[Az-Geocaching] Trash in Tonto

[Darren Johnson]

Message>I'd like your thoughts on an idea I've been thinking about that fits
in with this story. What >about holding an event cache somewhere in Tonto,
the objective of which (other than the >social) would be to do a group
cleanup of an area that needs it?

That is an excellent idea.  A little community service could certainly do
everyone involved a little good.  But I don't think that we should limit
ourselves to just the Tonto forest.  There are a lot of areas that need this
attention and it's my opinion that perhaps we should make this somewhat of a
reoccuring event perhaps switching locations from time to time.

>I was originally thinking that we'd "just do it", but in light of the
article I wonder if we >shouldn't contact one of the NFS personnel named in
the story, let them know what we're >doing (and when and where).

That would probably be a very good idea.  If not just for the public
relations standpoint  than for  the letting them know that we as a group
care what is happening and are willing to pitch in.

> Perhaps we could even persuade someone to plant a traditional cache near
the event >cache, which then might be archived after the event. Not only
would that provide >additional incentive for people to show up, but if the
NFS folks showed up we could >show them what a cache is and is not.

Well, I'm a little leery of this but it certainly is worth a shot.  I just
have a feeling that no matter the spin we put on it they will see it as 1)
just another piece of man made trash littering the natural landscape. 2) an
excuse for people to go off of the trails, even if it's just a few feet.

>Maybe we could even offer the NFS people the opportunity to request where
we'd do the cleanup.

That is an excellent consideration.  I highly agree.

Darren Johnson
Team Imperial Eagle