geoaware

Earthcaches ARE allowed on NPS land if you first obtain the permission of the local Supervisor. You then have to record that persons name, position and phone number in the waymark form...... NPS Earthcaches are even listed with the NPS logo on the earthcache protal (www.earthcache.org).

Earthcaches CAN be placed in National Parks, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Land....but all of them must have prior approval of the local land manager (that means a name, position and phone number) before we will approve them. We have agreements with all three of these agencies....who all seem delighted to have Earthcaches on their land.

Again, I apologise that I added the information about sponsors of the Earthcaching program to the Earthcache listings. I did not do this with the approval of Groundspeak. I will remove the sponsorship references from the listings asap.

Folks...I am sorry that this has caused a few of you so much concern. The 'Advert" was placed by me as the Earthcache Master for two reasons. 1. Earthcaches are now found on Geocachinging and Waymarking - I felt it was important that people knew this and that they could find the link to them all at earthcaching.org 2. Earthcaches are supported by the Geological Society of America and Subaru America (in the USA)...and that those people deserve some recognition as well. Without their support, and the support of many others including Groundspeak and you all, Earthcaches just would not exist. This will only be placed on the Geocaching.com Earthcaches. All these Earthcaches will eventually be archived as part of the plan to have all 'virtual' caches moved into Waymarking.com. Again, I apologise if this has cause you you concerns. You can, as some have suggested, just delete the code from the long description....but I hope that most will understand that dcoing this will help Earthcaches alive and kicking into the future. Cheers Gary

Most of the earthcaches submitted to www.earthcache.org meet all the requirements and are posted. From 1 October they will be posted as waymarks. From then, people will be able to just submit an Earthcache via the Waymark system....and GSA (the approver formally known as Geoaware) will approve or reject using the guidelines. Any person that gets an Earthcache rejected will get an email telling them why. They will have an opportunity to fix up any issues and resubmit. If we hear nothing after a week or so, the submission is deleted. All Earthcaches..no matter is they are geocaching.com and Waymarking.com...are listed on the www.earthache.org portal. I hope that helps.......

Hi...all earthcaches exisiting on geocaching.com will stay there as long as thats what the owners want. However all NEW earthcaches will be waymarks from 1 October. (we had planned 1 September...but, well things happen...) Gary

I hope the wedding night is not a Event Cache!

I use one of those little airline bags qantas gives you when you fly cattle class across the pacific ...just throw away the sox and eye mask, keep the toothbrush...and there you have a little swag bag! Even comes with a neck strap. Considering i do that trip four or more times a year...I end up with a load of swag bags which i share between friends...

I liked the remote control submarine one I read about in one of these forums. The find was the remote...which then riased the sub with with cache. So cool!

Wow...now this is starting to sound like great Earthcache material.....

well said Maggiebelle!!! back to my original idea...lets divert the energy into developing neat (Earth)caches......... UP THE MIGHTY RED SOX

..I wish to register a complaint....

We could sell tickets to watch this thread...its great fun. btw - the llama has me grinning from ear to ear!

Baseball...now how can you get excited about a game where you try to hit a round ball with a round bat. Not cricket - theres a game (some matches even go for 5 days)...... Mind you...thanks to Maggiebelle...I am a mad Red Sox fan (so i should shut up and led the thread keep being angry)

I wish i could divert all this great energy into powering my house or car....or maybe even divert it into people who will develop nice Earthcaches... But its great lunchtime reading Cheers

Thanks...i will tell my mum that someone else thinks I am nice! Geoaware

Hi all As the Earthcache Master (a term that describes me I guess...but not one i really like)...this forum has been a very interesting read...and I have learnt some lessons from all your comments...so many thanks! It is so great to know that Earthcaches are providing people with a worthwhile experience.....thats what they are all about. Also, I realize and appreciate that Earthcaches are not for all people. Thats fine too. I just hope that people will at least give them a go. From reading the 2,800 odd logs from visitors to Earthcaches it does seem that most people have had a worthwhile experience from their visit. Earthcaches do go thru an approval process which is really a check of how appropriate the notes are (do they teach a lesson?, are they written so a layperson can understand them?, are they scientifically accurate? etc). We reject about 40% in the first past cause they do not meet these guidelines (which are listed at www.earthcache.org). Most developers then resubmit with updated notes etc. We are noticing that some people want us to approve sites that are just pretty views. These are rejected. We have worked hard with National Parks and the Foreset Service in the USA to open up these lands to Earthcaches as well (they are now very supportive of Earthcaches). We are going to continue to work with land holders who currently have "closed their doors" to caching to try and get approval for Earthcaches to be used on their lands as well. When a person visits an Earthcache and finds an issue with it, its is great is they can send me a note and let me know. In this case that is what has happened (so thanks!). Its also really importnat that they contact the owner so that the issue can be addressed by them as well. Like all things, Earthcaches are a learning process for us all. Over time we are getting better at the process, which makes it better for all. So again, thanks for the feedback - its all good stuff! Gary (Geoaware)

