[Az-Geocaching] Are Caches now "Illegal" (Officially) on N Forest Land?

Ken Henson listserv@azgeocaching.com
Mon, 9 Sep 2002 21:51:28 -0700


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I spent sometime today with the Prescott National Forest Recreation & 
Wilderness Team Leader.

Monday, September 9, 2002

As of this date the information below is correct as far as he knows.  I 
was asking these questions back
in February before I placed some of my caches on and in the Prescott 
National Forest.

"Illegal"?  I do not think so.  Hope this helps?

- Ken  AKA-Lincoln  Prescott

=================================================================

This was from the Washington D.C. office of the National Forest.

Subject: Geocaching
To: khenson@cableone.net
From: "Jim B Miller/WO/USDAFS" <jbmiller01@fs.fed.us>
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 08:09:42 -0500
X-MIMETrack: Serialize by Router on ENTWOA/E/USDAFS(Release 5.0.8 |June 
18, 2001) at 02/08/2002
  08:15:16 AM
MIME-Version: 1.0
Apparently-To: <khenson@cableone.net>

You expressed some concerns regarding geocaching.  What are your specific
concerns?  Thanks   jbm

=================================================================



----- Forwarded by Jim B Miller/WO/USDAFS on 02/08/2002 01:19 PM -----

                     Ken Henson
                     <khenson@cabl        To:     "Jim B Miller/WO/USDAFS"
                     eone.net>            <jbmiller01@fs.fed.us>
                                          cc:
                     02/08/2002           Subject:     Re: Geocaching
                     12:25 PM


 >You expressed some concerns regarding geocaching.  What are your 
specific
 >concerns?  Thanks   jbm

Geocaching is an up and coming sport.  It is growing very rapidly.  I 
have
placed a cache in the Prescott National Forest.  My specific concerns are
is this a legal activity?

Several caches in the Prescott area have been placed by the Yavapai 
County
Jeep Posse.  These are visited by cache visitors (general public) and 
Jeep
Posse members during training exercises.

Here are two examples:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6232

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=9423

I have visited a cache that had a log entry from a USFS employee.  The
entry seemed to question the legal status of Geocaching on public land.

What I really want to know is whether or not Geocaching is legal on 
public
lands administered by the US Forest Service.

Thanks for you time, Ken Henson


Subject: Re: Geocaching
To: khenson@cableone.net
From: "Jim B Miller/WO/USDAFS" <jbmiller01@fs.fed.us>
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 15:05:51 -0500
X-MIMETrack: Serialize by Router on ENTWOA/E/USDAFS(Release 5.0.8 |June 
18, 2001) at 02/08/2002
  03:14:40 PM
MIME-Version: 1.0
Apparently-To: <khenson@cableone.net>


----- Forwarded by Jim B Miller/WO/USDAFS on 02/08/2002 03:04 PM -----

                     Jim B Miller
                                          To:
                     02/08/2002           cc:
                     01:57 PM             Subject:     Re: Geocaching

Mr. Henson:

We do not have a national policy on geocaching at this time.  
Consideration
of such a policy is being reviewed.  Regions or National Forests may have
specific policies.  We recommend that before placing geocaches on 
National
Forest System lands that proposals be submitted to the local forest 
staff.
The concerns expressed to date include litter; abandonment of private
property; impacts on threatend and endangered species; impacts on 
heritage
sites; impacts to vegetation, soils, waterways; impact on the wilderness
resource; and social impacts.  These concerns may be increased if motor
vehicles are operated numerous times directly to sites.
We encourage the public to utilize Leave No Trace at www.lnt.org and 
Tread
Lightly! at www.treadlightly.org principles and guidelines in the use of
the national forests and other public lands.
Thanks.
Jim Miller

=================================================================

This was from the Region 3 Office that includes the PNF

Subject: your geocaching question
To: khenson@cableone.net
Cc: "Stephen Harper/R3/USDAFS" <sharper@fs.fed.us>
From: "Peter Mourtsen/R3/USDAFS" <pmourtsen@fs.fed.us>
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 10:05:28 -0700
X-MIMETrack: Serialize by Router on ENTR3A/E/USDAFS(Release 5.0.8 |June 
18, 2001) at 02/11/2002
  10:09:25 AM
MIME-Version: 1.0
Apparently-To: <khenson@cableone.net>

Ken:  If it is a commercial activity (ie.. a fee is being charged), a
recreation special use permit would be needed.  That permit could be
applied for through the specific Ranger District where the cache is to be
located.   If the cache was proposed placed in a sensitive area such as 
an
archeological site, endangered species nesting area, etc. then the use
might not be appropriate.  If it is not a commercial use a permit is not
required.  Sorry it took awhile to respond, since I don't normally deal
with recreation special uses I had to check with folks in our Regional
Office. /Pete

=================================================================


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<fontfamily><param>Geneva</param>I spent sometime today with the
Prescott National Forest Recreation & Wilderness Team Leader.


