geoaware

Photograph requests in which the CO requires specific content (must include the visitor's face, for example) should be made optional on existing EarthCaches. At this stage we are leaving it to the CO to make the adjustments so their EC meet the guidelines. That said, we request that no CO delete a persons log because they did not meet your specific photograph content requirement.

Just so everyone is very clear on this issue. The guideline reads : Logging of an EarthCache must involve visitors undertaking some educational task that relates to the Earth science at the site. This could involve measuring or estimating the size of some feature or aspect of the site, collecting and recording data (such as time of a tidal bore), or sending an e-mail to the cache owner with the answer to Earth science related questions they obtained by reading an information display. While photographs may be requested, they do not take the place of other logging requirements. Taking a photograph alone or asking people to do internet research does NOT meet these logging guidelines. Requests for specific content in the photograph (must include the visitor's face, for example) will be considered an additional logging requirement and must be optional. Cache owners may not delete the cache seeker's log based solely on optional tasks. So you MAY request a photograph but it can't take the place of a good on-site logging task. If your logging tasks are poor, we will ask you to strengthen them before your EC is published. If you want specific content in the photograph then the photograph has to be optional. We will insist that you make these optional before we publish. So please feel free to ask people to submit photographs once you have developed great logging tasks that people can only do on-site!

We processed every EC that was sent to us...but have found that our emails back to CO end up being missed (place into junk folder etc etc ). I would strongly suggest resubmitting in the new system would be the fastest way to get these back on track.

The change in the guideline was made because CO use the photo as a pseudo logging task. An EarthCache educational logging task should be developed so that the person HAS to have visited the site to answer the questions. When you develop an EC ask this question "Does a person have to visit the site to answer my questions?" If the honest answer is NO, then you need to develop stronger logging tasks and not rely on a photograph to prove a person has visited. If the answer is YES - they have had to visit to answer my questions, then great! Then you can ask for and OPTIONAL photograph. In addition, your OPTIONAL photo requirement can not be used to delete a persons log. We are not, at this stage, requiring people to adjust their existing ECs to meet this change. However, you should do a self review of your own EC and make adjustments to strengthen the logging requirements so that the photograph can be made optional. We may in the future do a review of EC to ensure they meet the existing guidelines. This whole concept has been well discussed in these forums. We feel the current solution is the best for all.

Thank you all for your feedback in these forums and emails. The EarthCache team has decided to make an important change to the current guideline regarding proximity to other EarthCaches: The expectation of the soon-to-be-implemented proximity guideline for EarthCaches is to respect the space around an existing EarthCache and to recognize the unique lesson already being presented. Going forward, we are reserving the right to refrain from publishing EarthCaches that present the same or substantially similar content regarding a particular geological feature. Conversely, we reserve the right to publish an EarthCache in close proximity to another EarthCache if we believe that it presents a distinct geological lesson. The current guidelines regarding vacation EarthCaches will remain as is for the moment. The EarthCache team has decided not to make any further changes at this time. We believe that these decisions are best for the long-term health of the program. An updated set of guidelines will be released prior to the start of the new system. The EarthCache Team

Does that mean that all submissions already in will be approved/published during this hiatus then? Just asking. Yes. If we find a submission requires a complete rewrite, then the CO will be asked to resubmit in the new system. All others will be processed ASAP.

Duplicate posting

Our definition of state/country includes territories and other significant divisions. For example, North & South Islands of New Zealand. The definitions is definitely broader than that used in the listing by gc.com. The most important thing is to list the country name AND state/territory division when you apply. For example, New Zealand, North Island. If you just put the country or (as the case seems to be often) the lat/longs, it will not be approved. Geoaware

Submissions are now closed on earthcache.org and will open in the new system in the week of 15 Dec. We realize that this is a two week hiatus in accepting submissions. Developers just need to wait till the new system opens, then submit when it is live. We are sorry for the delay.

Due to the tight schedule of Groundspeak’s dev team, a change has been made to our schedule for the roll out of the new system. EarthCaches submissions will now be accepted in the new system starting the week of Dec 15, 2009. We are sorry for the delay, but want to make sure the system is complete before submissions take place. The EarthCache Team and Groundspeak.

