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<font size="+1"><font face="Times New Roman">Scott,<br>
<br>
THANK YOU very much for taking this very sensible and logical
approach. Also for your personal efforts to keep GeoCaching an
important part of the Park.<br>
<br>
Bob Smith, Team Petite Elite, Prescott, AZ<br>
</font></font><br>
On 4/15/2011 10:24 PM, TeamShack wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:04CB85A8162B42E1B789D07BA8EE36F6@KidsComputer"
type="cite">
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<div style="font-family: 'Calibri'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-size: 12pt;">
<div>Friends,</div>
<div>It recently came to my attention that Pima County Parks
and Recreation has put a ban on caches within the boundries
of the Tucson Mountain Park. I’ve never been one to sit by
and have things like this go by without finding out the
source of the problem so I sent off a letter which follows.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><em>Hello,</em></div>
<div><em>My name is Scott and I have been GeoCaching for eight
years now. I was recently told that GeoCaching is not
allowed in the Tucson Mountain Park and am writing to find
out why this is the case.</em></div>
<div><em></em> </div>
<div><em><font color="#0000ff">One of the largest reasons I
like to GeoCache is that it gives me the opportunity to
visit areas that I would otherwise have never seen.
GeoCaching has taken me to many spots with breath taking
views, natural beauty, and sites of historical
significance. For me, caching is a family event. Every
time we go caching, it gets the kids away from video
games, and me some much needed exercise. Geocachers are
very active in a practice we call CITO or Cache In Trash
Out. It seems that everywhere you go these days, you
will find the trash of others tossed on the ground. We
hike in to the cache, and pick up trash as we hike back
out. </font></em></div>
<div><em></em> </div>
<div><em><font color="#0000ff">Another aspect of GeoCaching is
that we strive to make as little impact on the
environment as we can. Follow established trails, don’t
disturb wildlife or plant life.</font></em></div>
<div><em></em> </div>
<div><em><font color="#0000ff">With values such as this, it is
difficult to understand why we are being denied the use
of these public lands while others are allowed. I would
like to know the reasoning behind the ban on GeoCaching
in the Tucson Mountain Park, and would request that this
limitation be reviewed and removed.</font></em></div>
<div><em></em> </div>
<div>I got a reply right away and you can read it for
yourself.</div>
<div> </div>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 255);" size="2"
color="navy" face="Arial"><span style=""></span></font><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style="">Because
of past cases of resource damage and safety concerns,
Geocaching has never been formally allowed in Pima
County Parks. We have only aggressively enforced this
prohibition where we find caches that have been located
in places that are, or may potentially, damage park
resources, create new undesignated trails or create
safety issues accessing the cache. The Geocaching
community has not approached us at Tucson Mountain Park
with Geocache site location requests in past. </span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style=""></span></font> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style="">We
are looking at revising Park Rules and are considering a
new Rule specific to Geocaching that would only allow it
to occur if cache locations are approved by NRPR prior
to placement.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style=""></span></font> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style="">When
done responsibly and with knowledge/permission of the
land owner, Geocaching can be a legitimate activity on
park lands. Most Geocachers do have a strong land ethic,
unfortunately, not all do. As is often the unfortunate
case, public agencies must regulate for the
irresponsible user and not the responsible one.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style=""></span></font> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style="">I
hope this explains our position</span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style=""></span></font> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style="">Kerry
Baldwin</span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style="">Natural
Resource Division Manager </span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#0000ff" face="Arial"><span style=""></span></font> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#000000" face="Arial"><span style="">Once
again, I replied to Mr. Baldwin right away with the
following...</span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font
size="2" color="#000000" face="Arial"><span style=""></span></font> </p>
<div><font color="#0000ff">Mr. Baldwin,</font></div>
<div><font color="#0000ff">Thank you for the prompt reply. I
agree with you that not all Geocachers have the strong
land ethic, but that can also be said of other land users
unfortunately. We have rules on where caches can and
cannot be placed, and one or two individuals in each state
that are responsible for approving cache locations to
ensure that natural resources are preserved and safety
standards are followed. It would be very easy to have
those reviewers ensure that the cache locations have been
approved by NRPR prior to being approved and published on
the GeoCaching web site. </font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font color="#0000ff">I would be more than happy to help
facilitate the approval or removal of current cache
locations in all Pima County Parks as well as work with
you to ensure that all future locations are approved prior
to being placed if you do indeed revise the Park Rules
specific to GeoCaching.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font color="#000000">I provided my contact information
to Mr. Baldwin and he called me within about two hours of
me sending the email. He took me up on the offer and will
be inviting me to present at the next meeting where the
rules are being discussed for revision.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Rather than mounting an army and trying to corner them on
this one, lets try to open up caching by being responsible
concerned advocates. I will continue to keep the community
updated on this issue and would appreciate comments,
suggestions that anyone may have.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Scott of TeamShack</div>
</div>
</div>
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