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Agreement Used
Used by:
131 cachers

ARCHIVED: FC New Forest including Dorset

This agreement is no longer applicable and must not be used.

Agreement Type:

tickAllowed
Landowner Image

Landowner

The Forestry Commission, New Forest District

Negotiator

Negotiator : Dave (The Wombles)

Please note that there is a maximum number of 200 caches in the New Forest. If you wish to place a cache in the New Forest then please contact Fiona Vaughan to ensure that this limit has not been reached. Caches on FC land in Dorset must have prior permission before being placed, and this must be applied for through Fiona Vaughan. Email Fiona Vaughan.

Start Date

01/01/2015

Renewal Date

31/12/2015

Description

It is imperative that the guidelines are adhered to in their entirety. Special attention should be paid to the container type and size. Should a cache be reported to us or a GC Reviewer, to the effect that it does not comply with the guidelines, the cache owner will be required to correct the problem within 7 days. Failure to do so will result in a ban on that cacher placing caches within the New Forest area. This includes placing caches under a Sock Account

PERMISSION FOR GEOCACHING ACTIVITIES
An agreement with the Forestry Commission in the New Forest has been concluded allowing up to 200 caches to be placed in the forest. The agreement has taken some time to work out with the GAGB Committee working very hard with the Forestry Commission to ensure that Geocaching can continue to take place in the New Forest and that an increase in the numbers of caches has been allowed.

To allow everyone a fair opportunity to place their caches the new guidelines have been worked out by the GAGB Committee and Groundspeak volunteer reviewers. Cache owners are asked to cooperate with the GAGB Committee and Groundspeak volunteer reviewers with the administration of these guidelines. The Groundspeak volunteer reviewers will make the final decisions on whether a cache can be published or whether a cache is to be archived after taking advice about the cache from the GAGB committee and the Forestry Commission authorities.

THE PARTIES
The Forestry Commission, New Forest District hereinafter referred to as the Commission.
The Permit Holder: GAGB Committee represented by GAGB Committee hereinafter referred to as the Permit Holder.

THE RIGHTS GRANTED
Permission is given to the Permit Holder to use Commission land in the New Forest for Geocaching activities. The permission is subject to the following conditions:

1. The activities and their locations will be specified by the Deputy Surveyor and will be staged within the New Forest.
2. There will be no more than 200 caches and physical stages in place in the New Forest.
3. When 200 caches have been placed and there are no more to archive, any new caches will not be published.
4. Cache owners may only own 10 caches each. To place another cache a previous one they own must first be archived.
5. A cache can be a traditional, multi, mystery or Whereigo. If a multi, mystery or Whereigo it may have only one physical part, the final cache. Any intermediate stages must be in the form of "Questions to Answer", or puzzles to solve. You cannot place intermediate cache/micro stages with clues or coordinates. Note that any physical intermediate stages (including those which predate this agreement) count towards the limit of 10 caches per owner.
6. The cache must meet the conditions of this agreement, the GAGB guidelines, and the guidelines of the listing site you are using. Submit your cache in the usual way - you do not need prior permission from GAGB or the Forestry Commission. If the cache is submitted to Geocaching.com then their reviewer will inform GAGB who will then inform the Forestry Commission. If the cache is submitted to any other listing site then you must inform GAGB.
7. All cache containers will be clearly marked "Geocache", stating that the contents are harmless (no dangerous items, matches, knives, food, drink and no alcohol) with the cache owners e-mail address or other contact method1.
8. The cache container is to be plastic and no larger than 3 litre capacity (ice cream tub size) made of plastic with a secure lid.
9. Any cache currently in place that does not meet these guidelines will be considered 'grandfathered in' but is included in the 200 limit.
10. The responsibility for ensuring that the area and/or the route(s) are safe and suitable for the activities will rest with the Geocache owners/Geocachers and they will ensure that public rights of way are not impeded.
11. Geocache owners/Geocachers will pay compensation or make good to the Deputy Surveyors satisfaction all damage to Commission property caused by the exercise of this permission. Geocache owners/Geocachers will clear all equipment and litter brought onto Commission land by them, to the satisfaction of the Deputy Surveyor.
12. Geocache owners /Geocachers will ensure proper consideration is given to protect safety of participants and members of the public likely to be within the vicinity of the activity, including the grazing by ponies and cattle belonging to New Forest Commoners.
13. Geocache owners/Geocachers will advise the Commission within 24 hours of the end of an activity of any accident to a participant, spectator, or third party which arises as a result of the exercise of this permission.
14. If the Commissions tenants and/or landlords or other persons having an interest in the land are likely to be affected by this permission, then the Permit Holder will notify the relevant Geocache Placer.
15. The Deputy Surveyor will ensure that all relevant forest district staff are notified of the permission and the approved routes or areas to be used.
16. Geocache owners /Geocachers will ensure that no vehicles owned or used by them enter Commission land, except for parking in recognised car parks.
17. The Permit Holder will ensure that the Forestry Commission Byelaws are observed, except as expressly authorised by this Agreement. A copy of the Byelaws will be supplied on request by the Deputy Surveyor. In particular the Permit Holder will ensure:
• there is no lighting of fires
• all gates are left in the position as found
• reasonable care is taken to prevent disturbance to wild fauna and flora and to commoning livestock
• compliance with any instructions issued by the Deputy Surveyor or his authorised representative.
• there is to be no disturbance to the general public
18. Overnight parking in Forestry Commission car parks is against the Byelaws.
19. The Commission reserves the right to revoke this permission at any time by notice given to the Permit Holder in writing. If the revocation is to meet Commission requirements a refund of the charge will be made unless a suitable alternative location can be provided. If the revocation is required as a result of default by the Permit Holder or any representative no refund will be made.
20. Nothing in this permission shall be construed as creating a business tenancy under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.
21. Night caching will not be permitted.

