I just received a note from that my Two Creeks Buried Forest Earthcache has been archived. Yes this area is a State Natural area, BUT an Earthcache is a Virtual. You LEAVE NOTHING but foot prints and TAKE NOTHING, but information memories and pictures. All I ask is info you can get from the car, found on a sign, for questions one and a 40 ft walk to get the other.

I am sorry but this is past the point of ridiculous. I was told I have to remove my cache…..well……technically…. there is NOTHING TO REMOVE!!!!! I am past the point of Freakin’ Ticked off over this. Here I am, the WI state advocate for Earthcaches and I have MY cache archived!!

What it has come down to NOW is the Gov’t doesn’t want us to learn anything, I guess! Geocaching/ers are now being discriminated upon.

These caches are regulated by the Geology Society with requirements the same as WI for cache placements. Requirements FROM the Earthcache website:

1. EarthCaches must provide earth science lessons. They take people to sites that can help explain the formation of landscapes or to sites of interesting phenomena such as folds, faults, intrusions or reveal how scientists understand our Earth (such as fossil sites etc.)

2. EarthCaches must be educational. They provide accurate but simple explanations of what visitors will experience at the site. Cache notes must be submitted and assume no previous knowledge of earth science. The educational notes must be written to a reading age of an upper middle school (14 year old) student. Additional technical or scientific notes can be provided for the scientific community. Please note appropriate place on the submittal form for the technical notes. All notes can be submitted in the local language but must also be in English.

3. EarthCaches can be a single site, or a multiple virtual cache. No items, box, or physical cache can be left at the site.

4. EarthCaches follow all the waymarking and geocaching principles and adhere to the principles of Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. Use waypoints to ensure cachers take appropriate pathways. Use established trails only. Do not create new trails to a site in order to concentrate use impacts. EarthCaches will highlight the principle of collect photos – not samples. However, if there is no possible damage to a site which is outside of the public land system and approved by the site owner, small samples may be collected as part of the cache experience.

5. Logging of EarthCaches must involve visitors undertaking some educational task. This could involve them measuring or estimating the size of some feature or aspect of the site, collecting and recording some data (such as time of a tidal bore), or searching and sending via email to the developer, some fact that they find from signage. Developers should try to involve visitors in learning from the site … rather than just logging a visit. Logs should show that the visitors have ‘learnt’ by visiting your EarthCache.

6. EarthCaches developed on private and public land must have prior approval of the landowners before submission. “EarthCaches developed in association with National Parks, National Forests, or other public lands are encouraged.” These must have verbal or written approval with the appropriate land-managing agency. The name and contact details of the person from who you received approval MUST be given.

7. All EarthCaches must be approved by GSA (to ensure appropriateness of the site and educational standard of the notes) before they can be submitted for approval via this website.

8. The Geological Society of America retains the right to edit, modify, delete or archive any EarthCache that does not adhere to these guidelines, or for any other purpose, including for the promotion of sponsors for the EarthCache program.

As one can see the Geology Society of America ENCOURAGES Earthcaches placed in National Forest and National Parks 9see #6) AND if you visit earthcache.org, one can SEE that the National Park Service is not only a sponsor, but a PARTNER. Sooooooo National parks and forests are not as important to preserve as WI DNR State Natural Areas?????

Technically the DNR are discriminating JUST against people who are Geocachers. Waymarking is ok, a general visitor is ok, an in-state or out-of-state and even a foreigner is ok to visit. HS science class students can visit, College Geology student and even seasoned geologists can visit. Information about the location of the SNA and its actual locale are all on line ON THE DNR WEBSITE, with information about the trails etc., for people to be able to find and learn. They can ALL take information from the sign and from what they see, BUT……

Geocachers getting information from a posting on GC.com CAN NOT!!!!

There is a definite problem here!!

Anne

“One set of Burnt Bunny Buns here”