Concidering the environment.

[+Rockdoctors]

This should be interesting. Should we concider the environment? How should we manage and protect our caches to minimize disturbance? Many geocachers have expressed concern over the ecology when cache hunting. Its true that we do effect the environment to a certain degree when multiple visits have been made to a cache site. How do you feel?

[DisQuoi]

Pleace use a cpell checker.

[+unclerojelio]

Caches recieve wildly varying amounts of traffic. And generally, the further out into 'nature' the cache is, the less traffic it recieves. Also, once local cachers have paid a visit, the traffic tends to drop way off. My feeling is that there is no problem.

 

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

 

unclerojelio

[+majicman]

We should all just stay in our living rooms! If while we are there, we will eat plenty of red meat, utilize FI and PFS. Instead of physically visiting caches, practice yoga and Transcendental Meditation to achieve true Karma. At this time, we can have out of body experiences, and go and hunt caches without physically leaving our living room, thusly we will not disturb the environment at all!

 

Actually, if we get really good, perhaps we could tap into the cache hider's karma (trip) and seek a virtual brain-based cache that he hid in his mind only!

 

We could completely eliminate the physical environment from out activites!

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

[+majicman]

We should all just stay in our living rooms! If while we are there, we will eat plenty of red meat, utilize FI and PFS. Instead of physically visiting caches, practice yoga and Transcendental Meditation to achieve true Karma. At this time, we can have out of body experiences, and go and hunt caches without physically leaving our living room, thusly we will not disturb the environment at all!

 

Actually, if we get really good, perhaps we could tap into the cache hider's karma (trip) and seek a virtual brain-based cache that he hid in his mind only!

 

We could completely eliminate the physical environment from out activites!

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

[+briansnat]

A priperly plased catch will not empact the sirrounding eviroment, so thir is no nead to reamove one aftir a period time or a set numbir of visets.

[+sbell111]

I don't think that puting a hard number of allowed visits is an appropriate solution to this problem.

 

Depending on placement, some caches will never damage the environment no matter how many visitors they recieve. Also, because of difficulty, some caches receive visits so infrequently, that the flora easily recovers from any damage.

 

The answer to environmental concerns is a dedication to cache maintenance. It is important for all cachers to be responsible to ensure that caches they place do not damage the environment. For this reason, it is important for cachers to hide caches only in their home area and to only hide as many caches as they are physically able and are willing to maintain.

[+majicman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BrianSnat:

A priperly plased catch will not empact the sirrounding eviroment, so thir is no nead to reamove one aftir a period time or a set numbir of visets.

---

 

BrianSnat,

 

I'm sorry, you forgot to misspell "not", "the", "so", "is", "no", "to", "one", "a", "period", "time", "or", "set" and "of".

 

Might I suggest a rewrite as follows:

=============================================

Ay priperly plased cach wil nout empact tha sirrounding eviroment, sowe thir ees kno nead tueu reamove wan aftir sum peroid ov tim ohr ay seth numbir uhv visets.

=============================================

 

There, now isn't that bettter!

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

[+majicman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BrianSnat:

A priperly plased catch will not empact the sirrounding eviroment, so thir is no nead to reamove one aftir a period time or a set numbir of visets.

---

 

BrianSnat,

 

I'm sorry, you forgot to misspell "not", "the", "so", "is", "no", "to", "one", "a", "period", "time", "or", "set" and "of".

 

Might I suggest a rewrite as follows:

=============================================

Ay priperly plased cach wil nout empact tha sirrounding eviroment, sowe thir ees kno nead tueu reamove wan aftir sum peroid ov tim ohr ay seth numbir uhv visets.

=============================================

 

There, now isn't that bettter!

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

[+Rockdoctors]

Gee I didn't know you guys were so particular about typos. It really makes it a fun place to post when a person gets responses like that.

I think it will still be interesting to see what some geocachers think. My poll imposes nothing on anyone. Just let everyone know what you think. Thats what they are for. But, thanks for your intelligent responses anyway.

[+Rockdoctors]

Gee I didn't know you guys were so particular about typos. It really makes it a fun place to post when a person gets responses like that.

I think it will still be interesting to see what some geocachers think. My poll imposes nothing on anyone. Just let everyone know what you think. Thats what they are for. But, thanks for your intelligent responses anyway.

[+Criminal]

"I think it will still be interesting to see what some geocachers think."

