Cumberland Island National Seashore : a history of human and geographical interaction

Stevens, Robert; Celebi, Julia

The report dissects the history of Cumberland Island National Seashore and combines it with an understanding of the geography of the area to showcase to students how the human interaction with the environment was developed and how it affects the management issues faced today. Cumberland Island represents not only a microorganism of the country's history, but it also provides a model for students to investigate human interactions with the environment. Using the lens of geography, the history of Cumberland Island is magnified so students can see the relationship between the two. The purpose of this article is twofold: (1) to examine how human interaction with the environment on Cumberland Island reflected national development and (2) to pose thoughtful questions regarding management issues which challenge Cumberland Island National Seashore today. Organized into different settlement eras, students will be able to understand how the physical environment of Cumberland Island was used over time to accommodate groups reflecting different needs and technologies.