geoaware

If a submission is made for an EarthCache in the same (or very close to) a traditional cache, it will only be approved if... a. It meets all the EC guidelines b. Does not cover the same information as the traditional cache and c. The EC developer contacts the traditional owner (as a matter of courtesy). We ask EC developers to do this, but only if the coords are within 100 meters. However,some EC submissions provide such a great experience that the traditonal cache has missed, it would be a shame not to approve those based on proximity alone... Geoaware

I would place it in erosional.....

...not until 2010..there is the International Geoscience Education Education Conference (GeoSciEd) being held in South Africa. That is when I finally get there!

For all you EarthCache Masters out there, we are offering a special prize for the first car that we see with an EarthCache Master sticker displayed (other than our own car or the GSA Subaru's that have all four displayed). And I travel a lot for work....both in the USA, Canada, Australia and Europe.... so this is open to many. So use them with pride... Maybe people would also think about attaching some photographs of the stickers on their cars or other neat places! Geoaware

To help the process along....here are some definitions for the different categories we use. Please note that sometimes (often really) a site will fall into more than one category. IIf this is the case, you chose the most obvious one based on the lesson that you hope the visitor will get from visiting the site. Cave/Karst These are features related to any cave formation or associated feature. “Karst” refers to the unique landforms that occur in areas where the bedrock can be dissolved. These includes sinkholes, dolines, disappearing streams etc Taking people to undeveloped (non-tourist) cave locations needs to be done with caution. Caves are places of unique and sensitive ecosystems. They can also be very dangerous. Please note that any cave feature submitted in North America goes through an additional approval process by the national Speleological Society. Coastal These are landform features that relate to coasts. They could be unusual beaches (e.g. green sand, black sand, pebbles etc), dunes, estuaries etc These are site to educate visitors to coastal process, such as long shore drift, sea cave or sea stack formation etc Erosional These are features that display some major form of erosion and can be used to explain the process to visitors, such as gully erosion, river band erosion etc. Faults These are features where the rocks have broken under stress and some movement along the break (fault) is visible. They could also be the epicenters (the place on the Earth’s surface directly above the movement) of past major earthquakes. Folds These are places where the pressure inside the Earth has caused the rocks to bend and those folded rocks are now exposed at the surface. Fossils These are locations where fossils can be found in the rocks. Visitors should be actively discouraged from collecting the fossils (other than photographs). If sites are in quarries, adequate safety warning should be given to keep people away from quarry walls. Geomorphological These are landform sites that don’t readily fall into another classification. For example, cliff faces that exhibit some unique feature (shape of a face etc) or where there is a continental divide in the flow of rivers. Glacial These are any feature that shows the work of current or past glaciers. They could be glacial lakes, rock striations, moraines or erratic (rocks that have been left behind by glaciers but originally came from somewhere else). Historical These are site in which some historical geology took place. For example, the first place a certain fossil was discovered, or the place where a famous historical geologist discovered some phenomenon. Hydrologic These are sites that display some water feature that do not fall into other categories (such as rivers). These include natural springs, waterfalls etc Igneous (Plutonic) These are sites that visitors learn something about the cooling of molten rock underground. These include batholiths, plutons and stocks. This will also include outcrops of plutonic rocks, such as granite or gabbro. Igneous (Volcanic) These are sites that visitors learn about current or past volcanic activity. These sites include lava flows, cinder cones, lava tubes and all types of outcrops of volcanic rocks (basalt, rhyolite etc) Metamorphic These are sites where visitors learn about metamorphic rocks. These are rocks that have ‘changed’ due to being heated (without melting) or put under enormous pressure. Mineral These are sites in which visitors can see unusual minerals. These include veins, pegmatite outcrops etc. Visitors should be actively discouraged from collecting at the site. Mining These are sites where current or past mining has taken place. Visitors should be made aware of any dangers that exist at the site (like mine shafts) and always be discourages from entering old workings. River These are any site that relates to the action of a river. Sedimentary These are sites in which visitors learn about sedimentary rocks and the processes that form them. Examples would include sandstone, shale, conglomerate and limestone. Structural These are sites in which visitors can learn something about the structure of the rocks in that area. This would include features such as domes, monoclines etc. Some of these features may also fall under folds and faults. Impact These are features formed from the impact of an extraterrestrial body (comet, meteorite) with the Earth. Other If you honestly can’t find a category…you can place it here. I hope this helps. I will work on getting these onto the earthcache.org website as well. Geoaware

ok...i will work on that and get them posted on www.earthcache.org Good idea!

It is not a requirement to post a picture to log an EarthCache and the guidelines actually say that logging a picture alone does not meet the logging requirement. However, as the EarthCache Grand Master, I enjoy seeing pictures of people enjoying EarthCaches (even if that is just their hand) This discussion might be better in the wider forums (and in fact I have read a similar thread)

EarthCaches that take people to places with no signs and provide great information and a wonderful learning experience through the educational logging requirement are my favorite! Like all things in life, EarthCaches range in quality from the good to the excellent! For an example of an excellent EarthCache, and there are many great ones out there, I would suggest people look at one by Minerals44 or TerryDad2... Geoaware

Thanks Gene.....you did a great job!

I am often asked if we will set up a level beyond Platinum. The answer is YES...but the next level will have to be even harder to achieve. Suggestions have been like - visiting an EarthCache on every continent (yes...there are EarthCaches in Antarctica) or maybe five of the seven continents. Thats tough! But what do you think? Any other EarthCache Master ideas?

