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New Category Idea: Latin America Benchmarks


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Benchmarks in the U.S. Virgin Islands (like Puerto Rico) are U.S. Benchmarks. I do not know what we should do with benchmarks in the British Virgin Islands. I am not familiar with any database which might be used for benchmark-Waymarking in the U.K.

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The category name might have to be revised as most of the initial waymarks will be from countries where Spanish and Portuguese are not the languages.

 

I am incorrect. The vast majority of Waymarking is in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.

 

Country/Region Waymarks Posted

Brazil 4625

Mexico 905

Argentina 301

Bermuda 243

Costa Rica 147

Bahamas 143

Colombia 138

Barbados 97

El Salvador 75

Curacao 57

St Kitts 56

Jamaica 52

Saint Lucia 49

St. Martin 47

Cuba 46

Panama 45

Uruguay 44

Dominican Republic 42

Aruba 39

Cayman Islands 38

Antigua and Barbuda 34

Peru 32

Chile 27

Ecuador 23

British Virgin Islands 20

Belize 15

Netherlands Antilles 15

Nicaragua 14

Guatemala 11

Honduras 11

Falkland Islands 8

Saint Kitts and Nevis 6

Bonaire 6

Venezuela 5

Bolivia 4

Turks and Caicos Islands 4

Grenada 3

Haiti 3

Saint Vincent and The Grenadines 2

Dominica 1

Guyana 1

Pitcairn 1

St Eustatius 1

Paraguay 1

Saba 1

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If a benchmark was placed by an agency in which that county has its own benchmark category, than you may list it in both categories. Examples would be a U.S.G.S benchmark in Puerto Rico or Mexico. The agency that monumented the marker was from the US, which already has a category that covers that benchmark.

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Okay, I have removed Puerto Rico from the list because it's part of the US. I thought I could include it since it's visited often, and could be more globally accepted unlike many other Latin America countries such as Guatemala which is rarely waymarked at all. Should I included all Caribbean nations as well so benchmarks in those countries have a place? I've narrowed down what we would accept and decline a little more clear. Please let me know if there's anything I could add or delete. Thanks!

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Benchmarks and similar categories are quite popular and this is a huge area without any domestic Waymarking community, but a lot of tourist destinations.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, it looks like the officers are familiar with US benchmarks, but none of them has even basic knowledge of the situation there. We all know, that this is going to become a total mess. Officers with no clue will approve submissions from waymarkers with no clue. The alternative would be to wait for somebody with expertise in that field and we also all know that this would probably never happen. So better a messy category than no category at all, and after all, it will stay exotic in every meaning of the word and not affect the average waymarker.

 

This is an unusual situation, so maybe an unusual solution is appropriate. I have my doubts, but I will not stand in the way.

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fi67 raises a good point.

 

From my experience in The Bahamas, benchmarks there resemble those in the U.S. Actual U.S. benchmarks co-exist with Bahamian benchmarks.

 

After benchmarking in Guadeloupe and preparing for a trip to Saint-Martin, I know that benchmarks there exactly match the type and style used in France. However, such benchmarks should not be in this category. They already have a Waymarking category.

 

I would assume that Suriname and the island countries that are part of the greater Netherlands would have benchmarks similar to those in the Netherlands. However, that is just my assumption. Relevant island countries include Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Curaçao and Sint Maarten (the northern portion of the island of Saint-Martin).

 

As for the all of South America and Central America, I have no idea what to expect. Are we aware of any national database to help us prepare?

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Benchmarks and similar categories are quite popular and this is a huge area without any domestic Waymarking community, but a lot of tourist destinations.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, it looks like the officers are familiar with US benchmarks, but none of them has even basic knowledge of the situation there. We all know, that this is going to become a total mess. Officers with no clue will approve submissions from waymarkers with no clue. The alternative would be to wait for somebody with expertise in that field and we also all know that this would probably never happen. So better a messy category than no category at all, and after all, it will stay exotic in every meaning of the word and not affect the average waymarker.

 

This is an unusual situation, so maybe an unusual solution is appropriate. I have my doubts, but I will not stand in the way.

 

Good point. Yes, most waymarkers live in the US, Canada, and Europe with little to none in other parts of the globe including Latin America. There is not much the Waymarking community can do if it is inexperience that holds down this category due to the officers not living domestically within these regions. I have chosen my officers on the premise experience. For example, saopaulo1 is the top waymarker in Brazil and has spent much time down there. It even says on his profile page that he's lived there, which is the main reason why he's posted so many waymarks. Ernmark is currently the main waymarker when it comes to US Benchmarks and helps review most submissions. There's not much I could do for myself other than the fact I've been to Mexico a few times with the opportunity to find a few survey points / benchmarks which is the main reason to create this category. I do have some experience, but I've chosen my officers to help fill these gaps.

