How to ask permission

[+bigdogsrule]

Am working towards setting up my first cache. Is there a form letter or some advice on how to word one's request. Thanks for any info as I want to start out on the right foot.

Frances

[+J-Way]

I assume you mean asking a property owner or land manager for permission to place a cache on their property.

 

For starters, I recommend downloading and printing a few copies of the "Let's Go Geocaching!" brochure from Geocacher-U.com. Even if you don't use one to ask permission to place a cache they're VERY handy to have in your car or caching pack if you get stopped by a LEO or security guard for acting suspicious. And yes, most security people types think the "drunken bee dance" and crawling around in bushes looks suspicious.

 

Second, have a stocked cache container ready and pre-write up the description and print it out. Do NOT check the "this cache is ready for review" box until you are ready for publication. Bring the container and description along eith you when you go to ask permission. Let the owner tag along when you hide it, and show how future seekers would locate the cache. If they have restrictions as to where you can place the cache and when people can hunt for it, LISTEN AND OBEY. Put any restrictions in the description. Provide legitimate contact information so they can reach you if something happens (phone and email).

 

Most important, be friendly and remember that it's THEIR property, not yours.

[+Busy Lissy Bunch]

Hi

 

This is my first look at forums so not sure if there have been other answers to similar previous posts but I was unable to find any suggested wording on any UK geocaching website either.

I will try t attach the letter that I wrote and which has been accepted by two landowners and a town council to date with no refusals. Being in the UK, I sent the letter with a copy of the article on caching that appeared in The Telegraph newspaper as that is one of the UK's leading broadsheets and is very well repected. This gives outside/third party perspective on the sport and I also sent a copy of the GAGB's guidelines for laying a cache.

In each case, I highlighted the benefits of caching to the landowner i.e. bringing cachers into local area where they would spend money/ link to website and advertising for local stately home / local airfield and flying club.

Once the caches were placed, as a courtesy I either e-mailed the link to the cache on the geocaching website or printed off the pages for the location and sent them out to the landowner and one of them has asked me to provide annual numbers of visitors to the caches to provide evidence of wider public use of the land to the stately home trustees.

 

(Canot see how to attach letter so wording is below)

 

Good luck

Busy Lissy

 

Dear Mr

 

I am writing to request your permission to place a small box within the base of a multi-trunked tree in Hall Garth Park as an end goal for a sport known as Geocaching, which is a modern day form of treasure hunt that uses Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to locate the “treasure”. The cache box would be about the size of a snack box and will contain a notebook where participants can log their find, plus various small trading items like small toys, useful items (torch, compass, pens etc) and “trackable items” whose progress can be tracked on the www.Geocaching.com website. The box would be secured under stones or wood to avoid accidental discovery by other users of the park.

 

Geocaching participants try to place caches in beautiful, interesting or unusual places and others learn of the cache’s existence via the Geocaching website. It is caching policy to leave any site as we find it and the key guidelines for caching are set out in the enclosed document from The Geocaching Association of Great Britain.

 

This is a global sport but East Yorkshire is rather a caching hinterland compared to the rest of Yorkshire as we have relatively few caches. Hopefully this cache would encourage people to visit Hornsea and explore more of this lovely town. I would like to make this into a multi-staged cache where participants have to answer several questions from visiting other places of interest in the town in order to obtain the final co-ordinates to the cache. In East Yorkshire, a cache can generally expect to receive about 20 – 50 visitors (plus their families) per year.

 

As a family we really enjoy geocaching as it combines the use of modern technology and the internet with beautiful walks and fresh air. It encourages our children to walk further and takes us to many new places, including discovering places off the eaten track in Spain.

 

I enclose an article from the Telegraph on caching and would welcome the opportunity to discuss this request further with individuals or at a town council meeting should you have any queries. Obviously I would work with yourselves in advising you of the location & will be responsible for maintaining the cache box.

 

I look forward to hearing from you on this matter.

 

Yours Sincerely

[+briansnat]

Though it's better to ask in person, here is something you can use, or alter and use as you see fit:

 

Dear _______:

 

I'm writing to request permission to place a geocache in _______. If you are not familiar with the term geocache, it's the focal point of a sport called geocaching. This sport entails a person hiding a small container (the geocache), usually containing a log book and trinkets, then using a Global Positioning System receiver (GPSr) to mark the longititude and latitude of the geocache. The coordinates are then published on the Internet to allow others to find it.

 

Geocaching is a fun, family oriented activity that has the benefit of getting people outdoors and introducing them to areas of historic, natural, or scenic interest.

