AikenStandard.com

Monday, August 09, 2010

Book recounts efforts to protect Jekyll

Whit Gibbons

 Any book that begins with the words "I love public land" and is dedicated to "the thousands of citizens who have consistently and persistently opposed... commercial, timeshare, and condominium development" on a coastal island should appeal to many people. The dedication goes on to acknowledge those "who work for the establishment, protection, and preservation of public lands everywhere." Although this book is about the commercial and political forces that threaten Jekyll Island State Park, Ga., the principles should resonate anywhere powerful individuals and corporations decide that personal profits should outweigh the preferences of the general public.

"Remember Jekyll Island" (2010, Langdon Street Press, Minneapolis, $14.95) by Babs McDonald gives an inside view of the history of what she refers to as "inappropriate planning" by the Jekyll Island Authority. The authority was created to oversee conservation, development, and management of the island. Yet some citizens became actively involved in thwarting development of the island as proposed by the authority because they thought the plan would reduce public access to the magnificent coastal habitats. A primary threat was an increase in private development and restricted-access housing areas. Jekyll Island State Park is currently open to the public and belongs to all the people; the idea of private development was viewed by some as unacceptable.

I feel certain that a book written by the Jekyll Island Authority about their process of decision making, planning, and management would offer explanations for the authority's actions. And such a book might be appropriate, because in McDonald's opinion the members of the authority have "got some 'splainin' to do." For example, she states that the way the authority appears "to discount public opinion, deflect public scrutiny, and act with impunity may be related to its accountability to Georgia's governor."

One helpful feature of the book is the chapter titled "What You Can Do." If you don't like the way a publically owned area such as a national or state park is being treated, you can take action. Some of the suggestions are geared to Jekyll Island but they have generic applicability and would work in many different situations. For example, set up a website and let people join your effort. Give away free bumper stickers ("Save ..."). One suggestion that I am always in favor of is to contact your local newspaper or any others whose readers are interested in the ecological issue.

And let us not forget elected officials, who often have great influence. They seem to be more attuned to the public interest when they realize that their actions are under scrutiny.

"Remember Jekyll Island" details efforts to protect a specific place. But it has general applicability to any place where public habitats and natural environments are vulnerable to political maneuvering and self-serving justification by people with an eye on personal profit.

The writings of Gifford Pinchot in 1910 express the environmental spirit that many people, probably a majority, would like to achieve. Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service, is quoted in McDonald's book: "I stand for the [Teddy] Roosevelt policies because they set the common good of all of us above the private gain of some of us." In other words, a state park that thousands of people a year can enjoy is of greater value to the nation than a developed enclave accessible by only a privileged few.

Who's right and who's wrong in contests to decide how land is used sometimes depends on whom you talk to and how articulate they are in making a case for their side. At this juncture in the development prospects for Jekyll Island, it would appear that a few developers and possibly some politicians could get rich by limiting access to a state park that is currently open to the public.

Perhaps the black-hat players described in the book could justify their actions if they told their side of the story. Or perhaps Dr. McDonald's assessment is right on target and no justification is possible.

Send environmental questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Whit Gibbons is an ecologist and environmental educator with the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.

August 8, 2010

Chuck Murphy, Naturalist and Nature Photographer:

The author is a frequent visitor to Jekyll Island State Park. Like me and thousands of other Georgians, she escapes to Jekyll for its uncrowded beaches, variety of wildlife and miles of biking and walking trails. As McDonald points out, it’s also a very special place due to its unique maritime forest and its overall unpretentious ambience. Beyond that, Jekyll’s also special because unlike Georgia’s other coastal islands, it’s accessible and affordable for normal people.

In 2004, she heard a rumor about radical changes planned for Jekyll. Upon learning that the planned changes would be destructive to the historical character of Jekyll that many of us love, she became a citizen-activist in the fight to protect Jekyll Island State Park. Utilizing her skills as a scientist and author, she decided that the recent battle for Jekyll Island State Park’s future is a story which Georgians deserve to know. Over the past three years, she catalogued news stories, submitted open records requests, and documented the process that nearly led to severe, negative changes to the state park we love. As she documents in the book, her investigation was not easy due to stalling officials and the evasive tactics of the developers. Only a very persistent and dedicated investigator could have done all the research that went into this book!