 

What?!?!? You can see what I am thinking!?!?!?!?

 

I'll just have to stop thinking, starting NOW......no, NOW.........no, NOW.......

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

[+Team MGGPS]

I'm all for the Tread-Lightly idea and for Cache In-Trash Out but I also think we should enjoy the outdoors and not restrict every piece of public land out there.

If someone thinks the cache THEY set out is harming something it should be their call to remove it or leave it.

[tgill]

I don't think that there is a particular rule that will cover this, nor should there be. It seems to me incumbent on the cache owner to determine potential impact when the site is chosen and monitor the impact with the help (not harassment) of feedback from those who find and log the cache.

 

Different environments require different amounts of attention. Where I live the undergrowth which looks bashed-down today will be impassable in a month or so. (particularly the blackberries) Forest groundcover can get clobbered in the short term but it's pretty resilient in the long haul.

 

Desert or sub-alpine environments can be much more fragile and require great care in placement and approach to a cache (I live within 100 miles of both.) I think the bottom line is to educate yourself on the the best ways to minimize your impact both for hiding and seeking in whatever terrain you find yourself.

 

The (in)famous "machete" topic elsewhere on this list might seem totally ludicrous if you were hunting in Indonesia or Brazil. When I bushwhack in Western Wasington I know which plants are desirable and which are not. I treat blackberries (a virulent invasive) much differently than salal (a highly desirable plant)

 

Also, face up to the fact that you are going to have *some* impact no matter what. It's a fact of being part of the biosphere. The trick is not to have an *inordinate* amount of impact. -Ted

[+majicman]

Rockdoctor,

 

We're just pulling your cache-cord. There have been only 2 intelligent posts to this thread (# 3 by unclerojelio and # 6 by sbell111.) The rest of us are just being silly, as usual...

 

What we chaps need is some discipline! Right Seargeant!

 

I apologize for my silliness (as I hope the others will also.)

 

We just see the same "harm to the environment" cliche in so many threads, and some of us have rather boisterous and brash opinions on THAT subject. ANd when you posted your poll, we attacked (the idea, not you personally...)

 

I humbly beg your forgiveness for turning your serious thread into a silly-war.

 

I will go back and vote on this now...

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

[+seneca]

I have never heard any convincing evidence that Geocaching has unreasonable impact on the environment (when compared to virtually every other recreation). This is particularly so when the motivation of Geocachers is to maintain the environment for our game, and not to destroy it.

 

The levelling of 10 acres of forest for a single soccer field probably results in more impact on the environment than all current geocachers ever would in a hundred years (perhaps an exaggeration-but you know what I mean).

 

I think I speak for most other Geocachers when I say that when I am in the wilderness (or a City park) I really do want to minimize any trace of having been there.

 

Unfortunately,there are those (particularly public land managers) who may feel it is their duty to regulate us out of existence. Therefore we must be cognizant of the "public" perception that we leave. The only rule we need here is the basic common sense rule.

 

You may not agree with what I say, but I will defend, to your death, my right to say it!(it's a Joke, OK!)

[+Rockdoctors]

Not a problem majicman. I'm actually only interested on everyones viewpoint, that being good or bad. Depending on how you look at it. I am by no means a treehugger myself. Here is a quote from one of my posts earlier this week. " I'm no treehugger. I'm a Geologist. I get paid to pillage the planet". Being sarcastic of course.

Still curious!!!

[+Rockdoctors]

"The only rule we need here is the basic common sense rule" by seneca.

I hope everyone maintains a level of common sense when placing caches, concidering the current growth rate of the sport(can I call it that?) Still curious!

[+majicman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rockdoctors:

"The only rule we need here is the basic common sense rule" by seneca.

I hope everyone maintains a level of common sense when placing caches, concidering the current growth rate of the sport(can I call it that?) Still curious!

---

 

I know what you mean about growth of the sport,

 

I have hidden 7 and am hiding about 20 more caches in my area (which will bring Oklahoma up about 12% overall!)

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

[Roper]

I had placed a GC that was meant to be walked to, to the last part, & this was stated in the GC page. Instead, people drove to it, & after 2 months the vegetation was completely gone from the 4x4s that drove in there, mainly from people that do live around here.

