Generic Permission Letter?

[MoparMan]

Anyone have a generic permission request letter/email that they use when requesting permission to hide a cache?

 

The reason I ask is that it might be a good idea to creat a standard with links to FAQ etc. Maybe a paragraph or two about how hard most of us work to be zero trace/impact while playing the game.

 

I've got a couple requests out for private property stashes managed by a local forestry managment company. I included a link to a Google map or the property and the GeoCaching FAQ, but selling the responsible nature of our sport is kinda tough.

 

Any suggestions on anything else I should be adding?

 

MoparMan

[+Macinvilas]

Anyone have a generic permission request letter/email that they use when requesting permission to hide a cache?

 

The reason I ask is that it might be a good idea to creat a standard with links to FAQ etc. Maybe a paragraph or two about how hard most of us work to be zero trace/impact while playing the game.

 

I've got a couple requests out for private property stashes managed by a local forestry managment company. I included a link to a Google map or the property and the GeoCaching FAQ, but selling the responsible nature of our sport is kinda tough.

 

Any suggestions on anything else I should be adding?

 

MoparMan

Edited May 16, 2007 by macinvilas

[+StarBrand]

I show them the Geocaching-U brochure. Have you tried that?

[MoparMan]

I show them the Geocaching-U brochure. Have you tried that?

 

Nope, got a link?

[+StarBrand]

http://www.geocacher-u.com/ ---- of course!!

 

Under resources and downloads

[+StarBrand]

Also show them the Geo creed website.

 

http://www.geocreed.info/

[MoparMan]

Also show them the Geo creed website.

 

http://www.geocreed.info/

 

Thanks that's exactly what I was looking for.

[+welch]

Anyone have a generic permission request letter/email that they use when requesting permission to hide a cache?

 

The reason I ask is that it might be a good idea to creat a standard with links to FAQ etc. Maybe a paragraph or two about how hard most of us work to be zero trace/impact while playing the game.

 

I'm guessing you mean Leave no trace

 

As for a permission letter, you might try a forum search (link in the upper right says 'search'). A quick search finds a couple thread with idea / examples.

Permission letter, standard draft?

Input on my permission letter

Permission letter

There are bound to be more.

[MoparMan]

Anyone have a generic permission request letter/email that they use when requesting permission to hide a cache?

 

The reason I ask is that it might be a good idea to creat a standard with links to FAQ etc. Maybe a paragraph or two about how hard most of us work to be zero trace/impact while playing the game.

 

I'm guessing you mean Leave no trace

 

As for a permission letter, you might try a forum search (link in the upper right says 'search'). A quick search finds a couple thread with idea / examples.

Permission letter, standard draft?

Input on my permission letter

Permission letter

There are bound to be more.

 

Honestly I did use the search but must have picked different search criteria because I got page after page of posts with zero relevant content. It happens, thanks for the links

[+briansnat]

Though its better to ask in person, here is one I put together a while ago:

 

 

Dear _______:

 

I'm writing to request permission to place a geocache in _______. If you are

not familiar with the term geocache, it's the focal point of a sport called geocaching.

Geocaching entails a person hiding a small container (the geocache), usually containing a log book and trinkets, then using a Global Positioning System receiver (GPSr) to mark the longititude and latitude of the geocache. The coordinates are then published on the Internet to allow others to find it.

 

Geocaching is a fun, family oriented activity that has the benefit of getting

people outdoors and introducing them to areas of historic, natural, or scenic interest.

 

Managers of many parks and nature preserves have determined that geocaching is a

beneficial, low impact activity and encourage the sport on their lands. They see the

additional visitors and increased exposure that geocaching brings as a plus.

Similarly, geocachers often discover exciting new places through the sport,

while getting exercise and gaining an appreciation for these areas.

 

I believe that ________ is one of the special places that would be of interest

to geocachers and would like to explore the possibility of my placing a

geocache there. Please contact me at_________ to discuss this.

 

Thank You,

[MoparMan]

Though its better to ask in person, here is one I put together a while ago:

 

 

Agreed, but out of state landowners with professional forestry managment teams in the middle make that a virtual impossibility.

 

Thanks for the letter.

[+Renegade Knight]

Anyone have a generic permission request letter/email that they use when requesting permission to hide a cache?

 

The reason I ask is that it might be a good idea to creat a standard with links to FAQ etc. Maybe a paragraph or two about how hard most of us work to be zero trace/impact while playing the game.

 

I've got a couple requests out for private property stashes managed by a local forestry managment company. I included a link to a Google map or the property and the GeoCaching FAQ, but selling the responsible nature of our sport is kinda tough.

 

Any suggestions on anything else I should be adding?

 

MoparMan

 

Generic is a bad idea. Each person is special and doesn't need to be treated like a pieceof meat. That's for the government to do in a mass emergency.

 

Permission should be custom taylored to the cache, the person, the cacher for the best odds of success. Make it easy to say yes. Not easy to say "permission spam, great" and get a "No" as a result.

 

I think you are far better off with a bulleted list of key things to discuss, if needed.

Edited May 17, 2007 by Renegade Knight

[MoparMan]

Again agreed, perhaps inadequate wording on my part. More like "boilerplate" as in custom for each but based on a generic standard.

 

I've got plenty of examples now and it seems mine was more than acceptable.