Based on her training and experience in outdoor recreation planning, McDonald’s book compares the Jekyll Island Authority’s planning process with professionally accepted standards and practices. Though based in Georgia, her book show why citizens around the country increasingly mistrust governments and what should be done to fix the problem. The book presents a lively story of what happened on Jekyll Island against a backdrop of what she claims should have happened. Sometimes technical but always accessible, Remember Jekyll Island is also a treatise on the value of our public lands. If you’re interested in Jekyll Island’s future, in the future of any of our public lands, or in the overall transparency of government, then you should read this book.

June 2010

From the Common Cause Georgia website,http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=4849077

Athens native Babs McDonald has written Remember Jekyll Island. It delves into a wide cast of characters including public officials and citizens on both sides of the fight over island revitalization plans. The book highlights the lack of transparency that has fueled recent distrust of government. Remember Jekyll Island reminds us of what it means for a state to hold public land for the common good, and just how fragile that contract may be. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the recent Jekyll Island battle  and for all Georgians who value a trip to an affordable public park for a day or a week. This book shows us why continued grassroots action is necessary and how it can make a difference.

May 2010

Book Review: Remember Jekyll Island, by Rick Just, Chief Planner at the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and President, National Association of Recreation Resource Planners

McDonald’s book is a well-documented case study of development proposals on Georgia’s only publically owned accessible barrier island. The book focuses on the variance between the decision making methods of the Jekyll Island Authority and well accepted standards of planning, including—prominently—the Principals of Recreation Resource Planning developed by NARRP.

In her book McDonald provides a brief overview of the parks movement, a history of development and protection on the island and a timely account of the debate over its future. She states, “What happens on Jekyll may foreshadow what could happen to Georgia’s other state parks and those around the country. What is at stake is the continued existence of accessible state public lands, lands that are and should be the birthright of every state citizen.”

Sure to be picked up as a text for university courses in outdoor recreation planning, this book is well worth reading by those already in the profession. It is a reminder of the importance of what we do and a warning of the consequences of inadequate public involvement.

The book can be ordered from: www.rememberjekyllisland.com. And will be posted on the NARRP Marketplace, where you’ll find many other great books for recreation planners.

Review by Alastair McIntosh:

"At its deepest, this is a beautifully written book that challenges American values. Does America stand only for a naked commercalism intent on colonising every last corner of land where a little human sanity remains a possibility? Or can Americans defend and even strengthen their deeper and more uplifitng values of access to beautiful places, public participation in their governance, and safeguarding the public good?Jekyll Island is one of the front lines in this battle for the soul of what it means to be a people. From elsewhere in the world we watch, and do so with hope and blessing on those who have courage in their convictions."

Professor Alastair McIntosh, Scotland, author of Soil and Soul http://www.alastairmcintosh.com/

May 10, 2010

From the back cover by Charles Seabrook, a nature columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is the author of Cumberland Island: Strong women, wild horses, among others.

            Remember Jekyll Island is a thorough and detailed account of the Jekyll Island battle. Anyone who wants a good background on the bitter fight, and the many folks concerned about the future of Jekyll Island, should read this book. Remember Jekyll Island shows why we must be ever vigilant and ready to fight those—and there are a lot of them—who would sacrifice our natural heritage for a few lousy bucks. I never cease to be amazed over the power of greed, and this book shows how relentless and entrenched that power can be.

From the back cover by Janisse Ray, the author of the New York Times best-seller Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, among others.

            Here is an impassioned, impeccably researched book born out of alarm at the prospect of losing something precious. Here is a labor of immense love. Not only is it an account of the near-theft by political operatives of Georgia's Jekyll Island -- a refuge belonging to the people -- it is as well a treatise on the primacy of nature in our lives and a call for help. Author Babs McDonald has done all of us a great service. Take this book to heart. Consider it a lifeline. Grab hold of our gorgeous Jekyll and never let it go.