What features make appropriate Earth Caches?

[+BeccaDay]

I am just curious about what kinds of features make an appropriate venue for an earth cache. So many of the ones that I have seen have to do with rocks or water. What about trees in an amazing forest? An area that I am considering right now is an educational facility that teaches about the undeveloped prairie (plants, animals, etc.) since so much of our country has been developed and changed. Also, I have seen a bunch of earth caches around here that have to do with Lime Kilns. I just found a wood kiln especially used for the clay on the prairie. Would this work? I just hate to go through all of the work of research, finding coordinates, getting permission, etc. if it won't be approved. I am fairly new at this but I really want to get my platinum level!

 

Unfortunately, I have found it hard to search through all the listings for other examples of earth caches. Maybe there is a better way to do this? Your advice on this matter would be appreciated, thanks.

[+Arby Gee]

An Earthcache has to be geological, so trees and forests won't cut it unless somehow you can tie them in to geology. Lime kilns might work because lime is geological, but I wouldn't think a wood kiln would work, unless you can take it from the angle of the prairie clay.

 

As for searching Earthcaches, you might want to try going directly to the Earthcache site, www.earthcache.org. From there click on Earthcache Listings, then click on Advanced Search. From there you'll be able to search for Earthcaches by country and classification.

[+GEO WALKER]

“I have seen a bunch of earth caches around here that have to do with Lime Kilns.”

1st ? Where’s “here”?

 

Would there be a stream or some other cut that may show a soil profile?

 

Are certain plants unique to certain soils or minerals in the soil?

[+narcissa]

Earthcache.org has fairly comprehensive information about Earthcaches, and you can search the listings for ideas.

[+Touchstone]

An Earthcache has to be geological...

 

With all due respect to the noble sponsors of Earthcaches, the Geological Society of America, the Earthcache Guidelines state:

 

EarthCache sites must provide Earth science lessons.

 

I would be remiss in my dutiful responsibility to my Meteorological wife, to omit pointing out that Earth Sciences encompasses a very wide variety of disciplines of study.

 

It's a big world out there. The only limitation is your imagination

[+BeccaDay]

Touchstone, I tend to agree with you. Thanks!

[+narcissa]

An Earthcache has to be geological...

 

With all due respect to the noble sponsors of Earthcaches, the Geological Society of America, the Earthcache Guidelines state:

 

EarthCache sites must provide Earth science lessons.

 

I would be remiss in my dutiful responsibility to my Meteorological wife, to omit pointing out that Earth Sciences encompasses a very wide variety of disciplines of study.

 

It's a big world out there. The only limitation is your imagination

 

Unfortunately, the GSA seems to define it more narrowly than the broader scientific community does. We're bound by their definition when it comes to Earthcaches. The guidelines are pretty clear that Earthcaches must relate to the physical formation of the earth.

[+geoaware]

The narrow definition of Earth science under which we operate EarthCaches was provided by Groundspeak. At times we have approved EC using a wider definition and had those questioned...and so the narrower definition remains in force.

 

Sorry - our GSA definition is wider...but still does not include pure ecology/biology based caches.

[+geodarts]

With Geoaware's caveat in mind, I like the statement in the Educator's Guide at the earthcaching web site:

 

EarthCache sites are generally located where there is an interesting geologic or geographic phenomenon or feature. Because many different people create EarthCache sites, the topics or themes of the caches vary greatly. Consequently, the sites can provide information on a wide range of landforms, vegetation, and rock strata to climate, soil types, population distribution, or human impacts on the landscape. The possibilities are limitless, provided they offer some nugget of information about a particular place and the land that lies beneath it.

 

I have seen earthcaches that vary from a piece of cut granite that was moved to the area to hold a sundial to the wonders of Yosemite, Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon. There are, indeed, a lot of possibilities.

Edited August 22, 2010 by mulvaney