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Oklahoma State Parks Bans "disruptive Activities"

TresOkies

By TresOkies
in General geocaching topics

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TresOkies

+TresOkies

Posted
Posted

I just saw this on KFOR, our NBC affiliate... Oklahoma State Parks has banned many activities in our state parks. While the list isn't conclusive, it specifically mentions ATV use, horseback riding, and geocaching as "disruptive activities".

 

I guess we'll see where this goes...

 

-E

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Renegade Knight

+Renegade Knight

Posted
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That's a new angle. Since all activites are disruptive somehow they might as well shut down the parks, fire all the employees (who drive trucks on the lawns *gasp* ) and sell the land to developers.

 

If you can't use a park as a park, then the park serves no purpose. At some fundamental level a park is for recreation and if they get in the habit of banning recreation then you really have to question the purpose of funding the parks for a decreasing return on your tax dollars for the community benefit.

 

Ok that's my knee jerk reaction.

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sTeamTraen

+sTeamTraen

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I would bet my paycheck that the management and staff of this organisation don't have objectives set by the State; or if they do, they don't include any mention of getting as many as possible of the people of the State (who pay their salaries) to actually use the park.

 

Therefore, they have no incentive to encourage people to come in. After all, every person who comes is another small chance of a forest fire, another slightly larger chance of leaving litter, etc etc.

 

Lobby your State lawmakers to introduce modern human resources procedures for State employees, including annual appraisals based on objectives. Once those are in place, get your representatives to ask if these objectives (for State Park staff) include getting more or fewer people to visit the park.

 

I have experience of this, because I'm a bureaucrat, albeit running a computer network rather than a park. A few years back, we worked out that as we stood at that time (basically "You want a new computer ? Answer: get in line"), one day someone would outsource us. So we went "customer-oriented". It's entirely possible, it has worked for us despite initial skepticism, and it hugely improves staff morale - now we like people to come and see us, whereas before they were intruding into our valuable newspaper reading time.

 

I seem to have drifted a bit OT but when it comes to State <anything>, things can be done - you just have to decide to make a difference. Note: this may ultimately involve you running for office. :lol:

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Greymane

+Greymane

Posted
Posted

The only acceptable remedy is to fence these areas and prevent ANY human entry. Although it would be nice to "enjoy" the beauty of these parks, any human interaction is going to damage the ecosystem. I imagine we could let a few tree-huggers in to monitor the area, but they would be required to enter with NO man-made items. No tools, no shelter, no clothing. Let them really "get back to nature". :lol:

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TresOkies

+TresOkies

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Hmmmm..... Premature April fooliation?

 

How odd, the clock said 12:36 on my PC when I posted, but when I view it with my wife's laptop, it shows that it was still March 31. Guess I should've waited 30 more minutes. Yes, welcome to April folks.

 

For the record, the Oklahoma State Parks are very supportive of geocaching. Not only do they allow us to plant caches in state parks, they made sure the managers at each park worked with us to do so. They featured geoaching in a segment of "Discover Oklahoma", a PBS tv series that focuses on travel in our state. Each Oklahoma State Park has a geocache--look for the "Discover Oklahoma" series.

 

It is supposed to be a great weekend and I have a new digital SLR camera. I plan to get seriously lost this weekend.

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TresOkies

+TresOkies

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If its real, then what can you say?  Its Oklahoma...:lol:

 

If you are trying to goad me based on being from Nebraska, it won't work. I went to OSU and we dislike the Sooners as much as you guys do. Plus, the last time our two teams met, it was during one of Frank Solich's banner years. :D

 

I am looking forward to coming to your fine state again this June. I'll be staying in a little place called Dingerville. I hope to get some caching in while I'm there.

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carleenp

+carleenp

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If its real, then what can you say?  Its Oklahoma...B)

 

If you are trying to goad me based on being from Nebraska, it won't work. I went to OSU and we dislike the Sooners as much as you guys do. Plus, the last time our two teams met, it was during one of Frank Solich's banner years. :lol:

 

I am looking forward to coming to your fine state again this June. I'll be staying in a little place called Dingerville. I hope to get some caching in while I'm there.

I kind of like the Sooners (shhhhh)! B)

 

Go caching in Kearney when you are here. That is the best caching area in the state. :D

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AtoZ

+AtoZ

Posted
Posted

Here in Colorado, you may remeber a while back, the local county park peole wanted to ban geocaching in Boulder County. But the Parks commissioner told them that the parks were for public use so work out some policy that would allow peuple to use the parks i.e. for geocaching was just as valid an event as walking your dog or riding you bike. So Co Admin has been doing that so there is HOPE.

Maybe you need to contact them and explain it as a NON distuptive activeity.

cheers

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wimseyguy

+wimseyguy

Posted
Posted
The only acceptable remedy is to fence these areas and prevent ANY human entry.  Although it would be nice to "enjoy" the beauty of these parks, any human interaction is going to damage the ecosystem. :P

I work in a museum. One of the running 'jokes' here is that the director of exhibits has this vision for the ideal museum: "build it, furnish it, keep the doors locked so no visitors can damage the perfect exhibits". :mad:;)

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carleenp

+carleenp

Posted
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Go caching in Kearney when you are here. That is the best caching area in the state.  :mad:

With the clear exception of the Panhandle..........................

Ooops, good caches out there too! ;)

 

It is really just that Kearney has so darn many of them and such a large variety in a small area.

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Renegade Knight

+Renegade Knight

Posted
Posted
The only acceptable remedy is to fence these areas and prevent ANY human entry.  Although it would be nice to "enjoy" the beauty of these parks, any human interaction is going to damage the ecosystem. :lol:

I work in a museum. One of the running 'jokes' here is that the director of exhibits has this vision for the ideal museum: "build it, furnish it, keep the doors locked so no visitors can damage the perfect exhibits". :lol::lol:

It's even funnier because there is truth in that for a lot of people (and agencies).

 

The government tends to protect things using this vision: Protecting our precious resources from you, so future generations can't enjoy them either."

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