Impact of caching

June 18, 2003

My boss has asked me to research the impacts of caching because someone has requested permission to place a cache on our property. Her concerns center around the impact of people on the area - i.e. keeping people on the trails - and on the contents of the cache. In other area where caches are kept have there been problems with inappropriate items or language being placed there. Who monitors the cache and the participants? Can you give me some examples of good and bad things that have resulted from caching? Thanks for any help you can give us - as this is all new to us.

Deb Hanson

CREW LAnd & Water Trust

239-657-2253

5.9k · June 18, 2003

First, let me point out that a cache will draw a number of people in the beginning but will quickly taper off to only two or three a month. Getting over the initial surge should be relatively easy. Also to be considered is that geocachers are people and all people are different in both their standards and conduct. Geocachers are, by and large, a higher quality group of people. I don’t say that because I’m a geocacher but based on personal observation. I have also observed a few slobs, folks who bulldoze their way to the cache and then re-hide it poorly. They are an exception though.

The cache hider can go a long way towards preventing this by simply mentioning that the cache is hidden on private property and requesting hunters be conscious of that.

As for actual impact, it is almost always a non-issue. A geocacher walking on a trail does no more damage than any other hiker or deer. The only trouble comes in when someone bee-lines through the wood to get to the cache location. Again, the cache hider can prevent this by mentioning in the cache page that hunters should stay on the trails. As a frequent bee-liner, I always appreciate it when the cache owner has that statement in the description; it saves me much time, trouble, and blood.

Cache contents or language (?) are rarely an issue, if ever. I have over a dozen caches out and have never had any problem whatsoever.

Good and bad results from geocaching? Well, trash gets picked up by geocachers (Cache in Trash out). The area is safer for others due to the increase in visitors (The bad guys like anonymity), and there will be people appreciating the hard work of the park employees. The bad are mentioned above, and are few and far between.

My opinion? Allow it and just monitor the area every now and then. Then post back here and let us know how it’s going.

http://fp1.centurytel.net/Criminal_Page/

June 18, 2003

Keep in mind that the good far outweighs the bad and the good happens a lot more frequently than the bad.

With that said, cachers generally stay on the trail, respect nature and property, and even improve the grounds (e.g., picking up trash). If you consider more traffic on the trail a good thing, then geocaching will help there too. I've hear a few negative stories, but they are rare.

9.2k · June 18, 2003

First off, I very much appreciate your receptiveness to geocaching, and for taking the time to ask for feedback here.

You will find that geocachers are, by and large, a self-policing group. If a cache is placed in a bad spot, or is found to contain inappropriate materials, the owner will hear about it. Other geocachers will send an e-mail to the owner or post a complaint on the cache page. If no response is received, then a geocacher can contact the site admins to review the problem. (And a land manager can, too!) Many of us will simply remove any inappropriate materials (food items being the most common, as animals will quickly ruin a cache trying to get at the food).

Also, please bear in mind that each geocache is pre-screened by volunteer approvers for appropriateness. If they see a cache description that says the container is full of firecrackers and smoke bombs, the cache will not be listed on the website. That helps, but only for the initial contents of the cache.

I think you will find that geocachers will have a positive impact on your property. These are, by and large, the type of people who you WANT visiting your property. Many of us discovered geocaching because of our interest in other outdoor activities where navigation skills and GPS use are important, like boating, hunting, backpacking, cycling, etc. We bring our love for the outdoors to the sport of geocaching, and demonstrate that best through the "cache in, trash out" ethic. I invite you to review the forum section on that topic for positive proof of the impact that geocachers have on cleaning up litter when we visit an area to find a geocache.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Some mornings, it just doesn't pay to chew through the leather straps. - Emo Phillips

24.7k · June 18, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by crewhiker:
My boss has asked me to research the impacts of caching because someone has requested permission to place a cache on our property. Her concerns center around the impact of people on the area - i.e. keeping people on the trails - and on the contents of the cache. In other area where caches are kept have there been problems with inappropriate items or language being placed there. Who monitors the cache and the participants? Can you give me some examples of good and bad things that have resulted from caching? Thanks for any help you can give us - as this is all new to us.

Deb Hanson

CREW LAnd & Water Trust

239-657-2253

You can expect a trail to form. Not a dirt trail that happens when 10,000 kids a day trample through to the school but a noticable path. The area around the cache will be impacted most as all cacher congegrate there to sign the log book.

As for inappropriate items. This will happen but not often. Checking on the cache on occasion will allow you to remove the occasional lighter, candle, matches, pocket knife and the like. This is less of a problem than the general trading down caches will under go.

Making new trails. Geocachers learn over time that almost all caches were placed by walking on a trail and that to get there there is an easy way and a hard way. A few will take the hard way before they learn the lesson. But they will take the way the compass arrow points. Not the way that causes braiding and the like.

