Wildlife Trust Access?

[+martlakes]

Hi

I noted that permission has been sorted out for the Woodland Trust sites - very good! I have a cache that I want to place on the edge of a reserve managed by Cumbria Wildlife Trust. Has anyone had contact with any of the Wildlife Trusts around the country? It would be helpful to know before contacting my local lot.

 

I was also thinking that showing them the arrangement with the Woodland Trust would be helpful, since they will have very similar concerns.

 

Thanks.

[+kewfriend]

Wildlife Trusts are very funny beasts. Where they receive public funds from local authorities they are usually required as part of their funding to allow, even encourage, public access.

 

Some are friendly to geocaching, recognising that the one or two a month that might visit a cache can be considered good and wanted visitors who may even clear up detritus etc. Others view any member of the public with utter dismay believing that humans are either too wild or not wild enough to be in a wildlife environment. So any organised activity on 'their territory' is viewed with askance.

 

Then you get the geoacher who sets a cache in a wildlife trust without seeking permission and thus 'winds up' someone who might initially have been sympathetic.

 

I had to deal with the London Wildlife Trust. In principle they had no objections, indeed thought it was quaint. However as they rely on local worthies to help look after their different areas, I found myself being vetoed for a cache because the local worthies said they wouldnt help the London Wildlife Trust if their territory had a cache in it: dont I just hate the worthy middle classes????!!!

 

So the words 'pigs' and 'ear' seem applicable to the whole issue of wildlife trusts. I suggest just plugging away. Usually you will find someone sensible who understands the 'game' but stay well away from the 'worthy middle classes' .............

[+civilised]

So the words 'pigs' and 'ear' seem applicable to the whole issue of wildlife trusts. I suggest just plugging away. Usually you will find someone sensible who understands the 'game' but stay well away from the 'worthy middle classes' .............

 

Isn't that rather hard in Kew ?

 

civilised

[+Chris n Maria]

We have a cache in Essex Wildlife Trust Land - we just asked the warden and he thought it was a great idea. Since then the warden has changed and the new warden allowed another cache in the area as well.

 

My advice is to get hold of the warden & ask there first.

Chris

[+kewfriend]

but stay well away from the 'worthy middle classes' .............

Isn't that rather hard in Kew ?

civilised

 

- too true - so we rush off to lie in the Berkshire sun ...... ( which is why we have so many Berks cache finds )

[nobby.nobbs]

i've always had better success negotiating with the people on the ground ie wardens rather than the managers or trustees of this type of place. you tend to get a more practical and balanced response.

 

good luck,

[+Pieman]

I've dealt with the Cheshire Wildlife Trust. The local person responsible for Hatchmere was positive but my request was rejected by the board as the site was a SSSI. In this case, I could understand their worries even though I could have ensured there wouldn't be damage by a suitable choice of location.

[+The Wombles]

I've had mixed success in negotiating general permissions with Wildlife Trusts as you will see in the Landowner database (link in Sig line below). Unless you're fortunate enough to be one of the few negotiated agreement areas, speak to the Warden direct.

 

It does usually help if you are a member of the Trust concerned.

[+martlakes]

I've had mixed success in negotiating general permissions with Wildlife Trusts as you will see in the Landowner database (link in Sig line below). Unless you're fortunate enough to be one of the few negotiated agreement areas, speak to the Warden direct.

 

It does usually help if you are a member of the Trust concerned.

 

Hi Dave

Thanks for reminding me to check the list - I hadn't registered that there were Wildlife Trusts already on the list. I'm sure this will help convince others. (I won't mention the two at the bottom!).

I know someone who works for our local Trust so she will probably be my way in.

 

I had a look at the sites linked on the list and you may like to know that the Kent WT web page link is a dud and I couldn't find anything on their site map - perhaps they've taken it down and just want email contact with Dan.

 

Another one says it is a year's trial, back in 2004, so could do with updating.

 

I'll let you know how I get on.

