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GEO WALKER

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Everything posted by GEO WALKER

  1. Sorry no form letter... I usually speak w/the park manager to ensure an understanding of the situation. This will help if the "suites" have any questions upon review. So far I only have 3 ECs but all have been permitted. The permit is basically informational and allows the staff to be aware of the cache in the area. This is more helpfull w/standard geocaches, particularly w/maintenence issues. Just a note here more and more parks seem to be looking into geocaching as a "park activity"...
  2. I work in the field of environmental compliance and like it or not there will be occasions where you are truly forced to play the game “Get Out Your Check Book” or “Let’s Go To Court”. Remember these actions are brought about by some else’s either lack of common sense or respect for statutes and regulations. I would rather resolve violations through voluntary agreement than decree, but there are times you are just not given a choice…
  3. Experience has taught me work form the bottom up. My 1st stop would be the park manager or recreation department. This is the area of day-to-day operations. It seems the higher up you go with a proposal like this the less knowledgeable the people are and they are more resistant to change and new ideas. My guess is they don't want to have to deal w/it. Perhaps letting their own staff sell the positive aspects of this may be the better course of action.
  4. Couldn't have said it better myself....
  5. Most Park Managers are welcoming caching, particularly Earthcaches, they, as stewards of the park must be concerned w/environmental and safety issues. Here in PA one of the major reviews and at times a delay, w/the State Parks is the Endangered Flora and Fauna check. Another common requirement from other parks is staying on the trails or w/in “x” # of feet of the trail. A permitting process, based on the awareness of the location, is becoming common w/many parks. Just be aware of other requirements, and the development of these requirements from public parks.
  6. Me, too. When I ask I usually lead off with "virtual science project"....and then go from there. I often use the phrase "It's like a mini Geology Feildtrip" which seems to help get the point across.
  7. I try to create an activity that involves some type of measurement. Say instead of measuring the width of a stream you measure the handrail of the bridge. Hey, it’s also safer… Another technique I’ve used is to open the educational requirement to observation. Instead of listing ”several answers” have the cacher submit what they have observed. This approach seems to be very well received by cachers… These are a sure fire ways of knowing that someone has visited the site and not arm-chaired the answer. It also helps when the photo becomes an issue, such as no room on the card, dead battery, very low light, all of which has happened to me.
  8. I agree w/TerryDad2 Given the occasional negative news item [emergency or law enforcement response] on geochaching, you may want to stress the lack of a container and all of the rooting around that may be associated w/it. There would be no illusions of the activity, which is potential problem w/any micro…
  9. I’m not at all crazy about the “globetrotting” aspects of an advanced level. As for me, it’s an economic impossibility. I think what needs to be done is to clarify the use of the term “earth science” in the reference literature, and the geology specific approvals. Once this is done, perhaps an expansion of the “types” would help achieve this goal in visits and creations.
  10. I concur... Even if I'm near the .1M limit I will notify any nearby geocache owner of the EC. I have never had a negative response, in fact the opposite. Oftentimes the EC will give an explanation of the area. I will also incorporate any nearby caches to my submittal. This way all parties and cachers win...
  11. Or directly on top of a traditional cache that explains exactly the same thing as the earth cache. That said. Geology isn't intereseting to most folks when you get past volcano's and certain rock formations. Once the cool ones are taking up you can still have a lot of intersting locations...if you are a rockhoud or geologist type. Boring for everone else. Now I realize from your profile you have yet to complete or create an Earthcache and as aresult understand your negativity to this issue. That being said, there is no logical reason that 2 caches w/completely different approaches can not share the same space... Can you provide an example where the traditional cache "explains" an earthcahe, and does this explanation involve some type of actitivity related to the earthcache site? I would have to disagree w/the comment of earthcaches only being of interest to the geologist type. Some of my best and most favorable responses have come from IT types and others who don not work in the Earth Sciences. I guess they provide an explanation to the "Golly Gee Wiz" factor.
  12. A There isn't such a guideline. It would be the polite thing to do. For one thing if my spot is so good for an earthcache and I've got a cache there, perhaps I might also be the one to have first dibs on the earth cache. When I pass (and I will most likley pass) they can go forth and do a good earth cache. B Someone placed an earth cache on top of one of my caches. They didn't ask or say Boo until it was approved. When it was I took a quick look and their cache covers about the same information as my cache. I was dissapointed for not being asked, but not insulted. Life goes on. A One of the things which seems to have been overlooked in many of the replies is the "activity" portion of an Earthcache. The "activity" is a part of the educational factor of an earthcache and it usually is more detailed than a standard sign. Often times many pre-existing caches are placed on what I call the "Golly Gee Wiz Factor" an earthcache defines the Golly Gee Wiz and gives an understanding of what it is and how it came to be so the next time the cacher comes across this again in their travels they have a much better understanding. The greater purpose of an earthcache is education, not hide and seek. Most geocaher/earthcachers will confirm this, and most earthcachers are involved in geocachinig. Some of us are responsible professionals and this is just one more way of conveying knowledge to others. B There seems to be an assumption that all earthcaches are approved. Difiniately not so... This may explain the last minute request.
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