Lastly and most importatnly, by knowing about the cache and having a concern you can monitor it's impact. Caches are not permanent. They can move, be archived, rotated and the like. having an interest lets your boss keep track of impact and retire the cache for a few months if needed.

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

Wherever you go there you are.

38.2k · June 18, 2003

I've placed 40+ real caches. You could not tell any of them are there by observing the surrounding area. I place them far enough off the trail, so that herd paths won't develop. When placed well off the trail, it's unlikely that any two geocachers will follow the exact same route (due to variations in accuracy of the units), allowing the area time to recover.

I have seen herd paths created going to a few caches (usually in grassy areas), but these are more in line with paths created by deer and other wildlife, rather than a hard packed dirt trail. Placing the cache close to the trail will sometimes cause these types of paths as geocachers will leave the trail in about the same spot.

Also, many of these trails were pre-existing and not caused by the geocache. Because they provided an easy avenue for the cache hider, the cache was hidden along it, which could lead a casual observer to believe the trail was created because of the cache, when the opposite is true (the cache was placed there because of the trail).

As someone else mentioned here, after the first month or so of the caches life, cache visits die down. The more remote the cache is, the more truth there is to this. Most of my more remote caches will average 5-10 finders in the first month, then often less than 1 a month after that (some will go 3 or more months between finds). Caches that are close to roads, or parking lots will get a lot more activity.

As far as inappropriate items, the website asks that alchohol, weapons and food not be placed in a cache. I've seen a few pen knives (Swiss Army types) and there has been some debate as to whether or not these are appropriate. The owners of this website came down against them.

The geocaching community does a good job of policing the caches. They will remove inappropriate items and report problems with the cache to the owner and/or this website. Cache owners are urged to inspect their cache periodically to check for problems. Some aren't as diligent as others in this respect.

As far as good things that come from geocaching, one of the primary benefits is that it introduces people to areas (parks, forests, scenic spots, etc...) that they never knew existed. As people become aware of special places, they take an interest in seeing them protected. I know of people who became avid hikers thanks to geocaching, then eventually, park volunteers. Among other benefits, it gives some former couch potatos a reason to get out from in front of their TV, or PC and into outdoors, it's a fun family activity and a great bonding experience. And of course, there is the "cache in/trash out" motto. Geocachers have removed tons of debris and litter from parks via everything from organized "CITO" events, to picking litter up on their way to the cache.

As far as the bad, I've heard of some caches that were unknowingly placed near protected archaeological sites, or in environmenally sensitve areas. Of course these caches will be removed immediately if this website is made aware of the situation.

The majority of geocachers are outdoors lovers and this sport is just another reason to get outdoors. Some people like to portray geocachers as a bunch of clueless clods, suddenly tramping through the woods, GPS in hand. In reality our ranks include many backpackers, hikers, forest rangers, naturalists, policemen, search & rescue personnel, licensed guides and even a few LNT instructors.

In short, the impact of geocaching generally is in line with outdoor activities such as hiking, bird watching, wildlife photography, orienteering, hunting and probably a lot less than activities such as mountain biking and camping.

By the way, I'm a supervisor of volunteers in a local state forest. It's part of my job to keep an eye out for anything that may have a negative impact on the area (everything from invasive, non-native plant species, to illegal ATV users). I've found the impact of geocaching to be negligible.

[This message was edited by BrianSnat on June 18, 2003 at 03:41 PM.]

June 18, 2003

Thanks for working with us. The comments about social trails forming is correct. With one of our caches, the local park ranger went out with us and helped select a location that would have little impact. Also, if staying on trail is important, ask the Geocacher to add that to the cache page.

June 18, 2003

It is so cool that someone is getting some feedback before issuing an opinion! Everything that I would have said has been mentioned in the above posts.

I live in Northern Michigan, where cache traffic may be slower then in other areas. For example, a cache I planted 1 year ago has had 44 logged visitors. I placed it 60 feet off a trail. Upon the last maintenance visit, I did not notice any trail forming to the cache. It may be different in some areas.

Make a sanity check.

4.8k · June 18, 2003

quote:
With one of our caches, the local park ranger went out with us and helped select a location that would have little impact.

I placed a cache on private land owned by the Audubon Society. They did the same thing. A staff member went with me to place the cache and helped me select an area where a trail would not likely be formed and where they wouldn't be concerned if one did. BTW, Audubon was very supportive and they like having the cache on thier property because it brings more visitors.

38.2k · June 18, 2003

Yes, we also have a cache in NJ that is in an Audubon preserve, placed with their cooperation (they even contributed trade items for it).

"Au pays des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois"

June 21, 2003

WOW! Thanks to all of you for responding to my inquiry about the impacts of caching. The more I learn, the more interested I become. I believe this can be a very good thing for our trails - add some visitors and visibility. I appreciate your honesty and your unbridled enthusiasm!! Peace,

Deb Hanson

CREW LAnd & Water Trust

239-657-2253

June 21, 2003

Thanks for taking the time to research rather than presume!

