AR Game and Fish and AR Natural Heritage Commissions

[thenaturenurd]

Yeah I think as suggested earlier...the AR State Parks plan would work for G&F and ANHC with some modifications. As I said Ill need to chat with some people and brainstorm a little more. The state trails guys are still part of my department (ADPT) and I know them as well. Anyways. Prob wont be till after the New Year till I have a basic plan. I promise to keep all that are interested posted on this...

Craig

[thenaturenurd]

Ok I have thought a little further on this. Lady Engineer or whoever is making the list of people who want to speak on this issue add myself and Topkitty and MrsGeoArk to your list. I think...as stated earlier...we need to write a concise letter explaining geocaching not only to upper management of AGFC and ANHC but also to both agencies respective commissions. Having worked for AR State Parks for nearly 5 years now, I realize the real policy makers are the commisson and its members. They approve policy from upper management and suggest new policy. We impress them and we get our new geocaching policies with AGFC and ANHC.

I think something highly effective to present to the commissions of both agencies would be a powerpoint presentation on geocaching so they can even better understand what it is we like to do.

Im interested in anyone's thoughts and/or comments.

Happy New Years to y'all,

Craig

[TeamMGGPS]

Count me in also.
I'm not a real big fan of the way the State Parks department handled the Geocaching situation and I would rather just have the GF say it's OK to set Geocaches on the public land they manage. I agree with the hiking angle. If it's OK to hike there it should be OK to Geocache there. That being said if the only way is get a permit then I guess thats what we'll have to do.
Team MGGPS

[LadyEngineer]

I've been waiting for a committee to be formed so I could get their approval to approach the AGF and AHC as a united organization. Hopefully, the votes are in and TG will be announcing them soon. (I haven't read all the post of the last week. I've been running around with family.) I have powerpoint on my computer and use it frequently. I would be more then happy to put the presentation together. Many people have commented that they have a contact. Which one do we want to use? I really don't know which contact would be the best one to get the results that we are looking for. How about listing the names of the contacts at each agency and then we can all decided which one we want to contact?

LE

[thenaturenurd]

I would be glad to present the program. I am planning on developing one anyway for use at my park for interpretive/educational purposes. I have developed Powerpoint programs before, but if you wanna do it Lady Engineer thats fine. Holler if you want help.

Ill see what I can come up with on a list of contact people at each agency.

here is the link to the Game and Fish Commissioners...
http://www.agfc.com/agfc/commission_board.html

Staff list for Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission
http://www.naturalheritage.org/about/st ... _staff.asp

Craig

[LadyEngineer]

I guess we let this get stall and didn't follow through. I will try to contact the person I mentioned at the begining of this post today (Nov 8, 2005) and see if I can see where they are at and will report back on it.

LE

[LadyEngineer]

I just talked to Lucy Moreland at the AGFC.

They have caches out presently that are not listed on GC. She said one of the reasons that they have not pursued going before the directors is that there has been very little interest in the caches they have. She said that the AGFC webmaster has tried to get their caches "linked" from the GC site but they have been unsuccessful.

I explained to her that if one person on their staff would become a GC member and submit each of their caches to make them official GC caches, then they would not have to worry about a link and they would most likely see an increase in people coming to those sites. Most cachers, especially out of staters, have no idea they would have to go to the AFC website and get the cache information.

Here is a list of the caches they presently have:
Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery, Bell Slough Wildlife Management Area and Nature Trail, C.B. “Charlie” Craig State Fish Hatchery, Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center, Governor Mike Huckabe Delta Rivers Nature Center, Ponca Elk Education Center, and Rick Evans/Grandview Prairie Conservation Education Center.

Maybe if we show them an interest in these caches they will see that cachers bring revenue. If your out caching this week or next, try to stop in on one or two of these. Sign the log and let them know it would be nice to have them listed on GC or that they might get more visitors if they are listed there also.

She is looking into getting someone on staff to get that done.

She took my name and number.

[Gaddiel]

They have caches out presently that are not listed on GC. She said one of the reasons that they have not pursued going before the directors is that there has been very little interest in the caches they have. She said that the AGFC webmaster has tried to get their caches "linked" from the GC site but they have been unsuccessful.

Here is a list of the caches they presently have:
Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery, Bell Slough Wildlife Management Area and Nature Trail, C.B. “Charlie” Craig State Fish Hatchery, Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center, Governor Mike Huckabe Delta Rivers Nature Center, Ponca Elk Education Center, and Rick Evans/Grandview Prairie Conservation Education Center.

Aren't these all VIRTUAL caches?

[LadyEngineer]

According to the description that the AGFC site has there are actual caches. I will call Lucy back and check with her to make sure.

Just got off the phone with Lucy and only the one at Bell Slough is a virtual. All the other ones they have out have actuall containers with logs and swag. I also informed her that GC will not accept virtuals anymore.

LE

[Geezer_Veazey]

Maybe if we show them an interest in these caches they will see that cachers bring revenue. If your out caching this week or next, try to stop in on one or two of these. Sign the log and let them know it would be nice to have them listed on GC or that they might get more visitors if they are listed there also.

She is looking into getting someone on staff to get that done.

LE; In the mean time can you get and post the AGFC web page address where we can get a description and the coordinates of the caches?

Geezer.