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Contact: Sara Koenen, (912) 882-4336 ext. 251
St. Marys, GA – Cumberland Island National Seashore (the Park), a unit of the National Park Service (NPS) will begin the process of cataloging and curating the natural and cultural resources collected by long-time island resident Carol Ruckdeschel. It is the NPS mission to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. This is a large collection, spanning more than four decades, there is no timetable on when the collections will be available.
The NPS established a select team of curators and resource specialist from across the country to participate in this effort. The purpose of this acquisition is to ensure the curation and care for specimens collected within the park, as outlined by the standards on Research Specimens in the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR 2.5).
If you are interested in conducting research on Cumberland Island, please go to the NPS Research Permit and Reporting System (RPRS) website to submit a research permit application https://irma.nps.gov/RPRS/.
For the safety of staff, visitors, and the collection itself the Alberty House, First African Baptist Church, the Settlement, access roads, and surrounding areas will be closed to the public. This closure during this delicate transfer is in effect 1:00am Monday, November 18th through 8:00pm Saturday, November 23, 2024. Lands And Legacy tours will be altered. We apologize for any disruption as we strive to process these resources safely and properly. Thank you for cooperation and support in protecting Your National Parks.
Last updated: February 5, 2026