One Degree of Separation

[+2202]

Took on the challenge of trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack this week out in the Peak District but was not prepared to find the damage done to the fragile flora around the cache site by fellow cachers trying to find a bloody micro.

The clue was explicit enough, but it led to every rock that had heather, grass etc at its corner, being pulled away, and indeed heather had become detached from its purchase.

Needless to say I did not find it, but was concerned enough to raise the matter with the owner and indeed you.

 

I have suggested that the cache be archived with the seed cache located somewhere more appropriate.

 

We must take responsibility for where caches are placed and it affect on the micro environment that surrounds it.

Any other views or am I being too harsh?

[+currykev]

Any responsible cacher would ask the same if indeed the area surrounding a cache had been violated as such.

Although I doubt the cache size may add to the damage.

A bumbling search is a bumbling search etc...

[+zensunni]

We would agree with you Tony. Anne feels particularly strongly, although she is retired now, she was a botanist and for a spell a park ranger.

 

We also have seen caches where the micro environment has been damaged and have walked away from some of them and have PM'ed the owner in a few cases.

 

What is an obvious hide to the owner often is quite ambiguous to the finder.

[+deejay44]

I would think if the environment is being damaged in any way and the owner does nothing about it a E-Mail to the reviewer should be in order.

[+mongoose39uk]

While I may agree that we should do no damage.........

 

I really don't think the name and shame was appropriate.

 

The cache had a SBA on it already.

 

The topic could have easily been discussed without naming the cache.

[+Gushoneybun]

The OP posted a SBA log and the owner has now archived it. So thats good the owner has shown responsibility for their cache.

 

 

It is a timely reminder to all to think where you place caches, and a decent clue/spoiler picture can save a lot of fauna trashing problems.

 

 

Edited as I had not read the original post properly.

Edited June 14, 2008 by gushoneybun

[+kbootb]

Not sure, was the cache actually named? But it is quite correct to raise concerns here.

 

It's not only about the placing of the cache but there is some responsibility on the finder to do as little damage as possible.

 

Some caches I have visited look like someone has attacked the place with a scythe. All the grass (or nettles) in the area has been flattened.

[+uk89camaro]

I did this one a couple of weeks ago with a group of friends, and the co-ords weren't great to be honest. One of our group e-mailed the owner asking "why a micro when a regular is so easy here?".

 

It appears the owner was being true to a theme, that came from a seed>nano>micro>small type theme. Would have been OK if the clue or co-ords were a bit better.

 

Unfortunately up there the only clue you can give is "near heather, or near rocks". That's all that's there. Cracking location, and I'm not having a pop at the owner either.

 

Paul

Edited June 14, 2008 by uk89camaro

[+mongoose39uk]

Not sure, was the cache actually named? But it is quite correct to raise concerns here.

 

It's not only about the placing of the cache but there is some responsibility on the finder to do as little damage as possible.

 

Some caches I have visited look like someone has attacked the place with a scythe. All the grass (or nettles) in the area has been flattened.

 

Yes the very title of the thread

[+kbootb]

Not sure, was the cache actually named? But it is quite correct to raise concerns here.

 

It's not only about the placing of the cache but there is some responsibility on the finder to do as little damage as possible.

 

Some caches I have visited look like someone has attacked the place with a scythe. All the grass (or nettles) in the area has been flattened.

 

Yes the very title of the thread

 

Ah, makes sense. I hadn't put 2 and 2 together. But did think it was a strange thread title!

[+2202]

 

Unfortunately up there the only clue you can give is "near heather, or near rocks". That's all that's there. Cracking location, and I'm not having a pop at the owner either.

 

Paul

It indeed is a cracking location and on my dnf log I have suggested that the seed cache is placed somewhere appropriate elsewhere so that a larger new cache could be located here. There are certainly enough large rocks up there where caches can be located sensibly without any flora being disturbed.

 

There is a simple way of assisting cachers in such locations, just provide a spoiler photograph. Does not have to give the game away but leaves enough of an idea of where it is hidden to ensure that the search does not become wide spread. And, the spoiler photograph is on the main page and not buried in the gallery.

 

The other point I was trying to make was that by its very nature, One Degree of Separation principle does spawn a number of seed (micro) caches, so willing or not, those who have retrieved a 'seed' should ensure that they are appropriately placed. It is not good enough to argue, as the owner of this one did when asked in a previous log, its an ODS cache therefore its a micro.

 

Was the cache named? indirectly yes, but there are a good few One Degree of Separation caches around. You have to dig a bit deeper to realise where it is generally located.

 

Anyway, what is wrong with naming and shaming? Sooner we all take responsibility for our actions, the sooner a degree of civil society will return, some hope though.

[+mongoose39uk]

SNIP

 

Anyway, what is wrong with naming and shaming? Sooner we all take responsibility for our actions, the sooner a degree of civil society will return, some hope though.

 

OK then, how about a thread naming and shaming all those cachers who go out and place loads of caches, don't maintain them yet have time to go and find loads. especially ones who have to have their caches archived by reviewers for not taking any action.

 

Yes, I am sometimes tardy in this area myself.

[+Mad H@ter]

Lets chill guys

[+mongoose39uk]

Lets chill guys

 

Nicely Chilled here ta

[+maxkim]

Must hold up my hands to trashing nettles... what else can you do in running shorts. More to the point why do cachers place cahes in nettle patches???? there is no need. Did one last month where they were neck high and 100yards across. Cache right in the middle. What else are you to do???? Got stung as well!!! MaxKim

[+rutson]

To be fair Mark, I have placed cached "in nettle patches". Correction, I have placed caches in winter in lovely open areas.....

[+Happy Humphrey]

To be fair Mark, I have placed cached "in nettle patches". Correction, I have placed caches in winter in lovely open areas.....

It should be against the guidelines to place caches in fertile areas during the winter months.

 

"Although there are a few trees around, GPS signal was good when I placed the cache so no hint required" (that was January - in July it's a dark thicket with hardly a single satellite clearly visible).

"To protect from muggles, the cache is just a short walk into woodland at the side of the path. Hint: Rotten log." (now it's fifty yards of machete-work followed by random trampling of a large area).

 

Not exactly real examples, but I've found this type of thing in many places. I've placed one or two as well, but revised them when I've realised my mistake. Name and shame? No, it's easy to make mistakes like this, particularly on your first few cache hides. A polite note to the cache owner should be enough if you consider the trampling excessive. One excellent cache I found last month was archived by the owner for this very reason, and he didn't even need prompting (in this case it was meant to be a tricky hide so he couldn't just improve the hint).

 

I did mention this same topic (environmental impact, not nettle patches) on the main forum recently (in the context of providing better hints so that searching time - and therefore damage - is minimised). But most people said they'd never seen any such impact from geocaching and doubted that it ever happened. I suppose it must be unique to the UK.

 

IMO there's always a way to give a hint that limits the search to a reasonable area - I suspect that many cache placers are trying to make the cache a "challenge" to find and forgetting that we only (usually) hide geocaches to prevent muggling. In most cases we'd leave the cache fully visible except that it would be stolen.

 

So there's nothing wrong with giveaway hints, and they can protect the cache environment.