Folks...maybe its time that some of these things are put into perspective. One of the issues we have about EC not being visited by developers (ie vacation EC) is safety. We have already had a number of EC which have ended up on closed trails and roads. We have had a number of EC submitted that the entire site has disappeared (flood, landslides) and we have had a number of EC submitted where the coordinates are off cliffs (not so much the vacation issue but the 'people not visiting the site issue'.). We would hate for any cacher to be hurt because of a safety issue at an EC. Having a local looking after an EC will increase the chances that changing local conditions will be considered in managing an EC. It will also assist the EC being monitored to make sure that damage is not being done to the site - another issue we have, especially at fossil sites. Being an owner of an EC gives you some responsibility for being the mentor/custodian of the site. We have also had to deal with quite a number of EC being placed directly at the location of an existing traditional cache. This has caused a lot of damage within the caching community as the original cache owners feel that the EC does not add to the experience that their cache offers. In almost all the instances I believe that a traditional cache does not provide a lesson on the local geology - and therefore the EC has been published. That said, we are now getting to the situation that EC are being placed too close to existing EC. A distance rule will assist us in solving the issues that this creates. Of course the biggest issues we have in permission. The reason EC have been allowed to be developed on some US/Canada/Australia public lands in which normal caches are banned is BECAUSE of the EC permission system. We have worked hard ever since the very first EC meeting with Groundspeak and these agencies to help open the doors to the placement of EC and other caches on those lands. Every attempt to remove or work around that process puts all EC (and other cache types) at risk. We have had all of the following - not getting permission, getting a permission then not following the land managers instructions, lying about permissions etc. The land managers report all these up the line in their agency, and then we have to do battle at the top. All the hard work we have done to open the doors for all is shattered cause of a careless few. Its very sad to see happen. What ever the final rues will be, existing EC will be grandfathered into the system. For EC to continue to grow and provide wonderful experiences for visitors, we all have to work together as a team to make sure all these issues are being addressed. The geoaware team has taken a lot of flack over the years for decisions that have been based on keeping EC viable in the geocaching community and with other agencies. Most of that we don't deserve. We are here to serve the EC community....and we work amazing hours (its 5am here on a Saturday) to keep the wheels oiled. All we ask if for some rational understanding and support while we go through this transition to a much better system for all. G&A

Folks Firstly I would like to thank Thoto for placing the announcement into the forums. Peoples comments are always read with interest when we are making decisions. In the period of transition we are finalizing a range of review issues. When we have decisions made we will announce them. Please be patient - we are working to make sure EC continue to be popular and fit in with the rest of geocaching. We have been working closely with Groundspeak and now have an EarthCache review team with people who have vast experience in caching and EC's. We are absolutely delighted to have such a wonderful group of people who will strive to make the process better for all. This is very much a joint Groundspeak/EarthCache process, and it will positively strengthen EarthCaching. Geoaware.

I honestly don't know why some people think there is some hidden guidelines for EarthCaches? The only guidelines we use are those published. Most of the delay issues we have are people not getting the appropriate permissions prior to submitting....that along with over 500 submitals a month. While I understand and appreciate the comments on what makes an EarthCache, at the end of the day the Earth has millions of WOW sites just waiting to become EarthCaches - and they need to be explained for people so they understand at what they are seeing. In some cases, these require just a few words. In other instances the explanation needs to be longer. Either way, you need to have some basic understanding of Earth science principals to educate others - but this does not put a limit on anyone as the understanding only needs to be basic and, for most sites, can be found out doing a simple web search. In my opinion, many EarthCaches contain too much information that is not required for the site. But if that is what the developers wants, we let it through. I am more concerned that people want EarthCaches to be turned into just WOW sites, and not places where people will learn about our planet!

Here is a sneak preview of the EarthCache Masters GeoCoin Collection (boxed set) that will be on sale by mid October for $49.99. You can also just buy the box if you already own the coins for $14.99. EarthCache Masters pins (bronze, silver and gold) will also be on sale for $2.49 each. Shipping and handling from the EarthCache store is always just US$5 for any amount of items, anywhere on the planet!

