Environmental Influences on Life & Labor in McIntosh County, Georgia Case Studies in Ecology as History

The "ecology as history" in this book resonates with a recurrent theme, one that tells the story of a community which involves the use of its land, its economy and the dynamics of its labor from the perspective of the local environment. The twelve "case studies" in the book examine the correlation between the ecosystem and environment of the Georgia low country in association with its economics and culture. In this regard, one area is scrutinized as a microcosm of the south Atlantic coast, McIntosh County, Georgia. This is a story of land use in association with the intangibles of place and permanence?and by extension, perseverance?as they relate to the peoples of McIntosh County, black and white. It is a story that is applicable to all of coastal Georgia and lower South Carolina. It is argued here that the human occupants of the region simultaneously adapted to the ecological circumstances of their locale while utilizing local environmental conditions as an increasingly effective, and resourceful, means of furthering their economic and cultural well-being.

Buddy Sullivan has written about the history, culture and ecology of coastal Georgia for 35 years. He is the author of 30 books and monographs and is in frequent demand as a lecturer on a variety of topics. He is a recipient of the Governor's Medal in the Humanities from the Georgia Humanities Council in recognition of his literary contributions. Sullivan's books include "Sapelo: People and Place on a Georgia Sea Island," "Early Days on the Georgia Tidewater," and "Georgia: A State History." He was manager of the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve from 1993 to 2013 and is now an independent writer and historical consultant.