 

Thanks for all the tips (I can imagine how difficult the 'worthies' might find the idea of looking for lunch boxes in the woods - not something they'd ever do I'm sure! )

 

Cheers

Martlakes

Edited April 16, 2006 by martlakes

[+John Stead]

I had a look at the sites linked on the list and you may like to know that the Kent WT web page link is a dud and I couldn't find anything on their site map - perhaps they've taken it down and just want email contact with Dan.

 

There is a page on Geocaching on the Kent WT site at

http://www.kentwildlife.org.uk/index.php?o...=155&Itemid=238

It was updated in February.

[+John Stead]

I am a member of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust but my contacts for cache placing have been with the Yorkshire WT where I have a cache on one of their reserves, originally without permission (shame on me!) but where, when the Ranger concerned became aware of it, he was highly supportive and considers that our efforts to take people to places worth visiting entirely compliments his own work. However as far as I know in spite of Andrew's efforts the Trust has not given blanket approval and like the National Trust expect us to get approval from the people in the field, i.e. the local wardens and rangers.

I believe though that Andrew is encouraging his fellow wardens to look kindly on Geocachers and made some contacts which oiled the wheels for the positive attitude in Kent. He also suggested some other sites for me to use but so far I have only placed one other in a different part of the County.

[+martlakes]

 

There is a page on Geocaching on the Kent WT site at

http://www.kentwildlife.org.uk/index.php?o...=155&Itemid=238

It was updated in February.

 

Hi

Thanks for the link, don't know why I couldn't find it on the site before. It's a good page and very positive about caching and WTs. Should be useful to point Cumbria to.

 

Cheers

[+The Wombles]

 

I had a look at the sites linked on the list and you may like to know that the Kent WT web page link is a dud and I couldn't find anything on their site map - perhaps they've taken it down and just want email contact with Dan.

 

Another one says it is a year's trial, back in 2004, so could do with updating.

 

 

Thanks, link updated and relevant negotiators chased.

[+flipflopnick]

I noticed people walking where there is no public path. Found out its a Cumbria WT site. Will approach warden and post back here. Thanx for support.

[+The Biffas]

Could some kind soul tell me if there is a difference between Wildlife Trust and Woodland Trust,both have been mentioned in this thread.

[nobby.nobbs]

without too fine a point two organisations

 

wildlife trusts

 

woodland trusts

 

hope the links help

[+Jango & Boba Fett]

We have had a fair bit of success recently negotiating cache placements in Norfolk most of which has beendown due to two things:

 

1) Being able to give a contact of a Warden in another NNR that is known to the local Land Manager (many many thanks to Womble on that one)

 

2) We downloaded and then reformatted the online log for the oldest cache in Norfolk (Holkham Haul) with the approval of Diesel, reformatted it to make it print on only 16 pages, pasted in a half dozen of the posted pictures and submitted that along with the GeogachersU pamphlet and the GAGB INTRO.pdf.

 

The biggest hurdle we have had is if wardens/land owners/land managers have had bad experiences of either treasure hunts (where large volumes descend on one day and trample & litter) or letterboxing where a tin box turns up in a newly dug pit/dismantled wall/middle of a nesting area - once they understand that GeoCaching is in some way regulated and they have a way of directly contacting the GAGB we have found them to be very positive.

 

As an example when we turned up to meet a National Trust land manager last week not only did we get permission to place our cache but they requested that we place another cache in an area that they wanted to encourage access to (to relieve pressure elsewhere) and so that they could get regular access to visitor feedback. Keep an eye out for the reappearance of Viking Rider's Blakeney Quay Cache , is this a first being requested to place a cache in an NNR/Ramsar Site/SSSI?

 

Oh and watch out on the reprinted logs front as you end up having to print off extra copies as often its the first time they have seen visitor feedback. We had four meetings set up for the day and had to make a two hour detour back into Norwich to print off extra copies - so a very big thank you to the 123 groups of cachers who have visited Holkham Haul over the last five years!