Are the pins trackable? No. The pins are not trackable!

Often we are asked "what makes a good EarthCache?" We decided that when we reached over 5000 EarthCaches, that we should do an audit of all the active EarthCaches and pick out the very best. The list could then help people to see what makes a good EarthCache and, hopefully, work on developing EarthCaches with similar features. Rather than do this ourselves, we coaxed six people from around the world - USA, Canada, Portugal, Sweden, Australia - to look through all the active EarthCaches prior to 1 May and come up with the top list. The group considered the level and relevance of the text, the use of diagrams, the logging requirements, references and useful links as well as other features. It was a huge task, and yet, now we have the final list posted on the EarthCache website (www.earthcache.org). All who made the list should be extremely proud! So, go and see if one of your EarthCaches made the list - but more importantly, go and see examples of what your peers feel are the very best EarthCaches. Finally, I want to thank the six wonderful cachers who did this huge task. We are all in your debt!

At the end of the day, EarthCaches are administered by GSA using the guidelines developed over time in consultation with Groundspeak. ALL the geocaching guidelines, other than a few which are not appropriate for various and mostly obvious reasons, are also followed. Those geocaching guidelines that EC do not follow have already been mentioned. EarthCaches are an integral part of the educational geocaching experience and GSA is proud to work in partnership with Groundspeak to maintain the program on all levels.

EarthCaches ARE geocaches, so ALL the appropriate rules and guudelines apply.

Pins will also be sold soon on www.earthcache.org up to Gold level. Platinum pins will only be available directly through application and send free of charge to those who reach that level. These coins are something very special...and so will have limited numbers. A small number of boxed sets will be released in October.

EarthCache.org is pleased to announce the release of the EarthCache Masters geocoin series. There are four coins, one for each existing EarthCache Master level. Each coin has the EarthCache Masters logo on the front with an Earth science cartoon on the back. They are 45mm in diam. and 3 mm thick. They are trackable through www.geocaching.com and have their own icon. All four coins are available individually for US9.99 (+ SH) through the www.earthcache.org store. Shipping and handling is just US$5 for any number of items to anywhere in the world! A boxed set of coins will go on sale in October for $59.99. The numbers of these coins are limited. We would like to thank the Landsharkz team for helping us with this series! <Moderator Note: Included a direct link to the store - Groundspeak approved>

Sorry I did not add that Stealth - they are 45 mm and 3 mm thick. geoaware

EarthCache.org is pleased to announce the release of the EarthCache Masters geocoin series. There are four coins, one for each existing level. Each coin has the EarthCache Masters logo on the front with an Earth science cartoon on the back. They are trackable through www.geocaching.com and have their own icon. All four coins are available individually for US9.99 (+ SH) through the www.earthcache.org store. Shipping and handling is just US$5 for any number of items to anywhere in the world! A boxed set of coins will go on sale in October for $59.99. The numbers of these coins are limited. We would like to thank the Landsharkz team for helping us with this series!

All four EarthCache Masters coins are now available through the EarthCache store. www.earthcache.org

The coins and white pins are just waiting to be added to the shop stock ...and both should be available within a day or two. However, you can see the coin design in the www.earthcache.org store. There is very limited stock of coins. They sell for US$9.99 plus shipping (which is a flat $5 for any number and anywhere around the globe). In a months time a special boxed set of coins will also be released The cost will be US$59.99. Other EarthCache Masters pins (all except Platinum) will also be available in a month. I am sorry, but we do not take pre-orders of any stock.

IMHO deleting peoples logs or not accepting their logs because they do not have a photograph is against the spirit of EC. We are considering changing the guidelines to stop the practice of demanding photographs - especially those demands of photograph content (must show face etc etc). If and when the guidelines are changed, all EC that have such a requirement will be archived. We are very tired of dealing with cachers complaints that they have had their log deleted over a photograph issue. If you have a photograph requirement, I strongly suggest you change it to be more flexible. If your EC logging requirements are such that you can't 'prove' an person visited your site without a photograph, then your logging requirements are sub-standard and you need to redevelop your EC or risk it also being archived.