It is recommended an official Geocaching label is used on the cache container.

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FC Dorset special requirements.

From 16th April 2009 the following special requirements apply to caches on FC Dorset land.

No cache may be placed on FC Dorset land within 1 kilometer of an existing cache or caches on FC Dorset land. Caches within 1 kilometer but not on FC Dorset land will be disregarded.

If a parcel of FC Dorset land has an uncrossable barrier running through it, for example but not limited to a dual carriageway with no means of crossing it, caches on either side of that barrier but within 1 kilometer of each other may be allowed, at the discretion of the Association and the Forestry Commission.

Multi caches on FC Dorset land may only have one physical container, the final one. All other stages must be virtual ones.

Existing caches which do not meet the above requirements will be grandfathered in and allowed to remain in place.

If an existing cache is archived, then later unarchived, the unarchived cache must meet the above requirements.

Update to permission 4th November 2013: Please do not place caches on islands where it would be necessary to wade through water and disturb pond life or wildlife. Caches must not be placed up trees, where it would necessitate climbing to retrieve them.

Update to permission 3rd October 2014: Caches are to be made of plastic with a secured four point click lock type lid. Secured means a well fitting waterproof lid. Under no circumstances must elastic bands be used for this purpose.

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Please note the following:

1. GAGB guidelines must be applied.
2. Forest maintenance operations (such as gorse burning) will be notified when possible. It may be necessary for caches to be removed if possible or temporarily suspended. However, neither the NF FC or GAGB will be responsible for any cache destroyed. There is a FC page about closures at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6G3BLB
3. Caches are to be made of plastic with secured lid. Secured means a well fitting lid. Under no circumstances must elastic bands be used for this purpose.
4. There are no restrictions on publicity around geocaching on the Forest.
5. We have been granted this agreement on the basis that cachers will apply common sense to their activites. This is an annual agreement which will rely on the goodwill of all concerned for continuation.

Application Process

New Forest
Please note that there is a maximum number of 200 caches in the New Forest. If you wish to place a cache in the New Forest then please contact Fiona Vaughan to ensure that this limit has not been reached.
Contact Fiona Vaughan.

Dorset
Caches on FC land in Dorset must have prior permission before being placed, and this must be applied for through Fiona Vaughan. Contact Fiona Vaughan.

The total number of containers in the New Forest is 200 as of March 2013. That figure includes early physical stages of multis placed before the new agreement.

Area Covered

England/Dorset. England/Hampshire.

Last Modified

31st Dec 2015.

Archived

Yes

Feedback

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