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geocachers becoming nature vandels


paganfrog

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on another forum i use a discussion about geocaching has started up. ts not putting us in good light.

 

the gist of the discussion is a geocache in a hampshire private woodland, without permission. the woodland owner has preferred to over look the lack of their permission, untill now. very recently they have found a wide area of native bluebell flowers near the geocache have been tramples down and distroyed. this is a disgusting action that is caused by geocachers.

 

i just wonder what the heck these so called cachers are thinking? are you so blind as to not notice your beautiful surroundings?

 

to the people who have done this. WISE UP OR YOU WILL MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO BE A GEOCACHER!

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on another forum i use a discussion about geocaching has started up. ts not putting us in good light.

 

the gist of the discussion is a geocache in a hampshire private woodland, without permission. the woodland owner has preferred to over look the lack of their permission, untill now. very recently they have found a wide area of native bluebell flowers near the geocache have been tramples down and distroyed. this is a disgusting action that is caused by geocachers.

 

i just wonder what the heck these so called cachers are thinking? are you so blind as to not notice your beautiful surroundings?

 

to the people who have done this. WISE UP OR YOU WILL MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO BE A GEOCACHER!

Whoa - that's a bit strong. How do you know it's cachers trampling the bluebells?! Did you see them do it; did they have GPSs in their hands? No-one would condone being clumsy in where they walk, but a couple of dogs haring around could easily do the same. Easy to jump to conclusions...

 

:)

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I'm the reviewer for Hampshire so if you could let me have the cache details I'll take a look. If it is a case of people searching for the cache causing the damage the cache may need to be disabled to stop further damage. Email me please - click on my name on the left and email me through my profile.

 

Thanks

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk

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apparently the bluebell area is part of a trampled "path" leading right to the cache. i will speak to the person to get the cache details and i will then let you know graculus.

 

im sorry if my words do seem harsh but i do know gps blindness happens alot in geocaching. something i wish wouldnt because it shouldnt be all about making a direct path to the cache regardless of anything else. why dont these people/cachers look up from their gps sometimes and admire the countryside while geocaching, theres more to the hobby than just the hunt.

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This can be an issue.

Some cachers will trash an area just too find the cache, and i have known some experienced cachers to do this, as well as less experienced.

All Cachers need to take great care to look after the areas around caches.

To be honest we have all seen it, those cachers trails!

Some of the damage can be avoided by taking a different path to the cache, however if there is an existing one then try not to make it worse.

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The likely problem is that, at this time of the year there's no sign of bluebells. Just like anyone walking in woodland in autumn, people will not realise that they are walking over bluebell bulbs as they're underground. There's no doubt the same problem with wild garlic.

I must admit that I've probably done the same myself recently (elsewhere) as I wasn't aware that treading over bluebell bulbs causes a serious problem.

Possibly, the solution is to fence off the area, if the bluebells are unusual and rare. Otherwise, get the cache moved so that it's by the side of the main path.

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I doubt that it was geocachers anyway, from the description. I guess that the landowner means that the area has been dug up extensively, otherwise how would it have affected bluebells (which appear in April and flower in May)?. All the bluebells in my garden have long since disappeared.

The likely possibility is that there's been some widespread digging in the area by unknown people or animals. In my experience, geocachers know that the cache is not going to be buried so they won't dig and they don't carry digging equipment.

 

In any case, fuzzybears is correct and if the landowner has decided that geocachers are to blame then the cache should be removed, whatever the truth of the matter.

Edited by Happy Humphrey
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on another forum i use a discussion about geocaching has started up. ts not putting us in good light.

 

...very recently they have found a wide area of native bluebell flowers near the geocache have been tramples down and distroyed. this is a disgusting action that is caused by geocachers.

 

 

Pedantry Corner.

 

Considering bluebells had died back below ground 4 months ago it would not make sense if ‘very recently bluebells had been trampled down’.

 

However, as mention before, bluebells are only visible for a couple months of the year, so, if the cache has been placed between June and February the owner probably wouldn’t realised they were there.

 

Geocaching trails through carpets of bluebells start as the green vegetation begins to emerge in the spring, so, for most cachers would not be aware what they are walking over the shoots during the first few weeks of growth. As for when they are in flower I’m sure everyone (cachers and muggles alike) makes an effort to avoid walking over them, but it’s certainly not the end of them if they are.

 

It would be good practice if we inform the owners when we find a cache to be in a bed of bluebells and then the cache is repositioned.

 

Overall Bluebell bulbs are quite sturdy plants and regenerate profusely and would only be destroyed if heavy traffic occurs over them year after year.

Edited by goldpot
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Food for thought indeed. I, in common with most cachers I suppose, approach a cache location looking at the GPS. But when the proximity "dings" I examine the area carefully to see if there are any "telltale" trails leading towards where the arrow is pointing and as the woods are usually wet and boggy most of the year round you can often see where cachers have searched. I will try and be more aware of the local flora(although I have been caching in shorts for some months and am very aware of nettles and thorns so try and tread carefully) - In relation to the cache mentioned - if permission not sought then de-activate and move to a more ameanable location !!

going loco down in Minster Lovell !!

cheers

palujia

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By in large any caches I have visited are in locations which are easily accessible.

Car parks, trail heads and fence corners.

Everyone should try and be more aware of the damage that can be done from persuing any outdoor activity.

True we can sometimes go a little OTT in search of the prize.

It would be a good idea to take a minute and think of places the cache might be hidden rather than blindly moving rocks.

If all else fails try the hint.

Geocaching in the USA has developed a bad name from badly placed caches.

