Nails In Trees

[+Planet]

This was in the newspaper today:

 

GREENWICH -- Eleanor Bowman first noticed their leering eyes while she was driving her daughter to school one morning shortly after Superstorm Sandy tore through town last fall.

 

She saw their faces on trees, with their black eyes darting this way and that, as she and her daughter made their way from their Old Greenwich home, into Riverside and onto the Post Road. They seemed to be everywhere at once.

 

"I began to think they were moving from tree to tree,"

 

What had its eyes on Bowman? Not some army of peeping toms.

 

They're round, pink and carry playful smiles. And, by some accounts, these odd works of street art are popping up on tree trunks all over town.

 

"Who was putting them there -- some whimsical artist?" Bowman recalls asking herself. "And when are they doing this?

 

"Some of them are high up on the tree," she added. "I haven't seen anyone with a ladder."

 

Whoever the "whimsical artist" is, the creator of the pink faces is definitely equipped with woodworking skills. Each pink face is painted on a 1- to 2-inch-thick slice of wood that appears to have been cut with a chainsaw, likely from a variety of tree types.

 

Bowman isn't alone in spotting the discs around Greenwich. Others report seeing them in various locations, and everyone wants to know -- who's putting them there and why?

 

Vanessa Schenck contacted Greenwich Time inquiring about the tree-mounted faces, which she says her children and her have seen "all over town."

 

"Can you please let us know their purpose?!?" the Greenwich resident wrote to the newspaper in an email, to which she attached a photo of a pink face along Riverside Avenue.

 

The identity of the tree artist has yet to be revealed. But not everyone would call the person responsible

 

The faces -- some looking left, others right, but all of them nailed into tree trunks -- have caught the eye of the town tree warden, who is putting those involved

 

"It carries a maximum fine of $50 per occurrence,"

 

It's the nailing part that has Spaman irked.

 

"We do not allow any injurious attachments to trees such as nailing, stapling, tacking, etc.," he said, specifically citing a state law that defines the acts as big no-nos. "Even non-injurious attaching of signs, ribbons, etc., to trees requires a permit from the tree

 

A pink face was recently spotted beyond the borders of Greenwich, this one in New Canaan, on a tree along South Avenue right outside of the YMCA.

Edited February 2, 2013 by Planet

[+NYPaddleCacher]

HAHA if we all follow all the rules 100%

then go out and disable 90% of all caches..

Not here.

 

You hide right or you don't hide it. We don't want the game banned around here and everyone is and does watch you here. Just because some cacher play fast and loose wiht the rules, doesn't make it right.

 

I essentially agree with you, but being from Europe like OZ2CPU I know that geocaching is quite different in most European countries. (The situation is not the same all over Europe - e.g. UK and the Netherlands have more rules than e.g. the German speaking countries and the Scandinavian ones).

 

Some types of defacement are what the local cachers in the mentioned areas regard as perfectly normal since it is what they encounter every day - so it is not a issue of a few not willing to follow some rules (which do exist in every system).

 

Cezanne

 

The no defacement as well as all other guidelines have to be the same for everyone. The guideline doesn't state: "No object or property may be altered to provide a hiding place, clue, or means of logging a find...unless you live in Europe."

[+M 5]

HAHA if we all follow all the rules 100%

then go out and disable 90% of all caches..

Not here.

 

You hide right or you don't hide it. We don't want the game banned around here and everyone is and does watch you here. Just because some cacher play fast and loose wiht the rules, doesn't make it right.

 

I essentially agree with you, but being from Europe like OZ2CPU I know that geocaching is quite different in most European countries. (The situation is not the same all over Europe - e.g. UK and the Netherlands have more rules than e.g. the German speaking countries and the Scandinavian ones).

 

Some types of defacement are what the local cachers in the mentioned areas regard as perfectly normal since it is what they encounter every day - so it is not a issue of a few not willing to follow some rules (which do exist in every system).

