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Post by NeverSummer on Feb 5, 2014 10:20:49 GMT -9
Some news from the USFWS about something that sounds an awful lot like a "Whereigo" cartridge:
Gets the gears turning about possible avenues for advocacy at the USFWS in Alaska...
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Post by SSO JOAT on Feb 6, 2014 11:14:21 GMT -9
A whereigo cache would be a perfect fit into wildlife refuge land, so long as something is appropriately worked out about the final cache. If I recall a previous conversation we had, a constructed site within a wildlife refuge could be given permission (via permit and approval on high) for a physical container. In essence, a whereigo could run a tour through a refuge trail system with many points along the way and then end at a physical logbook cache at a constructed campground site where a bear-proof metal container is secured to a man-made structure as specifically approved by the permit and appropriate refuge officials. It's an easy case to make with the extreme educational possibilities available in a whereigo cartridge and the accessibility via a free app from geocaching.com for your smartypantsfone. The only problem is with convincing a bunch of generally-stubborn federal land manager officials that a physical box at the end of the virtual tour isn't going to destroy our public lands.
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Post by NeverSummer on Feb 6, 2014 12:04:58 GMT -9
A whereigo cache would be a perfect fit into wildlife refuge land, so long as something is appropriately worked out about the final cache. If I recall a previous conversation we had, a constructed site within a wildlife refuge could be given permission (via permit and approval on high) for a physical container. In essence, a whereigo could run a tour through a refuge trail system with many points along the way and then end at a physical logbook cache at a constructed campground site where a bear-proof metal container is secured to a man-made structure as specifically approved by the permit and appropriate refuge officials. It's an easy case to make with the extreme educational possibilities available in a whereigo cartridge and the accessibility via a free app from geocaching.com for your smartypantsfone. The only problem is with convincing a bunch of generally-stubborn federal land manager officials that a physical box at the end of the virtual tour isn't going to destroy our public lands. I think that when combined with the ideas coming from Tessa at the Regional Office, we might get the nudge to Kenai for some physical caches at improved/administrative sites. Earthcaches are another very likely candidate for other Refuges. The biggest hurdle seems to be the idea that staff doesn't want to have to maintain the cache and cache site unless a volunteer (could be a geocacher, wink wink) or Friends member (again, wink wink, nudge) takes it on. Unfortunately, without a "Tessa" and "Joel" at every office, we are going to have an uphill battle to show that geocaching is a simple outreach idea that can fit their mission and conservation directives. But, again, I think we're going to see some opportunities coming up. I'd guess that if someone got involved or put in face time with Refuge staff, we would have a great opportunity to develop Earthcaches, and even a Whereigo/multi/unknown that ends with the physical container at an approved improved administrative site. Now...who feels up to that much legwork for a geocache placement?
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Post by SSO JOAT on Feb 6, 2014 12:38:00 GMT -9
I live 3.83 miles from the Refuge HQ. I've been in there many times and talked to several different folks, however the one person that everyone tells me is the person who would be responsible for EC placement has yet to be at the HQ when I drop in. I've been in contact with her via email a couple times and I've talked to her boss face-to-face, who said that he was in favor of EC development in the KNWR as long as the Refuge had line item review of any placement in advance.
I haven't followed up with your suggested "friends of" thingie yet, but I will before spring sets in. I also intend to have the Spring Hobo CITO weekend go through KNWR land again (Hidden Lake is once again high on my list). I'll be working to get that route pulled together and published in early March.
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Post by NeverSummer on Feb 6, 2014 14:02:54 GMT -9
I live 3.83 miles from the Refuge HQ. I've been in there many times and talked to several different folks, however the one person that everyone tells me is the person who would be responsible for EC placement has yet to be at the HQ when I drop in. I've been in contact with her via email a couple times and I've talked to her boss face-to-face, who said that he was in favor of EC development in the KNWR as long as the Refuge had line item review of any placement in advance. I haven't followed up with your suggested "friends of" thingie yet, but I will before spring sets in. I also intend to have the Spring Hobo CITO weekend go through KNWR land again (Hidden Lake is once again high on my list). I'll be working to get that route pulled together and published in early March. I had a really good convo with Tessa at the Regional office, and I'm slowly making headway with folks at Kenai. You and I should talk some more...I think we can get the ice more than broken this season. Perhaps shooting for another CITO with them this spring? I'm trying to get some kind of a presentation done for intertested Refuges about how to use geocaching in outreach programs at the USFWS. Tessa and I are heading that up, and I'm hopeful that it will help us out with some more action with Refuges on the road system. Tetlin is a good candidate, and Kenai should be a slam dunk. Believe it or not, Arctic might be on board too (out of their Fairbanks office). Shhhh!
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Post by NeverSummer on Feb 6, 2014 14:04:24 GMT -9
By the by...is there still a functioning app for iPhone/Android that emulates Whereigo cartridges? Or does a user have to use an equipped GPS unit?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2014 17:06:49 GMT -9
I used the iPhone app this summer and it worked just fine.
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Post by akgh519 on Feb 6, 2014 20:54:45 GMT -9
As Dana stated tgere is an iPhone app. It works well. I am not a droid user but believe there is an app for it also. A trip to the Wherigo web page should reveal the answer
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Post by SSO JOAT on Feb 12, 2014 5:49:58 GMT -9
GS has a fully functional wherigo app for iphone. Unlike their regular GC app, the wherigo app is free. Just search "wherigo" in the app store.
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