setting up New Geocaches

[+Mayhem1984]

I am slightly worried. My family and I wanted to setup some new geocaches in the area. I read the rules and one of them states to get permission from the land manager. There are several in the city parks and we wanted to do the same in a few other parks. I called the parks and rec dept. and it turns out that no one has been asking permission. The park manager told me that if people are putting caches in the park they are doing so illegally. He told me he was going to check the parks on the app and see what is out there, but they are not supporting geocaches. I had no intentions of messing up geocaching for the people in our town. I simply wanted to place geocaches around town and do it by the book. I don't even know what to do at this point.

[+TriciaG]

You did the right thing. The others didn't.

 

It's a shame, though.

 

What to do next? Find all the caches you can before they ask them to be archived.

[+kunarion]

I called the parks and rec dept. and it turns out that no one has been asking permission. The park manager told me that if people are putting caches in the park they are doing so illegally.

Have you asked your reviewer, or a local caching group, or even just some local cachers?

 

I have noticed that even in areas where caching is allowed, city parks can be a whole different ball game. A city park may be meticulously landscaped, plants and structures become rearranged on a whim, and a cache on a branch might not work after the branch is pruned (which is how mine got archived ). I'm fortunate that a nearby town is especially cache-friendly (they even sponsor a Geo Tour, with passports, and coin for finishing the tour). So the excitement seems to spill over into my town, and tends to encourage civic leaders to become a little more cache-friendly.

 

In my town I went to the courthouse to the person who oversees the city parks and historical areas, and asked about a specific park and showed my container idea, and brought copies of the brochure, which they took. Some park managers have misconceptions about what "Geocaches" are, and a visit in person may help.

 

But, yeah, if you've been told by the park manager that Geocaches aren't allowed, don't place one there.

Edited July 11, 2015 by kunarion

[+pppingme]

You should ask around. This is a topic that quite often the entire parks department isn't familiar with. You may have caught the one clueless person, while the parks board and directors are full on board with it.

 

No isn't always no... Its often just the wrong person giving the no.

[+Mudfrog]

At first thought, you would think there shouldn't be a problem with geocaching in "public" parks. After all, they're areas that set up to provide recreational opportunities for the general public and are usually supported by that public's tax dollars. It almost seems as though we shouldn't even have to ask for permission. What happens sometimes is that there is a cache placed and then follow up caches are placed with the notion that the first was probably placed with permission and that any newer ones should be fine.

 

You did do the right thing by asking for permission. I myself would go downtown and talk to someone in person about it. It's just easier for me to go in person and talk about what geocaching is and is not. I've had great luck doing this with almost all our placements.

[+Mayhem1984]

At first thought, you would think there shouldn't be a problem with geocaching in "public" parks. After all, they're areas that set up to provide recreational opportunities for the general public and are usually supported by that public's tax dollars. It almost seems as though we shouldn't even have to ask for permission. What happens sometimes is that there is a cache placed and then follow up caches are placed with the notion that the first was probably placed with permission and that any newer ones should be fine.

 

You did do the right thing by asking for permission. I myself would go downtown and talk to someone in person about it. It's just easier for me to go in person and talk about what geocaching is and is not. I've had great luck doing this with almost all our placements.

 

 

I am going to do that. I actually grew up here and the man that is over all the parks has known me since I was a child. I will find a way to set out my geocaches. I am seriously addicted to it. I have become more into since I moved back home.

[+Mayhem1984]

You did the right thing. The others didn't.

 

It's a shame, though.

 

What to do next? Find all the caches you can before they ask them to be archived.

 

 

I am not giving up just yet

[+Mayhem1984]

At first thought, you would think there shouldn't be a problem with geocaching in "public" parks. After all, they're areas that set up to provide recreational opportunities for the general public and are usually supported by that public's tax dollars. It almost seems as though we shouldn't even have to ask for permission. What happens sometimes is that there is a cache placed and then follow up caches are placed with the notion that the first was probably placed with permission and that any newer ones should be fine.

 

You did do the right thing by asking for permission. I myself would go downtown and talk to someone in person about it. It's just easier for me to go in person and talk about what geocaching is and is not. I've had great luck doing this with almost all our placements.

 

I seriously agree, it is something that gets people out of the house and doesn't cost a lot of money. How can people not be excited about it? I am going to go on Monday when the main guy gets back in town.

[+Mayhem1984]

I called the parks and rec dept. and it turns out that no one has been asking permission. The park manager told me that if people are putting caches in the park they are doing so illegally.

Have you asked your reviewer, or a local caching group, or even just some local cachers?

 

I have noticed that even in areas where caching is allowed, city parks can be a whole different ball game. A city park may be meticulously landscaped, plants and structures become rearranged on a whim, and a cache on a branch might not work after the branch is pruned (which is how mine got archived ). I'm fortunate that a nearby town is especially cache-friendly (they even sponsor a Geo Tour, with passports, and coin for finishing the tour). So the excitement seems to spill over into my town, and tends to encourage civic leaders to become a little more cache-friendly.

 

In my town I went to the courthouse to the person who oversees the city parks and historical areas, and asked about a specific park and showed my container idea, and brought copies of the brochure, which they took. Some park managers have misconceptions about what "Geocaches" are, and a visit in person may help.

 

But, yeah, if you've been told by the park manager that Geocaches aren't allowed, don't place one there.

 

 

First of all...I love the quote! And secondly as much as I love geocaching I am still very new and have no idea how to contact local groups or if we even have one.

[+jellis]

The regional,open spaces and state parks here in California love geocaching because it brings more people to the parks. But you have to check their rules on which parks are allowed and their guidelines which expand more then what GC has. Like in some of the East Bay Regional Parks state not to put them closer then 150 of water, not to put them on any buildings, not to put them near any animal dens. Geocaching doesn't know these rules but we try to help to inform them because we want the parks to continue having geocaches there.

They will also remove caches without notice if they don't comply, so if your cache goes missing it may not be muggles.

[+narcissa]

I am slightly worried. My family and I wanted to setup some new geocaches in the area. I read the rules and one of them states to get permission from the land manager. There are several in the city parks and we wanted to do the same in a few other parks. I called the parks and rec dept. and it turns out that no one has been asking permission. The park manager told me that if people are putting caches in the park they are doing so illegally. He told me he was going to check the parks on the app and see what is out there, but they are not supporting geocaches. I had no intentions of messing up geocaching for the people in our town. I simply wanted to place geocaches around town and do it by the book. I don't even know what to do at this point.

 

The people who placed caches illegally are the ones in the wrong. They are the ones who spoil it for others. Asking permission was the correct thing to do.