Requirements question

[+fox-and-the-hound]

I'm interested in placing a new earthcache nearby that is a glacial peat bog high on a mountain top. Getting there is a nice hike. Plenty of views on the way. Seeing the peat bog should prove very intesting as well when combined with an explanation of what you're looking at in relation to it's surroundings. Earthcaches require proof of having learned something though so how do I accomplish that? What are some reasonable solutions to make sure someone is learning something from the experience? How would you approach it?

[+Juicepig]

you could ask them to take the pH value of the swamp and post proof of it in their logs.

 

Also ask them to take the pH value of a regular body of water nearby.

 

By doing this they would learn how different a Peat bog is to a normal body of water.

 

(i don't actually know where I would get Litmus paper, so telling me that on the cache page would be helpful )

[+fox-and-the-hound]

you could ask them to take the pH value of the swamp and post proof of it in their logs.

 

Also ask them to take the pH value of a regular body of water nearby.

 

By doing this they would learn how different a Peat bog is to a normal body of water.

 

(i don't actually know where I would get Litmus paper, so telling me that on the cache page would be helpful )

 

Could I hide a ammocan with the appropriate supplies nearby if it's a state/public park?

[+geoaware]

you could ask them to take the pH value of the swamp and post proof of it in their logs.

 

Also ask them to take the pH value of a regular body of water nearby.

 

By doing this they would learn how different a Peat bog is to a normal body of water.

 

(i don't actually know where I would get Litmus paper, so telling me that on the cache page would be helpful )

 

Could I hide a ammocan with the appropriate supplies nearby if it's a state/public park?

 

Please remember that EarthCaches can not have ANY container.

[+GEO WALKER]

you could ask them to take the pH value of the swamp and post proof of it in their logs.

 

Also ask them to take the pH value of a regular body of water nearby.

 

By doing this they would learn how different a Peat bog is to a normal body of water.

 

(i don't actually know where I would get Litmus paper, so telling me that on the cache page would be helpful )

 

Could I hide a ammocan with the appropriate supplies nearby if it's a state/public park?

 

Most ECs I’ve seen that deal w/pH usually recommend hitting a Pool Supply Store for pH measurement.

 

As for a “supply” cache you may want to stash it at the Parking Coordinates and perhaps use this as a ”Hint”. I’m not sure how GSA will view an EC involving a container even if it is for supplying educational materials?

[+TerryDad2]

Is it easy to determine what kind of peatland it is, bog or fen. Where its water comes from (ombrotrophic). Based on the plant life you could have them describe the nutrient content of the peatland and thus where its water comes from.

 

see http://www.umaine.edu/wetlands/peatpage/html/Intro.htm

 

If this applies...

[+DeRock & The Psychic Cacher]

Many times pH test strips purchased at a pool supply store meaure only in the higher ranges of pH and will not be sufficent for use in other earthcache situations. My recommendation is to try and purchase test strips from a store that carries aquarium supplies. In any case make sure they measure a full range of pH.

 

Hmmmm .... I've visited an earthcache that mentioned on the cache page pH test strips hidden nearby for those cachers who came unprepared.

 

Deane

AKA: DeRock & the Psychic Cacher - Grattan MI

[+Juicepig]

Hmmmm .... I've visited an earthcache that mentioned on the cache page pH test strips hidden nearby for those cachers who came unprepared.

 

That might be a good idea, but you should publish it as a TRADITIONAL cache nearby rather then placing a physical cache along with the earthcache (that might open up a can of worms)

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Is it easy to determine what kind of peatland it is, bog or fen. Where its water comes from (ombrotrophic). Based on the plant life you could have them describe the nutrient content of the peatland and thus where its water comes from.

 

see http://www.umaine.edu/wetlands/peatpage/html/Intro.htm

 

If this applies...

 

Um, that might be great for people who know all about bogs and fens, but for someone learning about it for the first time is there something slightly less demanding or supplies that are easier to procure? I'm worried about scaring off people before they even attempt it. I don't want to give it away, but I don't want it to become a so tasking that people don't bother to come see and learn either

 

Are there any interesting ways to prove a visit? I saw something about adding water from the bog and baking soda, but can't make any sense of it.

[+Accordiongal]

Educational based questions:

 

First review published EC for methods to validate a visit.

Describe any humps, water sediments from iron, organic acid, high in the mountains-take an elevation reading, differences in plant life in various zones,

 

Do many animals walk in the area, if there is an animal track, is the water depth changed?

 

Fen and bogs have different sources of water and drainage, where is the source and drainage point

 

What is the affect on ben/bog in wet years, dry years

 

For assistance contact the area geologist or state water expert. They are walking books of knowledge and should be glad to assist in developing content and appropriate learning activities. Check your states DNR pages, under wetlands.

 

Good luck

[+TerryDad2]

 

Um, that might be great for people who know all about bogs and fens, but for someone learning about it for the first time is there something slightly less demanding or supplies that are easier to procure? I'm worried about scaring off people before they even attempt it. I don't want to give it away, but I don't want it to become a so tasking that people don't bother to come see and learn either

 

Are there any interesting ways to prove a visit? I saw something about adding water from the bog and baking soda, but can't make any sense of it.

The baking soda trick would be similar to baking soda and vinigar. The baking soda is a base and when mixed with an acid, vinigar or in this case acidic bog water, it fizzes. Baking soda is readily available, so that eliminates the complexity of finding the supplies, unless they forget it down at the bottom of the hill. I think you would get alot of that, since some (many) people don't read the full description until they get there.

 

I think you could write the description such that they would learn enough about the difference between a bog and fen to answer the question. The point is to teach them something they already don't know. Bogs have few nutrients because they are fed primarly by rain and snow and thus are predominatly peat mosses with a few shrubby plants. Fens receive water from ground water and surface water so they have more nutrients allowing a greater variety of plants.

 

That should be enough to look at the plant community to decide if it is mostly moss or not. If moss and small shrubs, a bog with few nutrients and rain/snow fed, if more than a fen with more nutrients and ground water/ runoof fed. If it changes, take them to two places and have them answer the question at both. See if there is an elevaiton change between the two locations. Bogs sometimes are higher than fens, isolating the bog from runoff and ground water.

Edited August 26, 2008 by TerryDad2

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Thanks for the ideas everybody. This is new territory for me so I really apreciate your input

[+geoaware]

You can boil red cabbage and keep the 'red' water. The red water can be used as an indicator.

 

Here is just one link to the simple process and how it can be used.....

 

http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa012803a.htm

 

Guess my school teacher days have finally come in handy!

[+fox-and-the-hound]

You can boil red cabbage and keep the 'red' water. The red water can be used as an indicator.

 

Here is just one link to the simple process and how it can be used.....

 

http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa012803a.htm

 

Guess my school teacher days have finally come in handy!

 

That's pretty cool! I'd like to see the ph difference between local tap and the bog using that test. Should be interesting.

[+whistler & co.]

Our tap water here has a very low PH due to the acid rain and also to the tannins in the water from the woods surroundng the reservoir. It's so low that is bottoms out on the lowest readng of the aquarium test strips, which, by the way don't have a "full range" of readings, just a mid-range on the PH scale.

 

Have you looked at this earthcache?

Is it a bog or a fen?

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Our tap water here has a very low PH due to the acid rain and also to the tannins in the water from the woods surroundng the reservoir. It's so low that is bottoms out on the lowest readng of the aquarium test strips, which, by the way don't have a "full range" of readings, just a mid-range on the PH scale.

 

Have you looked at this earthcache?

Is it a bog or a fen?

 

Yep, we're going to go do it on September 19 or 20th while on a getaway up to the lakes.