The very first EarthCache is in New South Wales Australia and is called Earthcache I - Wasp Head. And yes, if people ask I will send them a white pin when then visit that EarthCache. White pins will also be included in the inventory of the new EarthCache store opening soon on www.earthcache.org along with caps and T-shirts. Geoaware

And a very special welcome to the new forums from the EarthCache team at the Geological Society of America. We are the group that approves EarthCaches around the world. We are delighted that there is now a special place to discuss all aspects of EarthCaches. We will let the 'collective knowledge' answer most things...and chime in when we think an 'official' statements will add to the discussion. Geoaware

If you are looking for a way to discuss EarthCaches...you could join the EarthCache Friends group on facebook?

To add clarity, the Earthcache guidelines say about logging requirements: Taking a photograph alone, having visitors sending a word from a sign, or asking people to do internet research does NOT meet these logging guidelines. However, asking people to submit a photo as additionl proof is up to the owner. How they administer the logging is really up to them. But, as Mrs Geoaware keeps saying, ITS ONLY A GAME.

Hi You can actually list the EarthCaches in country, state, name etc order from the Earthcache.org site. Just click on the name at the top of the field you want to search..... I also suggest that you display 200 records..it does make searching easier. we are working on a better search display (watch this space) Cheers Geoaware

Hi folks I thought that you should all know that part of our process here at EarthCache Central (Geological Society of America) is that we are constantly reviewing EarthCaches that are already published. While we may not respond to every complaint, we do check EarthCaches that are brought into question. We have found a number that had been 'altered' after publication....so they no longer meet the guidelines. These are automatically archived. Others are unpublished and developers asked to work on. We rely on you all to let us know of ones that are not up to par...and then let us deal with them. The process to get an EarthCache published does involve us checking content...and the quality of this does range in ones we approve from outstanding to 'you will learn some lesson'. We are constantly making suggestions to developers to make their Earthcaches better......We want EarthCaches to be great...but we realise that we must have a 'standard window' that allows people of all abilities to be involved in developing Earthcaches - geologists, non-geologists, teachers, students etc etc As we published the 1600 EarthCache, we can still sit back and say that EarthCaches are great and people around the planet (47 different countries) are out there learning about this planet we call home because of their visit to an EarthCache. Thanks to you all for your input, debates and comments...it all helps us to keep things moving forward. Gary (Geoaware)

Maybe.....but the original site would be the better location for the EarthCache...cause it would be more about the geology. The use would be the interesting, but side issue. But lets do it...i think it would be neat! Gary Geoaware

Hi all... I think the sheet actually says "You are now only six more EarthCache finds (three in at least three other state or countries) " I know that sounds confusing, but it means that you need to go to at least three OTHER states and territories (meaning that you have to be in at least FOUR states etc etc... It seemed to make sense at the time...but I will update the slip. But a huge congrats for reaching silver ! Gary Geoaware

Hi all EarthCaches have to be related to earth science...and therefore a straight historical site (archeological or otherwise) would not meet the guidelines. However, historical mining sites, sites of geological significance (such as Siccar Point...OMG he actually knows a place in the UK...mainly cause he is an Australian ) do fall into the guidelines. Does that help? Geoaware

Hi all We try to clear the EarthCache submission with a few days of submittal. Sometimes, and its rare, one slips by us due to an issue with the way people put data into the form. If this happens, just email us at earthcache@geosociety.org and we will fix it pronto! Cheers Geoaware (Gary, Chris and Jen)

Just as a matter of interest...I am into RC airplanes as well!

Hi all The EarthCache Masters porject was set up to reward people for learning more about our planet by visiting EarthCaches. I think its great that so many people are taking on the challenge! Just a few points to help people through the process... 1. You need to apply for all levels i.e. apply for bronze first, then silver. Applying for silver alone does not mean you will be sent a bronze pin as well. 2. You can use the same caches for each level. i.e. you can use the first three that you obtained bronze towards your silver level. 3. You must fill in the form completely...if you do not fill in the country/state field it will not be approved. 4. State/country/province.....I take all these into consideration. The object is to get people to travel further than their home town. As TerryDad2 mentioned, the entire EarthCache program (approvals, pins, grants etc) is run by just one person. Sometimes I travel for work, am sick, or have a holiday. I try and clear things away as soon as I can....so please be patient if things don't seem to clear quickly. So....go out and get them EarthCaches...and lets see if we can get a whole group of Platinum level Masters. Oh....before I forget....on Sunday 8 Octover at 1pm we are trying to get a series of Event Caches set up related to EarthCaches. This is the first real launcg of EarthCaches...and it happens to fall on the first day of Earth Science Week as well. If you want to get involved....just send me an email at glewis@geosociety.org. Cheers to all Geoaware

EarthCaches are more than 'just a virtual'. Go to www.earthcache.org for more information....and a full listing by country. Cheers Geoaware

I'm not going to suggest earthcache because I don't know I think of interesting rock formations or something in there (Maybe I don't understand earth caches?=P) But I do think a general Tide category isn't necessary yet. We don't get to pick super categories... I would suggest starting with one of your sub-categories and then doing another and another, (maybe even making suggetions in each one for a tidal supercategory) and then hoping to get a supercategory for it. Trying to start with the supercategory will be a pain in everyones butts if you actually get it at some point... you'd have to rearrange everything! In the meantime you wouldn't be stuck with people just wandering down to the beach and waypointing and having several hundred waypoints in the same area. I think the general concensus would be that more refined interesting categories would be preferable over one large category to rule them all. one category to rule them all...and in the darkness, bind them!

I WANT people to find waymarks as well as create them. So far the waymarks I am involved with have an almost nil visitation rate....and I am hoping that this will pick up. Developers love to have people visit....and I love to read peoples logs. Guess I am just a log voyeur.