SJRWMD in NE Florida is off limits to Geocaching

[+theboonieman]

FYI: The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) located in northeast Florida has started removing geocaches from the lands they manage, stating that they are in violation of their land use policy. Right now they are issuing warnings, but if people continue to use their land for caching, they may call in law enforcement. The following is a copy of the message they've been leaving in the cache logs.

 

Just trying to spread the word.

 

The Boonie Man

 

----- Begin -----

Please be advised that geocache xxxxx has been removed. This cache is in violation of Chapter 40 C-9, F.A.C., St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Lands Rule. If you would like to retrieve your cache, it is located at the security residence for the next 10 days, then it will be disposed of.

 

In the Geocaching guidelines, the portion Guide to Creating and Hiding a Cache Step 1 - Research a cache location contains a paragraph regarding public or private land ownership, and obtaining permission. It states: If you place the cache on public lands you need to contact the managing agency to find out about their rules. While public lands are bought and owned by the public, each agency responsible for managing lands have rules and regulations that they must follow. These regulations are intended to protect the environment that may likely contain sensitive and fragile areas, both in terms of natural and cultural resources.

 

We encourage visitors to SJRWMD conservation areas to expand their experience of these areas through means such as GPS, particularly if it brings visitors to a unique location such as a great viewpoint or one of our designated campsites. But these areas should only be accessed by designated access points and trails, or maintained interior roads or firelines. Keeping visitors on trails not only protects the environment, but is also for the safety of the visitor. For these reasons, the leaving of items or leading visitors off of the above mentioned routes cannot continue. Any future cache sites that contain items will be removed without notification to this website which will be frustrating to those users of this website and visitors to District lands. Continued finding of sites will be turned over to the District's law enforcement program. That is not our intent nor what users of this website would want. Please assist us and other agencies by getting the word out regarding the establishment of these caches.

 

We hope that you will continue to have interest in visiting SJRWMD conservation areas in the future.

 

Sincerely,

 

Nels Parson, Land Use Coordinator

Division of Land Management

----- End -----

[magellan315]

Dear Mr. Sutton: I read your posting on the geo caching web site and would like to briefly respond to you directly. My staff reacted to discovery of geo-caching on Water Management District Lands and reviewed our rules. They found that the district rules were not followed and that the geo-caching suggested guidelines for establishing sites were also not followed.

 

Regardless of these oversites, I believe that we can resolve this in a way that allows for continued responsible geo-caching. This activity

appears to be a great way for citizens to experience the real Florida. I will

bereviewing the issue with key staff next week when they return from

western fire duty.

 

By the way, you are correct that District rules do not restrict foot

traffic to designated trails unless indicated by signs.

 

We will be in touch with you soon.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jack Eckdahl

Assistant Department Director

Department of Operations and Land Resources

[magellan315]

Should have clariifed this when I posted this, this was sent to me by someone who has contaced the SJRWMD and it sounds like calmer heads have prevailed.

 

Dear Mr. Sutton: I read your posting on the geo caching web site and would like to briefly respond to you directly. My staff reacted to discovery of geo-caching on Water Management District Lands and reviewed our rules. They found that the district rules were not followed and that the geo-caching suggested guidelines for establishing sites were also not followed.

 

Regardless of these oversites, I believe that we can resolve this in a way that allows for continued responsible geo-caching. This activity

appears to be a great way for citizens to experience the real Florida. I will

bereviewing the issue with key staff next week when they return from

western fire duty.

 

By the way, you are correct that District rules do not restrict foot

traffic to designated trails unless indicated by signs.

 

We will be in touch with you soon.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jack Eckdahl

Assistant Department Director

Department of Operations and Land Resources

[+ger]

Caching on SJRWMD is no longer off limits. You do need approval of the cache first though.

 

Sent an email to the SJRWMD for an update today. They have just set up the following site to request approval for caches on SJRWMD lands

http://sjrwmd.com/programs/operations/land_mgmt/geo_cache.html

 

Looks pretty good to me. In my response, I have asked them about how long they think approval for a cache will take, in addition to what

specific criteria they will use to approve or disapprove a cache.

 

Let me know what you think.

 

I'll post this on the geocaching discussion web site and on the two

cache pages that started this whole thing.

 

Ger

[+TJ Willy]

Thanks to everyone involved here for working together to both promote land management and geocaching. I hope other agencies can fall in line behind The St. Johns River Water Management District. Thanks again guys.

 

Phil

[+TJ Willy]

Thanks to everyone involved here for working together to both promote land management and geocaching. I hope other agencies can fall in line behind The St. Johns River Water Management District. Thanks again guys.

 

Phil

[+ron50eli]

Just wondering WHY some cachers that place a cache are not following the Geocaching Guidelines for placing a cache??? Aren't we suppose to get permission & approval first? We have to have rule & regulation, otherwise some people(not just cachers) would trash a beautiful pristine area in no time. Then what we have? I think most of us know the answer to that one.

Only a thought. Happy & Safe Caching

rocker51

[+Freelens&Mosie]

Thanks to everyone involved in this matter. That certainly expands the opportunities.

 

You can't be lost if you don't care where you are.

[+infosponge]

IMHO, common sense is usually better than permission. Some geocachers have both, some neither... :-)

[+BrownMule & Jackrabbit]

quote:

---

Originally posted by infosponge:

IMHO, common sense is usually better than permission. Some geocachers have both, some neither... :-)

---

 

IMHO, permission is much better than common sense because you can always ask for and most of the time receive permission but nobody can give you common sense even if you ask.

 

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS