[Az-Geocaching] A Big Step in the Right Direction

Wed, 19 Mar 2003 22:49:15 -0700

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C2EE69.C56F07C0
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Because of the recent controversy surrounding the Goat Camp cache I have
been checking the Maricopa County Parks (MCP) web site from time to
time. This evening I discovered that they have published their revised
Geocaching policy at http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/news/.

In my opinion it's a very fair policy. No surprise, it requires that
permission be obtained from the Park Supervisor before placing a cache.
I really like MCP's concept, which they first articulated at the land
management meeting last September but never before published, that less
restrictive placement considerations will apply to caches planned for
more than two miles from the trailhead.

One thing it doesn't address, and I don't recall it ever coming under
discussion, is what to do about caches already placed without
permission. I urge us to take the lead in this. If you have a cache
placed within MCP land for which you have not received permission,
please contact the appropriate Park Supervisor as soon as you can. Tell
him or her that you've seen the new policy on the web site and that
you'd like to obtain permission for your cache to remain. I plan on
doing this for Grandma Sarah's Cache, which we hid in the McDowell
Mountain Regional Park several months before the Republic article. When
permission is obtained, update your cache's description page to reflect
that fact.

If you know someone who's hidden a cache within MCP who may not
subscribe to this list, please let them know about the policy. If a
cache of yours is obviously in violation of the policy as stated on the
Web site, it would be best if you removed it and sought a permit to
place it in a new location within the park.  If you happen to find a
cache within MCP that's in obvious violation of the rules, please
consider contacting the cache owner privately and letting them know
about the MCP policy.

It wouldn't surprise me to learn that other land managers are aware of
what MCP has done and will be watching what transpires to see if and how
well it works. What we do and don't do in MCP now could affect the
future of Geocaching throughout the state.

Steve
Team Tierra Buena

------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C2EE69.C56F07C0
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<html xmlns:o=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" =
xmlns:w=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" =
xmlns:st1=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" =
xmlns=3D"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">

<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Dus-ascii">

<meta name=3DProgId content=3DWord.Document>
<meta name=3DGenerator content=3D"Microsoft Word 10">
<meta name=3DOriginator content=3D"Microsoft Word 10">
<link rel=3DFile-List href=3D"cid:filelist.xml@01C2EE69.C199E3E0">
<o:SmartTagType =
namespaceuri=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
 name=3D"PlaceType"/>
<o:SmartTagType =
namespaceuri=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
 name=3D"PlaceName"/>
<o:SmartTagType =
namespaceuri=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
 name=3D"place"/>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
 <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
  <o:DoNotRelyOnCSS/>
 </o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
 <w:WordDocument>
  <w:SpellingState>Clean</w:SpellingState>
  <w:DocumentKind>DocumentEmail</w:DocumentKind>
  <w:EnvelopeVis/>
  <w:Compatibility>
   <w:BreakWrappedTables/>
   <w:SnapToGridInCell/>
   <w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
   <w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
  </w:Compatibility>
  <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
 </w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
 /* Font Definitions */
 @font-face
	{font-family:"Book Antiqua";
	panose-1:2 4 6 2 5 3 5 3 3 4;
	mso-font-charset:0;
	mso-generic-font-family:roman;
	mso-font-pitch:variable;
	mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;}
 /* Style Definitions */
 p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
	{mso-style-parent:"";
	margin:0in;
	margin-bottom:.0001pt;
	mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
	font-size:12.0pt;
	font-family:"Times New Roman";
	mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
	{color:blue;
	text-decoration:underline;
	text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
	{color:purple;
	text-decoration:underline;
	text-underline:single;}
span.EmailStyle17
	{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
	mso-style-noshow:yes;
	mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;
	mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
	font-family:"Book Antiqua";
	mso-ascii-font-family:"Book Antiqua";
	mso-hansi-font-family:"Book Antiqua";
	color:windowtext;
	font-weight:normal;
	font-style:normal;
	text-decoration:none;
	text-underline:none;
	text-decoration:none;
	text-line-through:none;}
@page Section1
	{size:8.5in 11.0in;
	margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
	mso-header-margin:.5in;
	mso-footer-margin:.5in;
	mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
	{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
 /* Style Definitions */=20
 table.MsoNormalTable
	{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
	mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
	mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
	mso-style-noshow:yes;
	mso-style-parent:"";
	mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
	mso-para-margin:0in;
	mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
	mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
	font-size:10.0pt;
	font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</head>

<body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue vlink=3Dpurple =
style=3D'tab-interval:.5in'>

<div class=3DSection1>

Because of the recent controversy
surrounding the Goat Camp cache I have been checking the Maricopa County =
Parks (MCP)
web site from time to time. This evening I discovered that they have =
published
their revised Geocaching policy at <a =
href=3D"http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/news/">http://www.maricopa.gov/park=
s/news/</a>.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Book Antiqua"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

In my opinion it&#8217;s a very fair =
policy.
No surprise, it requires that permission be obtained from the Park =
Supervisor
before placing a cache. I really like MCP&#8217;s concept, which they =
first
articulated at the land management meeting last September but never =
before
published, that less restrictive placement considerations will apply to =
caches planned
for more than two miles from the trailhead.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Book Antiqua"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

One thing it doesn&#8217;t address, =
and I don&#8217;t
recall it ever coming under discussion, is what to do about caches =
already
placed without permission. I urge us to take the lead in this. If you =
have a
cache placed within MCP land for which you have not received permission, =
please
contact the appropriate Park Supervisor as soon as you can. Tell him or =
her
that you&#8217;ve seen the new policy on the web site and that =
you&#8217;d like
to obtain permission for your cache to remain. I plan on doing this for =
Grandma
Sarah&#8217;s Cache, which we hid in the =
<st1:place><st1:PlaceName>McDowell</st1:PlaceName> =
<st1:PlaceType>Mountain</st1:PlaceType> =
<st1:PlaceName>Regional</st1:PlaceName> =
<st1:PlaceType>Park</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> =
several months
before the Republic article. When permission =
is
obtained, update your cache&#8217;s description page to reflect that =
fact.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Book Antiqua"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

If you know someone who&#8217;s =
hidden a
cache within MCP who may not subscribe to this list, please let them =
know about
the policy. If a cache of yours is obviously in violation of the policy =
as stated
on the Web site, it would be best if you removed it and sought a permit =
to
place it in a new location within the park. &nbsp;If you happen to find a cache =
within MCP
that&#8217;s in obvious violation of the rules, please consider =
contacting the
cache owner privately and letting them know about the MCP =
policy.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Book Antiqua"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

It wouldn&#8217;t surprise me to =
learn that
other land managers are aware of what MCP has done and will be watching =
what
transpires to see if and how well it works. What we do and don&#8217;t =
do in
MCP now could affect the future of Geocaching throughout the =
state.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Book Antiqua"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Book Antiqua"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>Steve<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Book Antiqua"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>Team Tierra =
Buena<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

</div>

</body>

</html>

------=_NextPart_000_0003_01C2EE69.C56F07C0--