One quick thought not previously mentioned specifically. Ironically, formation of cache-traffic trails is in direct correlation to how close to existing trails. IE, the closer a cache is to the main trail, the more cachers will take a similar route to get to it. If it's placed a good ways away from a main trail, different cachers will take different routes to get there.

If trail impact is of greatest import, consider suggesting caches be placed farther from existing trails (this is rather counter-intuitive, which is why I point it out).

Enjoy,

Randy

PS: Jeremy & all, perhaps as these questions are answered, a "Land Managers FAQ" could be compiled offering the pros/cons and ramifications of caches placed on their property.

38.2k · June 21, 2003

quote:
One quick thought not previously mentioned specifically. Ironically, formation of cache-traffic trails is in direct correlation to how close to existing trails. IE, the closer a cache is to the main trail, the more cachers will take a similar route to get to it. If it's placed a good ways away from a main trail, different cachers will take different routes to get there.

I did mention this in my earlier post in this thread and have been saying this for some time. I came to this conclusion after finding a quite a few caches and observing the conditions around ones I placed.

"Au pays des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois"

June 21, 2003

quote:
Yes, we also have a cache in NJ that is in an Audubon preserve, placed with their cooperation (they even contributed trade items for it).

This one?

What an awful place. It looks like an industrial dump that Plainsboro wanted to get rid of. Counted three dead geese near the trash peninsula the one and only time we were there. The NJ Audubon Society certainly got the nasty end of that deal.

____________________________

- Team Og Rof A Klaw

All who wander are not lost.

June 21, 2003

Look at the logs for nearby caches. If they only get two or three visits a month, you can expect similar.

After several logged visits, go back and check on it. If there is a visible path and the area all disturbed, then move it or remove it as needed.

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

"The time has come" the Walrus said "to speak of many things; of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and Kings".

June 21, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by crewhiker:
My boss has asked me to research the impacts of caching because someone has requested permission to place a cache on our property. Her concerns center around the impact of people on the area - i.e. keeping people on the trails - and on the contents of the cache. In other area where caches are kept have there been problems with inappropriate items or language being placed there. Who monitors the cache and the participants? Can you give me some examples of good and bad things that have resulted from caching? Thanks for any help you can give us - as this is all new to us.

Deb Hanson

CREW LAnd & Water Trust

239-657-2253

I am involved in some capacity with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the San Francisco Bay Area. After hearing an NPR story on the geocaching craze, and how some caches were placed in cultrually and environmentally sensitive areas, I was curious to see how many cache locations were near my area of operations, and what the condition surrounding the caches looked like. Last week, I borrowed a GPS gizmo and located a nearby cache. The description on the website mentioned that the cache was "off the beaten path"; this was no longer the case. With in a 75 meter radius of the GPS coordinates, fresh social trails were observed through-out the site. These trails parallelled two natural water drainages and radiated out from there to all directions. While the site is less than pristine, that is to say that exotic plant species abound in the area, the majority of the social trails trampled through native plant communities surrounding the water course. I was so disturbed at the amount of damage to the native habitat that I didnt bother looking for the junk "prize." I will return to this site later in the season to observe if the damage caused by cache seekers will have tipped the balance between the riparain vegitation and the invasives that they were holding back. This was my first attempt to find a cache in the park and I am not looking forward to what I will find next time. Our park, even though located in a heavily populated urban center, is home to functioning ecosystems that have survived thousand of years, and contains endangered and threatened species living within the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge who rely on fragile habitats for their sole existance. It is unfortunate that the official rules of this "adventure game" do not include any instructions to educate yourself about the environment you are entering or respect the world around you, but that this "game" is purely about trinkets, braging rights and GPS sales.

1.1k · June 21, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by ragnar_bling:
I will return to this site later in the season to observe if the damage caused by cache seekers will have tipped the balance between the riparain vegitation and the invasives that they were holding back.

Instead of offering us your "holier than thou" attitude, you could assist us in notifying the cache owner of the impact of the geocache in that area, or at the very least let us know which cache this is so we can take steps to reduce impact, by removing the listing or moving the container.

Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location

1.7k · June 21, 2003

I have to agree with Jeremy, if Ragnar is involved with the park in question he should notify the Geocacher.

As to the person who orginally posted the question, try working with the local Geocaching community. They will know what makes a good location to hide a cache and you, as a land manager will know where the best places to hide a cache. This way you can avoid caches being placed, by mistake, in areas that are enviornmentally sensitive.

One of the best cache I ever hid was done with the assistance of a park manager who showed me an ideal location. Complete with a hidden, "secret" trail.