 

Cezanne

 

The no defacement as well as all other guidelines have to be the same for everyone. The guideline doesn't state: "No object or property may be altered to provide a hiding place, clue, or means of logging a find...unless you live in Europe."

 

C&P from the shop geocaching/cache supplies/night caching/ fire tacks page.

 

Perfect for those Night Caching fanatics, FireTacks Trail Markers™ utilize 3M prismatic technology for brilliant reflectivity at night and in low light conditions. ICE WHITE is neutral in daytime and STEALTH BRIGHT hides your trails completely during the day but reflects bright amber orange at night, a truly awesome combination! These multi-directional, reflective tacks will help mark the trail straight to the cache. Place them on the sides of trees and other geocachers can use their own light source to follow the trail.

 

This set includes 16 ICE WHITE 4D tacks and 16 STEALTH BRIGHT 4D tacks to help blend in with surroundings in the daytime. The kit can easily be transported in a reusable container.

Edited February 2, 2013 by M 5

[+cerberus1]

C&P from the shop geocaching/cache supplies/night caching/ fire tacks page.

 

Perfect for those Night Caching fanatics, FireTacks Trail Markers™ utilize 3M prismatic technology for brilliant reflectivity at night and in low light conditions. ICE WHITE is neutral in daytime and STEALTH BRIGHT hides your trails completely during the day but reflects bright amber orange at night, a truly awesome combination! These multi-directional, reflective tacks will help mark the trail straight to the cache. Place them on the sides of trees and other geocachers can use their own light source to follow the trail.

 

This set includes 16 ICE WHITE 4D tacks and 16 STEALTH BRIGHT 4D tacks to help blend in with surroundings in the daytime. The kit can easily be transported in a reusable container.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say...

Fire Tacks (most reflective tacks) aren't an issue.

The tacks rarely pass through bark. The reason they're so popular.

[+ShaunEM]

Damaging trees in parks around here (this includes nails) nets you a big fine.

 

Don't do it.. not for a cache!

 

Shaun

[+emmett]

.

 

The uniform horror here at a nail in a tree is astounding. It's OK to cut the tree down and pulverize it into paper, but don't you dare stick a harmless nail into a tree to have a little fun. Last I checked, the creation was given to us by God to enjoy. A nail put into a tree by the government to hold a sign for informational purposes or a nail in a tree to hold a micro for recreational purposes, or a tree cut down to serve our needs ... no harm, no foul. C'mon people get a grip.

 

.

[+BCandMsKitty]

.

 

The uniform horror here at a nail in a tree is astounding. It's OK to cut the tree down and pulverize it into paper, but don't you dare stick a harmless nail into a tree to have a little fun. Last I checked, the creation was given to us by God to enjoy. A nail put into a tree by the government to hold a sign for informational purposes or a nail in a tree to hold a micro for recreational purposes, or a tree cut down to serve our needs ... no harm, no foul. C'mon people get a grip.

 

.

 

It's REALLY a bummer when I cut that tree down and ruin the chain on my saw on that !@$%# nail in the tree!

[+cerberus1]

.

 

The uniform horror here at a nail in a tree is astounding. It's OK to cut the tree down and pulverize it into paper, but don't you dare stick a harmless nail into a tree to have a little fun. Last I checked, the creation was given to us by God to enjoy. A nail put into a tree by the government to hold a sign for informational purposes or a nail in a tree to hold a micro for recreational purposes, or a tree cut down to serve our needs ... no harm, no foul. C'mon people get a grip.

 

.

Sorry, but I don't see the "uniform horror" you speak of , nor the need for some to calm down, regain composure, or to regain their senses as your "c'mon people get a grip" implies.

It seems like a healthy discussion of the effects and perception of the use of nails in trees with landowners (or others) in regards to this hobby to me.

[+Roman!]

Site guidelines aside:

 

My personal guideline is that when I place a cache and it eventually becomes archived, the day after I retrieve the cache if someone came looking for the cache, they would find no evidence that once had ever been there (and hopefully there would be less trash around the area than before the cache was there).

