Permission from Land Owner: Getting Started

[+stickymice]

I am posting to seek general advice on how to learn who to contact for permission to hide. How do I find out who owns a lamp post on a street, or a stairway, or a cluster of rocks in a river dividing two states? Is there a place on the site where tips on how to figure out who to contact for permission can be found? I have been combing the forums and the site but I am still lost on what to do. This process seems like it requires a lot of steps/effort, and frankly seems dauntingly complex, so if there are experienced cachers willing to share their wisdom I would greatly appreciate your help.

 

Also, are there instances when it is not necessary to contact someone for permission? In the forums there is mention of the "frisbee rule," implying that in some cases, the hider can use common sense as to whether or not getting explicit permission is required. However, I am unclear as to whether this is a matter of opinion or if it is also GS policy.

 

Thanks very much.

 

Stickymice

Edited December 10, 2014 by stickymice

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

In the forums there is mention of the "frisbee rule," implying that in some cases, the hider can use common sense as to whether or not getting explicit permission is required. However, I am unclear as to whether this is a matter of opinion or if it is also GS policy.

 

Thanks very much.

 

Stickymice

It can, at times, be a daunting task to finds out who does own what. Generally, you should think about who maintains such a fixture, property or structure. If the person (entity) that maintains it isn't the owner, they certainly would be able to direct you to them.

 

In the case of property (land), it isn't always who "owns" it, but often who "administers" the property (land).

 

The "frisbee rule" is opinion... and many do not share that opinion. Explicit permission is not always necessary.

 

When push comes to shove, ask your local reviewer... you'll get a far better (single) response. After-all, (s)he is the one that would be approving/disapproving the hide. They know many if not most requirements within their area of assignment.

 

"Permission" Guideline:

By submitting a cache listing, you assure us that you have adequate permission to hide your cache in the selected location. If you have permission to place a cache on private property, indicate this on the cache listing for the benefit of the reviewer and those seeking the cache.

 

In the case of public property, permission can often be obtained from the agency or association that manages the land. Worldwide, there are many such agencies and organizations that regulate geocaching on their managed land. As the cache owner you are responsible for determining who to contact to obtain permission.

 

Even if you are certain that geocaching is permitted on particular public property, ensure that you have followed any and all requirements established by the land owner or land management agency before placing the cache. There may be locations in which cache hides are inappropriate, even though not prohibited by local laws.

 

If Groundspeak is contacted and informed that your cache has been placed inappropriately, your cache may be temporarily disabled or permanently archived.

[+kunarion]

Is there a place on the site where tips on how to figure out who to contact for permission can be found?

Have you looked at regional info? If, for example, you're thinking of placing a cache in the state of Virginia, look up Geocaching organizations there. And if you can attend a local Geocaching "meet and greet" event, you can discuss the finer points with people who may have already researched the local area.

 

Here's some info on Groundspeak's site: https://wiki.Groundspeak.com/display/GEO/Virginia

 

Here's a web forum Topic along the lines of your question:

http://www.novago.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=3195&sid=e257065f42ed529ce66396c94c4bd6c4

[+stickymice]

Thanks everyone, this is helpful!

[+justintim1999]

With local parks and playgrounds it's usually that town's Department of Public Works or there recreation dept. Conservation lands and public open space are usually managed by a group or trust and more often than not have a web site which will explain what activities are permitted on the land. It will also include contact info. A telephone pole can be tricky. Normally the utility company owns or has access rites to a specific number of feet around the pole so they don't have to get permission from the land owner every time they need to do any work. Telephone poles are usually very close to homes and businesses and may not be a great place to be snooping around.

 

I personally don't agree with the frisbee rule. It's always best to get permission from the land owner or manager before you place anything.

 

I am a member of a conservation trust and we had a situation where a new cacher thought that since there were already caches on this particular property it was ok to place there own. The problem was they placed the cache on private property and to reach this spot people were required to walk through a section of land that was designated for ground nesting birds. It's not always easy to do the right thing but in the end you can sleep at night knowing you're giving geocaching a good name.