EarthCache Frequently Asked Questions

How is an EarthCache different from a virtual cache?

EarthCaches are in effect a type of virtual cache. They have no physical container or log book. However, EarthCaches are different from other virtual caches in so much as they teach the visitor something about the site. An EarthCache is not just a scenic view or a locality. They present some lesson on how that place formed, about why that place is important scientifically or what that site can tell us about our planet.

Why do EarthCaches have to be virtual caches?

The object of an EarthCache is to learn something about our planet. The reward is the lesson, not the trinkets in the container. Also, many EarthCaches are being developed in places where it is against the law to leave a container, such as in National Parks and at Geological Monuments.

Who reviews EarthCaches?

EarthCaches all have one fundamental goal — to educate the visitor. This is judged by the EarthCache team, which is a small group of people internationally who review and publish the Earthcaches. The team all follow the same guidelines and rules.

Are all EarthCaches that are submitted approved?

No. EarthCaches have to meet some solid guidelines. About 60% of submitted EarthCaches are approved in the first round. Many are sent back to the developers for reworking. Some suggestions may be given to how the text needs to be changed to be approved.

Can we develop EarthCaches in National Parks and other public land?

EarthCaches can be developed on public land only if you have the prior approval of the local land manager. Most land managers, once they are told that concept and that no physical container will be left behind, are happy to have an EarthCache in their park, forest etc. We would suggest however, that you develop EarthCaches in partnership with the land managers, to ensure that sensitive areas are avoided, that multi-cache concepts are used with waypoints to keep people on trails and that cache-in-trash-out is advertised.

Caches of any description that are developed on public land without prior approval are undesirable, and on some land illegal.

Can I develop an EarthCache in a cave area?

Cave areas are very sensitive. For this reason EarthCaches developed around caves in North America will go through an additional approval stage with the National Speleological Society to ensure that research and other factors are not being affected by people visiting the cache.

Can I develop an EarthCache as part of a museum or other exhibit?

GSA strongly encourages the development of EarthCaches outdoors rather than indoors. However, EarthCaches can be developed for indoor locations. Like an outdoor EarthCache, an indoor EarthCache must meet all general geocaching guidelines as posted at www.geocaching.com, as well as all EarthCaching guidelines, as posted at www.earthcache.org.

Can an EarthCache be in other languages besides English?

EarthCaches need to be in the language of the county in which they sit. However, as many will be visited by international visitors, we prefer that the cache notes also be in English and/or other languages. You may be asked to provide the text in English to assist in the review process.

Can I add technical notes for those visitors who are more scientific?

EarthCaches need to cater for those people who do not have scientific training. The language should not contain scientific jargon or terms unless these terms are explained. However, once an educational explanation of the site is written to meet these guidelines, more detailed or technical information is very welcome.

What do I need to have people do to log an EarthCache?

As EarthCaches are educational, visitors should log some aspect of their visit that shows they have learnt something from their visit, like a direction, size of a feature etc. These answers can be emailed to the developer.

EarthCaches are virtual and involve no container, so why do I need permission to place an EarthCache on some public properties?

Advance permission is required to ensure that bringing people to a site does not cause a conflict with the management of that site. Many sites have multiple management issues, such as the protection of rare and endangered fauna, the protection of archaeological artifacts and the protection of a geological phenomenon. In many cases that protection has been obscurity (i.e. because people don't know about it, they don't visit). By placing an EarthCache at some public sites, we may cause a management issue and so the land manager needs to make sure that the EarthCache fits into their management plan. Furthermore, seeking permission has raised the positive profile of caching in the eyes of land managers, opening the way for all types of geocaching on those lands. We realize that seeking permission to place an EarthCache seems like a superfluous step to many, but it is truly as important as developing great logging tasks!

As an EarthCache owner, can I use an “auto-response” e-mail account or a third-party website to check logging task answers and provide people with permission to post their logs to my EarthCaches?

We appreciate that you are attempting to make the logging process more efficient, however, the use of “auto-response” e-mails and third-party websites is strongly discouraged, for two main reasons:

       1. People do not need to wait for permission to log your EarthCache. Requiring someone to wait is not  

supported by the EarthCache guidelines. People should send their logging task answers to you, then log your EarthCache. When you review their logging task answers, if there is a problem, you should contact them to resolve it. If there is no problem, then their log simply stands.
       2. The types of questions/answers used by “auto-response” e-mails and websites are too limiting and usually do not provide a strong educational experience, which is a vital part of EarthCaching. Logging tasks that ask for highly-specific, generally short answers, such as “15 meters” or “brown”, do not meet the educational goals of EarthCaching, and do not allow for enough flexibility or interpretation.

       Furthermore, the proper review of logging tasks is considered one of the basic maintenance duties that must be performed by EarthCache owners. Because no physical container must be maintained, it is expected that EarthCache owners take the time to review logging submissions on their own, without automated aids.

       Although there have been EarthCaches published in the past that use auto-response e-mails, this does not set a precedent for future EarthCaches, and does not require reviewers to publish additional caches that use auto-responders.