[STL Geocaching] Prohibiting Wilderness Caches
- From: Glenn Nash <GLNash@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 10:04:46 -0600
I may disagree with Nancy Feake and Paul Nazarenko's position, but I don't
see them as the enemy. Nancy is asking for our help in arriving at a
mutually agreeable solution. We need to take advantage of this opportunity
to explain our position as geocachers.
This is my opinion:
* Geocaching enhances awareness of our environment.
* Geocaching improves quality of life.
* Geocachers try NOT to negatively impact the environment. Instead, they try
to improve it (cache in; trash out)
* Geocaching does not encourage massive influx of people into Wilderness
areas; trampling endangered flora. (www.geocaching.com 'find' stats prove
that).
* Geocaching is NOT littering. It is a civilized, increasingly-organized
activity to promote useage/appreciation - mostly on public land. Throwing
trash on the ground should never be confused with placing a cache.
* Existing Park Service and Conservation Area regulations were created
before the birth of geocaching. Therefore, they need to be revised and
cannot be blindly applied to geocaching.
I was one of those who went hunting for the Bell Mountain cache, just before
it's placer was told to remove it by Forester, Paul Nazarenko ( ... it
violates the Wilderness regulation 05-04,#6-36CFR 261.57, prohibits storing
personal property or supplies in all Wilderness areas on the Mark Twain
National Forest ...)
Would I have hiked the trail if there was not a cache there? No. (Therefore,
I would never had enjoyed such as wonder part of nature and a spectacular
view).
Did I have a negative impact on the existing trail or environment during the
hike? No more than any other hiker who WASN'T on the trail looking for a
cache. (I think this is an important point)
If the area of the Mark Twain National Forest where the cache was located is
a Wilderness area, why are there trailheads and markers on the trail guiding
hikers to it?
I'm having a hard time understanding why the Bell Mountain cache placement
(and others like it) got this type of attention from the Forest Service. Had
they taken a more conservative approach, they wouldn't have generated such a
negative response from hardcord geocachers. But it's too late to fix that.
We move to move forward from here.
Paul
repost by gln
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