38.2k · June 21, 2003

quote:
These trails parallelled two natural water drainages and radiated out from there to all directions. While the site is less than pristine, that is to say that exotic plant species abound in the area, the majority of the social trails trampled through native plant communities surrounding the water course. I was so disturbed at the amount of damage to the native habitat that I didnt bother looking for the junk "prize." I will return to this site later in the season to observe if the damage caused by cache seekers will have tipped the balance between the riparain vegitation and the invasives that they were holding back.

I wonder what proof you have that the trails were caused by the cache. Often caches are placed in areas where social trails already exist. They give the hiders easy access.

And as Jeremy said, if the cache is impacting the area, why did't you identify it so it could be addressed.

"Au pays des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois"

9.5k · June 21, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by ragnar_bling:

I am involved in some capacity with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the San Francisco Bay Area. After hearing an NPR story on the geocaching craze, and how some caches were placed in cultrually and environmentally sensitive areas, I was curious to see how many cache locations were near my area of operations, and what the condition surrounding the caches looked like. Last week, I borrowed a GPS gizmo and located a nearby cache. The description on the website mentioned that the cache was "off the beaten path"; this was no longer the case. With in a 75 meter radius of the GPS coordinates, fresh social trails were observed through-out the site. These trails parallelled two natural water drainages and radiated out from there to all directions. While the site is less than pristine, that is to say that exotic plant species abound in the area, the majority of the social trails trampled through native plant communities surrounding the water course. I was so disturbed at the amount of damage to the native habitat that I didnt bother looking for the junk "prize." I will return to this site later in the season to observe if the damage caused by cache seekers will have tipped the balance between the riparain vegitation and the invasives that they were holding back. This was my first attempt to find a cache in the park and I am not looking forward to what I will find next time. Our park, even though located in a heavily populated urban center, is home to functioning ecosystems that have survived thousand of years, and contains endangered and threatened species living within the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge who rely on fragile habitats for their sole existance. It is unfortunate that the official rules of this "adventure game" do not include any instructions to educate yourself about the environment you are entering or respect the world around you, but that this "game" is purely about trinkets, braging rights and GPS sales.

Curious. I just went and checked the rules for hiding the cache, and the weight is on the hider to respect sensitive areas as noted below:

quote:
Note: Please be respectful of the areas you are thinking about placing the cache. For example, if it's the location of the spotted owl, or off-trail with delicate ground cover, keep in mind that others will be walking in these areas.

(Added 5/28/02) Please do not place caches on archaeological or historical sites. In most cases these areas are highly sensitive to the extra traffic that would be caused by vehicles and humans. If you find a cache in one of these areas please remove it and replace it a safe enough distance from the site to ensure that the site will not be impacted by people searching for the cache and unknowingly traveling over or through a site.

...making your statement that the rules didn't include this as incorrect. As mentioned several times, knowing the cache ID would help to identify and have it archived, moved, and reactivated at its new location if at all.

Flaming like you did here did not resolve the problem and accusing the official rules of not being sensitive to this issue really showed a lack of proper research.

From everything I've read here, most seekers and hiders are very sensitive to the fragile ecological systems. That said, I think if I was as disturbed as you say you were, I would have taken the time to find it, remove it, and notify the owner by e-mail to come retrieve it with the reasons behind the removal. Instead, you came here to flame the entire hobby as worthless and careless with the goal of retrieving junk prizes without doing your proper research to see what the general community's mood is for such situations.

If the cache location is responsible for the ecological damage, you have a right to be upset. On the flipside, you have an obligation to research this issue with an open mind.

Cheers!

TL

1.4k · June 21, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by ragnar_bling:
[i am involved in some capacity with ...

Sniff! Sniff!

I think I smell a troll...

June 21, 2003

Ah, it looks as if ragnar_bling is one of those "cause" type individuals I was mentioning as a bad thing in another posting. Rants, raves, total intolerance without anything constructive said.

Is it possible there are caches causing problems? Of course, but in this case it is probably just as likely we have an individual in search of a cause, who may or may not have actually visited the vicinity of a cache.

It's a shame so-called protectors of the environment aren't required to educate themselves regarding social skills and decency. Environmentalism is obviously only about self-righteousness, championing causes, and trying to get on NPR.

Seriously, taking the same sort of approach you used is uncalled for, and solves nothing. In turning the approach around, I hopefully made that point. Geocaching is a game in which things are not only searched for, but individuals take ownership of the cache, and log their finds so you actually have a record of who has been there. It's also a game with a fair amount of organization. How hard would it be to actually contact the individuals involved to correct the situation? If necessary, you could appeal to the organization in general, or Jeremy who is known to have gone to some lengths to maintain the game in high standard. If you've identified a problem, shouldn’t you invest a little time and effort into trying to solve it? In the end I always thought activisim was supposed to be about making the world a better place?

Impact of caching

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