 

Managers of many parks and nature preserves have determined that geocaching is a beneficial, low impact activity and encourage the sport on their lands. They see the additional visitors and increased exposure that geocaching brings as a plus. Similarly, geocachers often discover exciting new places through the sport,

while getting exercise and gaining an appreciation for these areas.

 

I believe that ________ is one of the special places that would be of interest to geocachers and would like to explore the possibility of my placing a geocache there. I will would like to schedule an appointment with you to discuss this and will be calling you shortly. Meanwhile you can contact me at_________ if you have any questions.

 

Thank You,

[+johnling]

Am working towards setting up my first cache. Is there a form letter or some advice on how to word one's request. Thanks for any info as I want to start out on the right foot.

Frances

 

There are a lot of nice parks in my area. They support Geocaching and even put out caches. Check this option in your area. All they require here is that you get a permit (free) and provide them with the cache info once it is published. The permit is for the purpose of identifying caches if someone reports a suspicious item. They know it's a cache and further investigation is not need, like the bomb squad.

[+flask]

when i'm asking permission i typically provide some information about what kind of traffic i expect based on the usuals for the area and the type of cache. sometimes i provide photos of a mature cache on similar terrain so the land manager can know what to expect with regard to wear and tear.

[+ReadyOrNot]

Do research before you even start asking

 

1) Does the park currently have a geocaching policy? If so, follow it

2) Is explicit permission required? Is it a public park? If you can freely use the park for other activities, you should be able to freely use the park for geocaching activities. Always check #1 first though. If they have a policy you need to follow it regardless of whether its public or private.

3) Are there currently other caches in the park?

 

If you still are not sure, check with a local geocaching organization.

[+Renegade Knight]

... some advice on how to word one's request. ...

 

You should have the answer to the question "what's in it for me" handy. That varies by who you are talking to. It may not ever come up in the conversation but land managers will have it in mind. If they are public minded and want folks to enjoy their lands, caching is a great way. If they are not the type to have folks enjoying their land, it's a lot harder to sell geocaching.

 

Know who you are negotiating with. Everyone is different. The approach that you would use will be different depending. A longstanding friend, or a good working relationship is different from a cold call.

 

The book How to Win Friends and Influence People is a great read for this. The title of the book takes the books own advice and answers what's in it for you before you even buy it though it's really not that hard core.

[+coltillini]

We wanted to hide a cache in our local park district.They faxed me a special users permit, to fill out. They said their cache quota was full in our park district, but to fill it out and send it in for review.

[+JBnW]

Many public places have policies about placing caches, be sure to check for these and follow them as one of the first things you do. Also, form letters are good at making sure you don't miss anything; but many public agencies see zillions of form letters related to other issues. Sometimes, those just get counted without leaving too much of an impression. Better yet, a little bit of originality and a lot of courtesy (they are doing us a favor by letting us play our game on their property) leaves a much better impression. We just made a similar request and received a much better than expected response. So, for example only, here's the original massage:

 

"We wish to thank (Agency) for introducing us to the game of geocaching, and providing a wonderful opportunity to visit some of the beautiful places in (our State)! The geocaching contest has given us another way to spend quality time together as a family, and an excellent way to teach our child the values of appreciating and exploring the Great Outdoors. Thank you!

 

While we are still trying to complete the 2008 Challenge, we do have a suggestion for future geocaching contests, hoping that these will be continued. We have been able to get to some of the locations as a family, but most have been far too difficult to reach with a 1-year old in a stroller, or even carrying him such a distance over or through such terrain. We realize there’s supposed to be a challenge to this challenge, but our idea is to also include a version of the contest for youth and/or persons with disabilities. Such a contest could be geared towards people who may have difficulties getting too far off the beaten path, maybe more easier-to-access caches per park, and awards more suited to kids or those with disabilities. After coming up with such a great challenge in 2008, we’re sure that (Agency) can do the same to attract more people to this sport and spend more time enjoying the wonderful places of (our State). Thank you."

 

And the next-day reply:

 

"You have made some wonderful suggestions here, and I'll pass them on to the team responsible for planning our next venture into geocaching. This was our first foray into this recreational pursuit; we have much to learn. Your ideas can help us fine-tune our efforts for next year. Thank you for taking the time to send them along."

 

I guess my message here is..these land managers are people too. Treat them with decency and courtesy, sometimes you'll be amazed by what they'll let you do.

 

Happy caching!

[+ReadyOrNot]

they are doing us a favor by letting us play our game on their property

 

I nearly vomited up my lunch when I read this. This is deeply disturbing to me. *WE* are the *THEY*. Public property is *OUR* property, not *THEIR* property.

 

*WE* the people are the government. There is no *THEY*... I give you explicit permission to place caches on public property. If you need it in writing, just let me know and I'll send you something...