Mutual Impacts of Geocaching and Natural Environment

Abstract

Rising popularity of geocaching is linked to increased risk of negative impacts on natural environment. Based on that, this paper intends to present possible approach of how to evaluate these impacts in the Landscape protected area Moravian Karst (Czech Republic) and in the Vrátna dolina valley (National park Malá Fatra, Slovak Republic). Recreation along with nature conservation has been solved in these areas in the log-run and geocaching has been steadily extending offer of recreational activities. Therefore, it seems desirable to examine how geocaching affects environment and simultaneously how topography or land cover influences availability or difficulty of caches. 57 caches (i.e. one third of the total) has been analyzed in the Moravian Karst and 11 caches in the Vrátna dolina valley. To assess impacts, own classification of indicators has been suggested, such as cache attendance, environment attractiveness or visually detected impacts of geocaching on natural environment. Our study revealed the major risk lies primarily in geo-highways which -with respect to soil type, land cover and intensity of cache attendance -grow rather fast. Despite the local nature of detected impacts, an increased attention shall be devoted to environment care and specifically to regulation of attendance.

Adolescents' Smartphone Usage in Active Recreation and Natural Environment

“…Most of literature; however, emphasizes the theory (discussion) of impact of smartphone usage, rather than experiences of being outside (outdoors) and participating in active recreation with device use (Arts et al, 2021). Technology (e.g., traditional, new), whether maps, compass, trails (Juško et al, 2021), and/ or Geocaching (Schneider, Jadczaková, 2016) is crucial in shaping adolescents' active recreation in natural environments (Arts et a., 2021); therefore, in order to better understand the dynamics between nature and adolescents' smartphone usage, more research is necessary to understand the consequences of smartphone usage in active recreation and to ensure that current generation continues to receive variety of benefits from active recreation in natural environments.…”

Leaving traces: Fairy houses, kindness stones, and constructed heritage

“…Perhaps most notably, the objects we discuss in this article are intended to be visible, while geocaching involves an inherent effort to hide and keep secret. But there is also a wide variation in geocaching containers (including “EarthCaches” with no physical cache at all) and varying concern with Leave No Trace principles and with trail cleanup activities (Groundspeak, Inc., n.d.[b]; Leave No Trace, 2016; leavenotracedude.com, n.d.; Schneider and Jadczaková, 2016). Different public land managers have differing rules and permitting requirements on different public lands (leavenotracedude.com, n.d.).…”

Finding love: The materialities of love-locks and geocaches

“…The range and extent of academic research into the phenomenon of geocaching is variable, but has been undertaken on an international scale and, in this sense, reflects the diversity of the game itself. Research primarily focuses on the health benefits of geocaching (Battista et al, 2016; Robinson and Hardcastle, 2016; Schlatter and Hurd, 2005), or potential tourism benefits and the effects of geocaches on an urban environment (Boys et al, 2017; Mendes et al, 2013; Hödl and Pröbstl-Haider, 2017; Schneider and Jadczakova, 2016). The opportunity to use a material culture approach to this practice is welcome indeed.…”