Who are the FOrest defenders?

[+catsandkids]

Does anyone know who the "forest Defenders" are? I got several messages from them telling me to stop ruining the environment. Apparently, they are nut cases with the goal of ridding the world of evil geocaches! ( Gee, I actually kept a straight face while typing that!) I clicked on their name, but they are banned from geocaching. If that is so, how do they post on the website? I would like to give the idiots a piece of my mind, but I can't contact them, and their "blog" is one long anti-geocahing rant.I want to tell them to get real...there are a lot more pressing issues in the world. They need to go hug a tree and relax!

Edited November 5, 2010 by catsandkids

[+narcissa]

They're idiots who can't be arsed to do anything useful with themselves, so they harass geocachers under the guide of "environmentalism." They have no ability to recognize that geocachers are outdoorsy people who also care about preserving the environment.

[+Renegade Knight]

Does anyone know who the "forest Defenders" are? I got several messages from them telling me to stop ruining the environment. Apparently, they are nut cases with the goal of ridding the world of evil geocaches! ( Gee, I actually kept a straight face while typing that!) I clicked on their name, but they are banned from geocaching....

narcissa sums up what they are fairly nicely. Banned from GC.com doesn't automaticly mean banned from the forums. Not sure if banned from GC.com can stop you from emailing via the forums or GC.com.

[+DragonsWest]

Morons. There's really no other way to put it. They're self appointed, self congratulatory, blinkered and deaf to reason. Ignoring them is the best you can do. Reply to them and you've patted them on their pointy little head(s).

[+Too Tall John]

While the Forest Defenders are exactly what has been described in this thread, if you're talking about the log on this cache, they aren't the Forest Defenders, they are a bot that was auto-logging caches a month ago. They also hit several other states using other accounts that also got banned. Did you really just get that message?

 

In the meanwhile, you should delete that log & any others from the same account.

[+Mr. Wilson & a Mt. Goat]

Those people really get me angry!

They should read this before they steal another cache:

Cache Maggot Arrested

[knowschad]

Those people really get me angry!

They should read this before they steal another cache:

Cache Maggot Arrested

And you should probably read Too Tall John's post before you think that someone is stealing caches in catsandkids neck of the woods.

[+Mr. Wilson & a Mt. Goat]

Those people really get me angry!

They should read this before they steal another cache:

Cache Maggot Arrested

And you should probably read Too Tall John's post before you think that someone is stealing caches in catsandkids neck of the woods.

I see now.....

[+popokiiti]

From what I have read on their blog, they are a rain in the pectum, a plox on our part of the panet and are probably causing as much, if not more damage than any geocache or geocacher would. Depending upon the content of email received, I would probably send it to Groundspeak. If it were in any way threatening, I would inform the authorities also. I wouldn't lower myself in conversing with a theif.

Some of the geocaches that this dingbat has stolen were placed with the permission of parks/forest/woods personnel too. They know the sensitive areas far better than this FD individual or us. Karma will get them one day....maybe their vehicle will be stopped by the police when they have all the stolen caches on board!

A true defender of the environment would be upfront and contact the owner of a cache directly to explain how and why a particular placement is harmful. They wouldn't be anonymous and would encourage dialogue - something this coward doesn't. Just my 2 cents...............

[+jomouse]

Let's assume for a moment these folks really do care about improving/protecting the environment. With all the issues out there including deforestation, fossil fuel emissions, ecosystem destruction, decrease in safe drinking water, etc... the list goes on and on.... they choose geocaches to focus on!?!?!? Really!?!?!? I suggest they turn their attention to more meaningful and impactful causes.

[+narcissa]

Let's assume for a moment these folks really do care about improving/protecting the environment. With all the issues out there including deforestation, fossil fuel emissions, ecosystem destruction, decrease in safe drinking water, etc... the list goes on and on.... they choose geocaches to focus on!?!?!? Really!?!?!? I suggest they turn their attention to more meaningful and impactful causes.

 

Tackling real issues requires intelligence and initiative. These aren't people out to make the world better, they are poseurs looking for something to feel smug about. Harassing geocachers fits the bill and requires very little research or effort.

[+Student Camper]

I would advise that you do not contact them, just ignore them and their issues.

If they hear from you or anyone, they will know someone is listening and it will just encourage them.

It would be a waste of your time, they are NOT interested in your viewpoint.

[+d+n.s]

I would advise that you do not contact them, just ignore them and their issues.

If they hear from you or anyone, they will know someone is listening and it will just encourage them.

It would be a waste of your time, they are NOT interested in your viewpoint.

This.

 

As a side note, I think its fair to consider the potential problems with geocaching and its effect on the environment. We all know that a LOT of archived caches just become litter eventually, not many people really practice CITO and going off trail can lead to erosion generally make the area uglier.

That said, Geocaching brings people to a lot of parks that get money from cachers doing their thing and its up to these agencies to balance these risks vs. the rewards.

Personally, I think the impact of geocaching is pretty minor and it makes people who wouldn't normally care much at all, more aware of the natural beauty of certain areas and it probably raises more non-political awareness and caring than the harm it does.

 

What I mean is, it warrants some intelligent and reasoned discussion, but its not something for people to be activists over. The world NEEDS activist but not for this.

Edited November 9, 2010 by d+n.shults

[+dreamarcher]

Besides being equally mad as everyone else, I find their psychological reasoning fascinating.

 

What they appear to be doing is: 1) Playing the game just like everyone else. They use this site to find the cache and must have their own GPS. Sounds familiar. 2) Then they take it a step further and prevent others from playing.

 

For some reason it seems they might not even understand they are doing part one, and of course refuse to understand. Or possibly they are subconsciously protecting what they perceive to be their own.