 

Nails in trees would not fit in my personal guideline.

 

But fire tacks are Ok?

 

If I removed a small nail from I tree I guArantee you'd never know there was a nail there.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Roman!

[+AJAM15]

Trees, after long periods of time have the ability to breakdown metal nails into iron nutrients. This helps the tree survive, so if anything nails benefit the tree to and will not damage them.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

.

 

The uniform horror here at a nail in a tree is astounding. It's OK to cut the tree down and pulverize it into paper, but don't you dare stick a harmless nail into a tree to have a little fun. Last I checked, the creation was given to us by God to enjoy. A nail put into a tree by the government to hold a sign for informational purposes or a nail in a tree to hold a micro for recreational purposes, or a tree cut down to serve our needs ... no harm, no foul. C'mon people get a grip.

 

.

 

I agree.

[+SwineFlew]

I dont understand why people are making a big issue out of it. A good share of people in here dont know what they are talking about.

[+OZ2CPU]

kids crawl in trees all the time, this harm the bark alot

and small branches are bended or broken off..

if it is all a harm to tree kind of thing, I say ban all tree climbing first,

then the no nail rule.

 

Good there are rules or guidelines or just good ways to do things,

so people with no idea, can read about how to do things right,

but please dont prevent creative things with all the too strict rules,

that would be the end of many cool surprice hides,

and really, they are super cool and funny, and dont really hurt trees or nature..

Heve a look in the forrest, all the litering is a huge problem,

look at that and solve it.

Edited February 3, 2013 by OZ2CPU

[+Planet]

.

 

The uniform horror here at a nail in a tree is astounding. It's OK to cut the tree down and pulverize it into paper, but don't you dare stick a harmless nail into a tree to have a little fun. Last I checked, the creation was given to us by God to enjoy. A nail put into a tree by the government to hold a sign for informational purposes or a nail in a tree to hold a micro for recreational purposes, or a tree cut down to serve our needs ... no harm, no foul. C'mon people get a grip.

 

.

 

The issue of the nails in the trees is how much it can anger a land manager/owner and the effect that can have on our game. That is the uniform horror of nails in trees.

 

The horror that we could be forbidden from hiding our Tupperware in the woods.

 

I can put nails in my own trees any time I want. I could put a whole house up in my own trees if I wanted to, but if anyone else tried it, I would have them arrested in a heartbeat.

 

Trees don't break down nails, or bullets, or fencing very much. I work in a lumber mill and we hit that stuff all the time, and it's still pretty intact. Our blades on the other hand often end up needing repair.

[+ShaunEM]

In our area, the request came from the parks staff themselves. Nails in trees would get ALL caches removed from ALL parks.. not just the offending nail hung caches. That is how serious they were about it.

 

Reflective tacks did come up, and they DID have a problem with these as well. Anything that passed through the bark and into the tree was a problem.

 

SO... around here it really isn't our god given right to nail things into trees.

 

IMO, A few of you need a visit from the Lorax.

 

Shaun

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

.

 

The uniform horror here at a nail in a tree is astounding. It's OK to cut the tree down and pulverize it into paper, but don't you dare stick a harmless nail into a tree to have a little fun. Last I checked, the creation was given to us by God to enjoy. A nail put into a tree by the government to hold a sign for informational purposes or a nail in a tree to hold a micro for recreational purposes, or a tree cut down to serve our needs ... no harm, no foul. C'mon people get a grip.

 

.

Really must disagree with this...

Not so much of the damage caused by a nail, but it is the perception that anything a human does is just fine and dandy.

A sign for informational purposes is one thing (and even that has its' limits), but to willy-nilly put (harmless?) nails into trees for fun or for recreational purposes is something very different -- especially when other other means of attachment are available.

 

I have a hard time believing the concept that the Almighty wants people to wreck and destroy his creations for "fun" or "recreation".