Hi ya While earthcaches have their own guidelines, these are just in addition to the standard guidelines for setting up any cache. While we don't insist that people have been to the site recently, we have rejected some earthcaches because developers have just 'guessed' coordinates. We tend to reject rather than approve of something does not look 'right' to us! We then ask for clarification from the developer.....just to be sure. With that said, we are still getting a fabulous array of great earthcaches being developed! Cheers Gary

Some earthcaches are being placed close to other caches. Before they are approved we check to see if the earthcache adds to the educational reason to visit the site - if they do, then they are approved. Some earthcache developers check with the other cache owners too - which makes a great deal of sense. Just read the notes of the two listed above ....its sort of evident why both can exist. You wether are drwn to the place cause you like beer, or cause you want to learn something about the planet. Either is valid! Geoaware

Yep - our webmaster is on summer holidays (so sorry the list is not up-to-date...but it will soon be!) As a matter of interest, there are now 220 live earthcaches, 130 of these are in the USA, 26 in the UK, 24 in Canada, 18 in Germany and the rest spread over another 14 countries. Every weekend (or just after) i get another 10-15 coming in for approval. We reject a few of these as they don't meet the gudielines. The rest are approved withing a day or so and sent to geocaching.com who convert them within a day or so as well. We then list them on the www.earthcache.org site once they are live. Cheers Geoaware

An earthcache is a type of virtual cache that takes people to places where they can learn something about the earth. Go to www.earthcache.org for more informtion. Gary

Hey guys - so people visited earthcaches and all they found was a bridge and a waterfall? I am surprised you did not learn something else about the earth from your visit......all the earthcaches approved have some lesson to be learnt from the visit. Thats the whole concept! There are earthcache guidelines at www.earthcache.org. Not every earthcache that is put forward is being approved - we reject around 40% - but for many of these the developers come back with better versions which finally are approved. In some cases older virtuals are being replaced by earthcaches (at the approval of the vituals owner)...as they make more sense. We really appreciate the effort developers are putting into earthcaches. They take time to do the research and presnt a real experience for all who visit. They do take time to get right...and the effort put in benefits everyone. So thanks!!

Hi all...thanks for the positive comments about earthcaches and the process...and I understand that in some locations 'permission' is not needed. All we ask is that people take care about who really 'owns' the land. If it is an obvious public place, then thats fine. In some cases, such as city parks etc, its just courtesy to ask. As earthcaches have no containers, then almost every place is happy to have them set up on their land. The only times they are not is if the earthcache takes people to dangerous or sensitive places.....and therefore seeking permission really is a great idea! In national parks, forests etc ....no matter what country....permission does need to be obtained. In many countries its can be against some law or code not to seek permission for an 'activity' in that location. Its far easier to play it safe and ask than for the cache owner to get into trouble. But again, most places seem delighted to have an earthcache set up on their land....and working with the land manager/owner like this can open up doors for other geocaches to be set up! Cheers Gary (geoaware)

The very fist Earthcache was set up in New South Wales Australia.......

Hi Sorry....the change to submission forms about approvals will be for Earthcaches - not through gc.com. We need this to keep the National Parks, Forest service and other groups happy and allow caching on these lands. One of the biggest concerns that these groups have is that they are trying to protect some very sensative areas because of flora, fauna or even archeological reasons. A wrongly placed cache could damage these areas...and so they need to make sure that caches are placed in appropriate areas and/or way points are used to keep people on trails. I think that this is a fair and reasonable request and I understand that they want to be involved in the process. In the long term I hope that these land managers will see that earthcaches can be a great way for them to attract people to see more of their parks, land etc btw...i think its good manners to ask first before placing a cache on any land. Cheers Gary