WILL HARLAN on the Wild Woman of Cumberland Island /07
Dirt road leading through a forest grove on Cumberland Island; Photo by AlyssaKPhotography18
Today we will have a rare glimpse into one of the last remaining wild places in the Eastern United States, Cumberland Island, a 18 mile long island just off the coast of Southern Georgia, a semi-tropical eden of endangered wildlife and pristine ancient forests that has been protected as a wilderness area since 1982. In addition to loggerhead turtles and wild horses, it is home to Carol Ruckdeschel, subject of the new biography Untamed: the wildest woman in America and the fight for Cumberland Island.
Today we are speaking with the author of that book, Will Harlan, the editor in chief of *Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine* and award-winning journalist. Will was a park ranger on Cumberland Island for nearly twenty years. He initially dreaded crossing paths with this legendary witch of the wilderness, but the real Carol Ruckdeschel turned out to be a distinguished biologist, tireless steward of Cumberland island, and one of the most wildly fascinating people in America.
♫ Music featured in this episode includes "There's a New World Coming" by Bernice Johnson Reagon, "I'm Goin' Home" by Ervin Webb, "Peach Orchard Mama" by James Yank Rachel, and "Tall Trees In Georgia" by Buffy Sainte-Marie.
For The Wild is a slow media organization dedicated to land-based protection, co-liberation, and intersectional storytelling. We are rooted in a paradigm shift away from human supremacy, endless growth, and consumerism. As we dream towards a world of grounded justice and reciprocity, our work highlights impactful stories and deeply-felt meaning making as balms for these times.