-owner of the Greyfield Inn, supports the legacy of protecting the island. He described the family ties as widespread, likening them to a live oak tree. Ferguson believes the land swap would improve visitor access to The Chimneys, a historical site with remnants of a plantation. He stated that the family is part of the island's cultural history and that this status comes with responsibility.
Carol Ruckdeschel, an ecologist and resident of the island for over 50 years, opposes the plan. She described the proposal as an affront to the American people and an insult to the Park Service. Ruckdeschel is concerned that the swap serves as an initial step toward greater development. She also noted that the park service plans to double daily visitation to 700 visitors. Ruckdeschel believes the island should remain a primitive wilderness where nature overtakes human structures.
