NPS - National Park Service
06/30/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/30/2023 02:31
Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve invites public comment on a Development Concept Plan and Environmental Assessment for Kingsley Plantation
Date:
June 30, 2023
Contact:Steven Kidd, 904-805-7510
June 30, 2023
Contact:Steven Kidd, 904-805-7510
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve seeks public input on a Development Concept Plan and Environmental Assessment that prescribes site improvements and management at Kingsley Plantation. A public commenting period will be open from June 30 to July 30, 2023 and includes opportunities to submit written comments on the plan.
Kingsley Plantation is located on the northernmost point of Fort George Island in Jacksonville, Florida. The plantation, which lies on more than 60 acres, is the oldest surviving example of an antebellum Spanish Colonial plantation in the United States. The tabby cabins that were home to enslaved Africans at the site represent one of the largest intact collections of such buildings in the country and serve as a window into the lives of the enslaved people at the plantation. The cultural landscape of Kingsley Plantation gives a voice to the plantation owners and enslaved Africans who lived and worked there.
The existing management guidance for the Kingsley Plantation is the preserve's general management plan (GMP), which was developed in 1996. Several major changes have occurred since the publication of the GMP that call for a reexamination of recommendations in that plan, including archeological discoveries, updated guidance on cultural landscapes, land acquisition, and increases in visitation and traffic. A Development Concept Plan and Environmental Assessment has been prepared to provide new planning for the site and new guidance for its management.
The plan is available for download and review at the project website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/KingsleyDCP. Comments and ideas may be submitted by visiting the website and selecting "Open for Comment" on the left menu, and selecting "Kingsley Plantation DCP & EA."
The preferred method for commenting is through the park planning website, but written comments may also be submitted by mail to:
National Park Service - Denver Service Center
Attn: Kingsley DCP / Charles Lawson
12795 West Alameda Pkwy
Denver, CO 80228
Please ensure written comments are postmarked prior to July 16, so there is time to consider them. Additional opportunities for commenting and public engagement will be offered throughout the project.
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