[theteamfoot]

We thought that the letters written by both briansnat and Cacheopia were good. We combined them, so if you'd like to use our version, you may. Here is the link. If you don't want to go to the link, I copied and pasted the content below:

 

This letter, created by Team Foot, is an adaption of sample letters created by briansnat and Team Cacheopia.

 

To use this resource:

1. Change all bold text.

2. Edit the black text to best fit your cache.

4. Copy the text into an email and send it to whoever it may concern at the establishment.

5. Consider sending information on geocaching (such as a FAQ or a link to geocreed.info). Reference any attached info in the email.

6. Send the email.

 

----

 

To Whom It May Concern:

 

I’m writing to request permission to place a geocache Place. If you are not familiar with the term geocache, it’s the focal point of a sport called geocaching. Geocaching entails a person hiding a small container (the geocache), usually containing a log book and trinkets, then using a Global Positioning System receiver (GPSr) to determine the longitude and latitude of the geocache. The coordinates are then published on the internet (geocaching.com) to allow others to find it with a GPSr or a smartphone (using the Geocaching app).

 

Geocaching is a free fun, family oriented activity that has the benefit of getting people outdoors and introducing them to areas of historic, natural, or scenic interest. By allowing me to place a geocache in your area, you would be allowing another way to use the land our city has for the good of its residents, much like the addition of playgrounds, picnic tables, and sports fields.

 

Geocachers are environmentally minded people. Geocaching.com sponsors a yearly park clean-up day, and participants often bring bags with them to collect trash found at given locations. Managers of many parks and nature preserves have encourage the sport on their lands. Many see additional visitors and more exposure as a plus. Additionally, geocachers often discover exciting new places such as Place through the sport while getting exercise and gaining appreciation for the area.

 

I believe that Place is one of the special places that would be of interest to geocachers and would like to explore the possibility of placing my geocache there. Please contact me by emailing Email or calling Phone Number.

 

Thank you,

Full Name

[+Mockingbird559]

might be an advantage to say that geocaching has nothing to do with pokemongo...

[+Manville Possum]

Many places like State Parks and National Forests already have a geocaching policy, and asking the local land manager first in person has worked best for me.

[+hzoi]

For earthcaches, I have played around with a standard format letter over the last couple of years. I've found this -- either as a prelude to, or a follow up after, a phone call with the land manager, to be pretty effective. Every time I get another geocache approved, I up the count and add the agency so I can present a quick and dirty earthcache resume.

 

I'm attaching the latest version, which ended up with the National Park Service giving us permission to place an earthcache at Mesa Verde National Park (currently under geoaware review). Obviously, it's specific to me as a cache owner, so copy and paste won't work for everyone, but even a first-time cache owner can use it if they follow the example of earthcaches that were approved in national parks.

 

I am looking for permission to create an earthcache based on the geology of how physical weathering formed, and continues to affect, the sandstone alcove at Spruce Tree House. I got your contact information from the ranger on duty at the park museum today.

 

If you're not familiar, geocaching is a worldwide game in which people hunt for hidden containers using GPS coordinates and clues. An earthcache is a geocache that has no physical container and requires people to answer questions based on earth science lessons to log their find. In order to get started, I need permission from the landowner or land manager.

 

This is not my first earthcache. I currently manage 22 earthcaches in different areas of the United States, plus one in Norway. Over the past several years, I have worked with the U.S. National Park Service; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Virginia State Parks; Alabama State Parks; Oklahoma State Parks; Texas Parks and Wildlife Division; the City of Grottoes, Virginia; and the Town of Medicine Park, Oklahoma, to place earthcaches on public property.

 

I want to ensure this cache is designed responsibly, putting the park's needs first and foremost. I also have researched the geology behind the earthcache to ensure that visitors come away with an accurate lesson learned about the geology in the area.

 

I know there is an existing earthcache at Balcony House, which requires visitors to hike to the ruins as part of the ranger tour. My intent is to focus on other geological aspects so that visitors can complete both and come away with two different lessons.

 

I will send you a draft of the earthcache ahead of time for approval and will make any necessary changes to the cache location or description before publishing. My intent is for visitors to be able to complete the requirements for the earthcache from the overlook by the park museum, though if Spruce Tree House reopens to the public, visitors would be able to complete the earthcache there as well. My intent is to design the experience to make sure that people completing this earthcache would stay in areas that would have no more impact than any other visitor to the park. To date, I have been careful enough in locating and designing my earthcaches such that no park manager has ever had an issue with my earthcaches.

 

For example, I placed two earthcaches around historic Fort Jefferson, at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, after working with NPS park staff. You can see them here:

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC45GJG_castle-in-the-sand-building-fort-jefferson

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC45FYN_shifting-sands-of-garden-key

 

I also placed another earthcache at Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site, near El Paso, Texas. Again, the cache was placed to minimize visitor impact, since the park is full of fragile pictographs.

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC5YX9N_hueco-tanks-earthcache

 

I'm available by email at (email) or by cell at (phone) if you have any questions or need more information.

 

Thanks for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you.

[+briansnat]

but selling the responsible nature of our sport is kinda tough.

 

I've been geocaching going on ten years, and it would be a tough sale for me to believe that geocachers are responsible people from my experience.

 

My experience has been quite different. The overwhelming majority of cachers seem to be responsible from what I've seen. There is a small segment who are not and those few can and do screw things up for the rest of us.