Monday, September 9, 2002


As of this date the information below is correct as far as he knows. 
I was asking these questions back

in February before I placed some of my caches on and in the Prescott
National Forest.


"Illegal"?  I do not think so.  Hope this helps?


- Ken  AKA-Lincoln  Prescott


=================================================================


This was from the Washington D.C. office of the National Forest.


Subject: Geocaching

To: khenson@cableone.net

From: "Jim B Miller/WO/USDAFS" <<jbmiller01@fs.fed.us>

Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 08:09:42 -0500

X-MIMETrack: Serialize by Router on ENTWOA/E/USDAFS(Release 5.0.8
|June 18, 2001) at 02/08/2002

 08:15:16 AM

MIME-Version: 1.0

Apparently-To: <<khenson@cableone.net>


You expressed some concerns regarding geocaching.  What are your
specific

concerns?  Thanks   jbm


=================================================================




----- Forwarded by Jim B Miller/WO/USDAFS on 02/08/2002 01:19 PM -----

                                                                                              

                    Ken Henson                                                                

                    <<khenson@cabl        To:     "Jim B
Miller/WO/USDAFS"                     

                    eone.net>            <<jbmiller01@fs.fed.us>                               

                                         cc:                                                  

                    02/08/2002           Subject:     Re: Geocaching                          

                    12:25 PM                                                                  

                                                                                              

                                                                                              

>You expressed some concerns regarding geocaching.  What are your
specific

>concerns?  Thanks   jbm


Geocaching is an up and coming sport.  It is growing very rapidly.  I
have

placed a cache in the Prescott National Forest.  My specific concerns
are

is this a legal activity?


Several caches in the Prescott area have been placed by the Yavapai
County

Jeep Posse.  These are visited by cache visitors (general public) and
Jeep

Posse members during training exercises.


Here are two examples:


http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6232


http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=9423


I have visited a cache that had a log entry from a USFS employee.  The

entry seemed to question the legal status of Geocaching on public land.


What I really want to know is whether or not Geocaching is legal on
public

lands administered by the US Forest Service.


Thanks for you time, Ken Henson



Subject: Re: Geocaching

To: khenson@cableone.net

From: "Jim B Miller/WO/USDAFS" <<jbmiller01@fs.fed.us>

Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 15:05:51 -0500

X-MIMETrack: Serialize by Router on ENTWOA/E/USDAFS(Release 5.0.8
|June 18, 2001) at 02/08/2002

 03:14:40 PM

MIME-Version: 1.0

Apparently-To: <<khenson@cableone.net>



----- Forwarded by Jim B Miller/WO/USDAFS on 02/08/2002 03:04 PM -----

                                                                                              

                    Jim B Miller                                                              

                                         To:                                                  

                    02/08/2002           cc:                                                  

                    01:57 PM             Subject:     Re: Geocaching                          

                                                                                              

Mr. Henson:


We do not have a national policy on geocaching at this time. 
Consideration

of such a policy is being reviewed.  Regions or National Forests may
have

specific policies.  We recommend that before placing geocaches on
National

Forest System lands that proposals be submitted to the local forest
staff.

The concerns expressed to date include litter; abandonment of private

property; impacts on threatend and endangered species; impacts on
heritage

sites; impacts to vegetation, soils, waterways; impact on the
wilderness

resource; and social impacts.  These concerns may be increased if motor

vehicles are operated numerous times directly to sites.

We encourage the public to utilize Leave No Trace at www.lnt.org and
Tread

Lightly! at www.treadlightly.org principles and guidelines in the use
of

the national forests and other public lands.

Thanks.

Jim Miller


=================================================================


This was from the Region 3 Office that includes the PNF


Subject: your geocaching question

To: khenson@cableone.net

Cc: "Stephen Harper/R3/USDAFS" <<sharper@fs.fed.us>

From: "Peter Mourtsen/R3/USDAFS" <<pmourtsen@fs.fed.us>

Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 10:05:28 -0700

X-MIMETrack: Serialize by Router on ENTR3A/E/USDAFS(Release 5.0.8
|June 18, 2001) at 02/11/2002

 10:09:25 AM

MIME-Version: 1.0

Apparently-To: <<khenson@cableone.net>


Ken:  If it is a commercial activity (ie.. a fee is being charged), a

recreation special use permit would be needed.  That permit could be

applied for through the specific Ranger District where the cache is to
be

located.   If the cache was proposed placed in a sensitive area such
as an

archeological site, endangered species nesting area, etc. then the use

might not be appropriate.  If it is not a commercial use a permit is
not

required.  Sorry it took awhile to respond, since I don't normally deal

with recreation special uses I had to check with folks in our Regional

Office. /Pete


=================================================================


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