Check out this site for more info on Leave No Trace.

www.leavenotraceireland.org

 

:rolleyes:

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on another forum i use a discussion about geocaching has started up. ts not putting us in good light.

 

the gist of the discussion is a geocache in a hampshire private woodland, without permission. the woodland owner has preferred to over look the lack of their permission, untill now. very recently they have found a wide area of native bluebell flowers near the geocache have been tramples down and distroyed. this is a disgusting action that is caused by geocachers.

 

i just wonder what the heck these so called cachers are thinking? are you so blind as to not notice your beautiful surroundings?

 

to the people who have done this. WISE UP OR YOU WILL MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO BE A GEOCACHER!

 

Even if the trail leads directly to the cache - through the "out of season bluebells" it could also be possible that another reason has caused the trampling - round here, in bluebell season, which is considerably earlier in the year, deer trails are often visible through the flowers. Also, conincidentally, yuff often have a habit of congregating painfully close to cache placements, often because both they and the cache placer have thought, this is a nice little place.

 

By jumping to such conclusions yourself you only allow credence to the accusers.

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Agreed, as we've had nothing to back up the accusations that out-of-season bluebells were somehow trampled.

 

Assuming that this did in fact take place in April-May (so not so recent), there is the possibility that a small area was trampled by cachers and this would be unfortunate. But most of the more extensive bluebell-flattening that I've seen was due to snow, floods or high winds.

 

I don't think that there was a suggestion that rocks were moved, And I personally don't have a problem with nettles, briars, rosebay willow herb and such being a bit disturbed by a few cachers. They tend to grow back quite well. Too well.

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A couple of snippets about bluebells.

 

"Although the bluebell is widespread in Britain, it is globally threatened, and British populations represent 25-49% of the world's total. Even in Britain, the bluebell faces threats from large-scale unsustainable removal of bulbs for sale, destruction by picking and trampling and hybridisation with non-native plant species, such as the Spanish bluebell."

http://www.bgci.org/ourwork/bluebells/

 

 

"It is not grazing, though, that is the major problem for Bluebells, but trampling of the leaves that really causes the damage, reducing the plant’s ability to obtain the foodstuffs needed to sustain the underground bulb through the long autumn and winter period."

http://www.newforestexplorersguide.co.uk/s...uebellpage.html

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Thanks - the second link seems to confirm that the damage is likely to be from deer or other animals, and occurs only during April/May when the leaves can be trampled. So "very recent" damage by geocachers is highly unlikely;

But Bluebells are not particularly common in the New Forest, for they prosper only in drier, well-fenced inclosures. Elsewhere, in places open to the depredations of commoners’ stock, and deer, Bluebells tend to occur only in small numbers, and then as weak, straggling specimens.
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It might be interesting to note that, that Geocachers trampling down Blue Bells. Whilst searching for a cache placed without permission, caused a Wildlife Trust to Ban Geocaching on all their properties.

 

The net result 4 caches placed with one of the local managers permission, along with 30+ other caches placed without permission were Archived. After the WT requested their removal. What's interesting to note is, because of discovery of the cache causing the issue. A staff member of the WT, created a account on GC. And searched and discovered all of the caches, and then provided the list of caches to be removed. Not as usually happens, a landowner makes contact and requests all caches are removed. Leaving the task of identifying the caches to the Reviewers.

 

http://www.gagb.co.uk/gagb/glad/agreement_view.php?p=75

 

I'm slowly working with the WT to map their properties, as this is a manual process its time consuming.

 

Deci

Edited by Deceangi
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Let's not forget that although the cache in mention was apparently placed without permission, the landowner was in knowledge of it's existance and I presume location. So why didn't they take action before the 'out of season' bluebells got trampled?

 

How about a link to the forum and thread that these allegations are being made on so we can get a better picture of what the geocaching community is being accused of?

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Let's not forget that although the cache in mention was apparently placed without permission, the landowner was in knowledge of it's existance and I presume location. So why didn't they take action before the 'out of season' bluebells got trampled?

 

How about a link to the forum and thread that these allegations are being made on so we can get a better picture of what the geocaching community is being accused of?

 

If a cache is placed on someone elses property without permission why would they feel the need to justify their request for it to be removed. <_<

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Let's not forget that although the cache in mention was apparently placed without permission, the landowner was in knowledge of it's existance and I presume location. So why didn't they take action before the 'out of season' bluebells got trampled?

 

How about a link to the forum and thread that these allegations are being made on so we can get a better picture of what the geocaching community is being accused of?

 

If a cache is placed on someone elses property without permission why would they feel the need to justify their request for it to be removed. :)

Why would they let it stay if they weren't happy with it being placed on their land?

 

My point is that the landowner knew it was there. Most landowners who look after their land effectively would know where such a rare (possibly unknown) species of out of season bluebells would be and would want to take action BEFORE they got damaged.

 

Or in more basic terms if the landowner knew of it's location and was happy to just leave it in place, then they should accept the responsibility of damage as if they had been approached and given permission.

 

I'm not saying that it is appropriate to place a cache without permission, but in this case it would appear as though the landowner would have granted it anyway. Why else would they have left it in place without taking action to stop damage from happening.

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Let's not forget that although the cache in mention was apparently placed without permission, the landowner was in knowledge of it's existance and I presume location. So why didn't they take action before the 'out of season' bluebells got trampled?

 

How about a link to the forum and thread that these allegations are being made on so we can get a better picture of what the geocaching community is being accused of?

 

If a cache is placed on someone elses property without permission why would they feel the need to justify their request for it to be removed. :)

 

If I was bothered by a cache on my property without permission it would be a tossup whether it went in the trash or got handed in as lost property to the local police station.

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