I would agree that he put things here for us to use, but somehow I think it was intended to be used wisely.

 

Yes, it is OK to cut down a tree and pulverize it into paper, just as it is OK to cut down a tree to build a house or a barn, or even as heating fuel (with restraint), and many other uses also.

Just where would Chicago be today had Michigan not sacrificed its' white pine (twice) to rebuild it?

 

This is not an argument over a single nail pounded into a tree, it is an argument over misuse of resources. Granted, a single nail may not cause the demise of a forest, but many singular nails could.

 

The line needs to be drawn somewhere... what better position than to draw it at zero? The concept of creating a (geo-friendly) recreation which would advocate or allow such abuse IS horrifying. If for no other reason, but to sustain our recreation rather than to have land managers bar ever more properties to activities such as geocaching.

 

The last I checked, God didn't put things here for us to enjoy. He put it here for us to use.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Gitchee-Gummee

[AZcachemeister]

In our area, the request came from the parks staff themselves. Nails in trees would get ALL caches removed from ALL parks.. not just the offending nail hung caches. That is how serious they were about it.

 

Reflective tacks did come up, and they DID have a problem with these as well. Anything that passed through the bark and into the tree was a problem.

 

SO... around here it really isn't our god given right to nail things into trees.

 

IMO, A few of you need a visit from the Lorax.

 

Shaun

 

Yes.

The issue is about who put the nails in the trees, and who is allowed to put nails in trees.

 

Not whether the nail will truly do major damage to the tree.

[+M 5]

In our area, the request came from the parks staff themselves. Nails in trees would get ALL caches removed from ALL parks.. not just the offending nail hung caches. That is how serious they were about it.

 

Reflective tacks did come up, and they DID have a problem with these as well. Anything that passed through the bark and into the tree was a problem.

 

SO... around here it really isn't our god given right to nail things into trees.

 

IMO, A few of you need a visit from the Lorax.

 

Shaun

 

Yes.

The issue is about who put the nails in the trees, and who is allowed to put nails in trees.

 

Not whether the nail will truly do major damage to the tree.

 

Groundspeak is perfectly OK with geocachers putting pointy metal objects in trees

[+Planet]

.

 

The uniform horror here at a nail in a tree is astounding. It's OK to cut the tree down and pulverize it into paper, but don't you dare stick a harmless nail into a tree to have a little fun. Last I checked, the creation was given to us by God to enjoy. A nail put into a tree by the government to hold a sign for informational purposes or a nail in a tree to hold a micro for recreational purposes, or a tree cut down to serve our needs ... no harm, no foul. C'mon people get a grip.

 

.

Really must disagree with this...

Not so much of the damage caused by a nail, but it is the perception that anything a human does is just fine and dandy.

A sign for informational purposes is one thing (and even that has its' limits), but to willy-nilly put (harmless?) nails into trees for fun or for recreational purposes is something very different -- especially when other other means of attachment are available.

 

I have a hard time believing the concept that the Almighty wants people to wreck and destroy his creations for "fun" or "recreation".

I would agree that he put things here for us to use, but somehow I think it was intended to be used wisely.

 

Yes, it is OK to cut down a tree and pulverize it into paper, just as it is OK to cut down a tree to build a house or a barn, or even as heating fuel (with restraint), and many other uses also.

Just where would Chicago be today had Michigan not sacrificed its' white pine (twice) to rebuild it?

 

This is not an argument over a single nail pounded into a tree, it is an argument over misuse of resources. Granted, a single nail may not cause the demise of a forest, but many singular nails could.

 

The line needs to be drawn somewhere... what better position than to draw it at zero? The concept of creating a (geo-friendly) recreation which would advocate or allow such abuse IS horrifying. If for no other reason, but to sustain our recreation rather than to have land managers bar ever more properties to activities such as geocaching.

 

The last I checked, God didn't put things here for us to enjoy. He put it here for us to use.

 

Bravo! Well stated.