 

The cache was then stolen, but I will not replace it because of the driving. I have an ATV too, but I stay to the trails. I am sorry I placed it. If I ever make a GC again, it will be in an urban area only, on cement.

 

[This message was edited by Roper on June 25, 2002 at 11:36 AM.]

[Salvo]

This has been a discussion point (offline) for us out here in Memphis. Sometimes just slightly moving the cache 15 to 25 feet from the original coords and reposting the new coords can help lessen the environmental impact.

 

We as cache owners have the responsibility of these caches, and should periodically check on the sites for impact and make our own decision to either move it slightly or not. Who wants a blazed trail to their cache?

 

(Unless it's through poison ivy/oak, then please ...BLAZE AWAY!!!)

[Salvo]

This has been a discussion point (offline) for us out here in Memphis. Sometimes just slightly moving the cache 15 to 25 feet from the original coords and reposting the new coords can help lessen the environmental impact.

 

We as cache owners have the responsibility of these caches, and should periodically check on the sites for impact and make our own decision to either move it slightly or not. Who wants a blazed trail to their cache?

 

(Unless it's through poison ivy/oak, then please ...BLAZE AWAY!!!)

[+Criminal]

My thoughts are located: http://opentopic.Groundspeak.com/0/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=1750973553&f=3000917383&m=8350940484

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

[+Mudfrog]

As stated above, it seems that the person hiding the cache should take into consideration the affects that a cache and the people coming in to find it might have on the area. For the most part, i dont think that GeoCachers will cause too many problems if we remember the Tread Lightly and Cache In,Trash Out principles. Oh and one more thing, dont go crazy with a machete while out in the wilderness, (hhmmmm that was another thread, wasnt it?),,,,

[+Criminal]

on the topik ov anudder thred, i done posed a questum here:

http://opentopic.Groundspeak.com/0/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=1750973553&f=5740990093&m=2880916394

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

[+lostinjersey]

Ie cee yuo cna telll orthers whta too od butt yoou cannott practise itt yoursself!!!!!

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by majicman:

quote:

---

Originally posted by BrianSnat:

A priperly plased catch will not empact the sirrounding eviroment, so thir is no nead to reamove one aftir a period time or a set numbir of visets.

---

 

BrianSnat,

 

I'm sorry, you forgot to misspell "not", "the", "so", "is", "no", "to", "one", "a", "period", "time", "or", "set" and "of".

 

Might I suggest a rewrite as follows:

=============================================

Ay priperly plased cach wil nout empact tha sirrounding eviroment, sowe thir ees kno nead tueu reamove wan aftir sum peroid ov tim ohr ay seth numbir uhv visets.

=============================================

 

There, now isn't that bettter!

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

---

 

 

www.gpswnj.com

[+lostinjersey]

Ie cee yuo cna telll orthers whta too od butt yoou cannott practise itt yoursself!!!!!

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by majicman:

quote:

---

Originally posted by BrianSnat:

A priperly plased catch will not empact the sirrounding eviroment, so thir is no nead to reamove one aftir a period time or a set numbir of visets.

---

 

BrianSnat,

 

I'm sorry, you forgot to misspell "not", "the", "so", "is", "no", "to", "one", "a", "period", "time", "or", "set" and "of".

 

Might I suggest a rewrite as follows:

=============================================

Ay priperly plased cach wil nout empact tha sirrounding eviroment, sowe thir ees kno nead tueu reamove wan aftir sum peroid ov tim ohr ay seth numbir uhv visets.

=============================================

 

There, now isn't that bettter!

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

---

 

 

www.gpswnj.com

[+culpc]

As tgill states so eloquently and Criminal is so often heard to say; a little common sense will go a long way toward alleviating the problem of traffic at caches. Some caches are capable of handling much more traffic than others. Those caches placed in rock slides and slick rock can handle immense ammounts of traffic, while those in riparian regions will suffer from light traffic. We need to review our caches on a case-by-case basis and make ecological decisions based on what is actually happening at that site.

 

Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son!

[+culpc]

As tgill states so eloquently and Criminal is so often heard to say; a little common sense will go a long way toward alleviating the problem of traffic at caches. Some caches are capable of handling much more traffic than others. Those caches placed in rock slides and slick rock can handle immense ammounts of traffic, while those in riparian regions will suffer from light traffic. We need to review our caches on a case-by-case basis and make ecological decisions based on what is actually happening at that site.

 

Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son!