 

I don't see how we would publish submissions that don't fit. If there's no proof that it's a benchmark / survey point or that if it's not in a Latin American country then it's pretty strait forward to deny the submission on the first try and I believe that's common sense to most categories and their names. The expanded description is meant to explain what exactly will be worthwhile when submitting waymarks. I truly don't believe this will be a total mess. With almost all categories, once they pass peer review there is a surge of submissions. Many of the are approved and are later declined after the category officers decides what is acceptable. Examples are pergolas that not all pergola structures are accepted, only unique artistic ones. We learned this after the fact.

 

Also, the dated structures category back in 2014 also had a surge of submissions. Anything with a date on it was being submitted, including historical markers with text. It was later refined that only specific markers that can't fit anywhere to be accepted into the category. All new categories aren't going to be perfect once they pass peer reviewer. It obviously takes a few weeks to know how the community response and their perception and interpretation as to what is acceptable. It is up to the officers, me included, to later refine that. Here in the forums, we try to limit and express what others think so if this passes peer review we have an idea of what the community opinions are. But again, this is a pretty specific category. It's either a benchmark or it's not. Unlike where pergolas come in different shapes, sizes. There are numerous ways to date a building, but the dated structures category only will accepts submissions where they cannot be waymarked anywhere else. It's not like there will be much doubt if a benchmark is truly a benchmark and it should/shouldn't be accepted.

 

I know that we've had similar categories that are intended for vacation goers. Antarctica Points of Interest, Disneyland/world benchmarks, Hidden Mickeys; just to name a few so it's not too unusual to have a category that will be pushed by vacations in these counties. Because it's such a broad area, I believe we would get enough submissions. Probably more than these categories. We also already have categories that cover broad areas such as European Post Offices which cover many counties.

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French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy and the French portion of Saint Martin should be removed from the list. Benchmarks in those countries are already included in the French Benchmarks waymark category.

 

I've just edited the description to be more clear about the countries. Let me know if there is anything else I should add.

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The following countries that we will accept waymarks from include, but not limited to: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Falkland Islands, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts, Saint Maartin, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Suriname, Uruguay, or Venezuela

 

The following countries that we won't accept waymarks from include, but not limited to: British Virgin Islands, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Netherlands Antilles, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Sint Eustatius, Turks and Caicos Islands

 

The lists should be as follows.

 

The following countries that we will accept waymarks from include, but not limited to Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Falkland Islands, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saba, Saint Kitts, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Sint Maartin (Netherlands), Sint Eustatius, Suriname, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uruguay, or Venezuela

 

The following countries that we won't accept waymarks from include, but not limited to French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin (France) and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Only the French and U.S. benchmark database include benchmarks outside of their national territory. The other benchmark categories (Australia/NZ Benchmarks, Dutch Benchmarks, and U.K. and Ireland Trigpoints) are limited to the national territory, either by the database or the waymark category description.

Edited by elyob
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I'm having a little bit of a problem with #6 -

 

"A detailed description must be given as to how to locate the benchmark or survey point as well as any historical notes about it. Some of this information can be filled in in the variable section. Please note that we will not accept any waymarks with plagiarism, also known as "copy and paste." You may use sources to help guide you create your own, interesting, and unique description."

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I looked at the Mexico, Argentina and Peru pages above.....and I couldn't identify a database of points I might be able Waymark. I don't speak or read Spanish well...so, maybe I am missing it.... but I wouldn't know what to look for if I wanted to post a Waymark. I'm not against the category proposal...in fact I appreciate the amalgamation of all the countries into one rather than having separate national categories.... but I guess I would appreciate more guidance as to what we are looking for.

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It takes sometimes significant surfing to get to the actual markers from the URLs above. However, I guess I am already familiar with such obstacles thanks to our national database here in Canada.

 

Benchmarkers are spoiled by the ready-to-go sample of U.S. benchmarks used by Groundspeak.

Edited by elyob
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I'm having a little bit of a problem with #6 -

 

"A detailed description must be given as to how to locate the benchmark or survey point as well as any historical notes about it. Some of this information can be filled in in the variable section. Please note that we will not accept any waymarks with plagiarism, also known as "copy and paste." You may use sources to help guide you create your own, interesting, and unique description."

 

I have a benchmark from the city of Sao Paulo. The cities website seems better then the national organization's.

 

http://smdu.prefeitura.sp.gov.br/marcos_geodesicos/marcos_home.php

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Maybe changing the category name to "Latin America and Caribbean Benchmarks" would be more clear on what countries/regions where included.

 

The official name of the country is Saint Kitts and Nevis. However there is a bug on Waymarking.com (and also on geocaching.com): this country appears twice on the country list, one as "Saint Kitts and Nevis" and the other as "St Kitts"; in my opinion the first one is the one to use.

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