The National Park Service says it's moving ahead with plans for motorized tours of Cumberland Island after officials determined the tours pose little threat to the Georgia island's wilderness. Dennis Parsons, Cumberland Island's chief park ranger, said Friday the vehicle tours won't start for several months. The Park Service still needs to provide funding for vehicles and extra staff. At 15-miles long, Cumberland Island is one of the largest wilderness areas on the East Coast. For 25 years, its protected status has required most visitors to tour the island by foot or on bicycles. About 43,500 people each year visit the Georgia island. Congress ordered the Park Service to provide motor tours of Cumberland Island in 2004.
(Associated Press)
(Associated Press)
