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agentmancuso
22nd September 2009, 08:59 PM
I've been in touch with a couple of people at Scottish Natural Heritage (http://www.snh.org.uk/), who look after 1,400 SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) in Scotland, in connection with this new cache (https://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=23645941-5fd1-4b19-895c-290908984cb5&log=y). Permission was readily granted by the local officer with responsibility for the Muirkirk Uplands. In his words:



SNH doesn't have any policy on this particular activity, possibly because it is pretty new (as far as I am aware, you may be the first to mention it to SNH), but I would reckon that it is covered in general terms by the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (see http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/ ) which explains how our legal right of access to the Scottish countryside is entirely dependent on responsible behaviour.

I can confirm therefore that SNH has no concerns at all over the activity and I would very much doubt that you need to contact any land owners. Which looks pretty positive for any future SNH inquiries. :socool:

The Wombles
22nd September 2009, 09:27 PM
Excellent result, well done

drifter
10th February 2011, 08:33 PM
I've been in touch with a couple of people at Scottish Natural Heritage (http://www.snh.org.uk/), who look after 1,400 SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) in Scotland, in connection with this new cache (https://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=23645941-5fd1-4b19-895c-290908984cb5&log=y). Permission was readily granted by the local officer with responsibility for the Muirkirk Uplands. In his words:

Which looks pretty positive for any future SNH inquiries. :socool:

SNH doesn't have any policy on this particular activity, possibly because it is pretty new (as far as I am aware, you may be the first to mention it to SNH), but I would reckon that it is covered in general terms by the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (see http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/ ) which explains how our legal right of access to the Scottish countryside is entirely dependent on responsible behaviour.

I can confirm therefore that SNH has no concerns at all over the activity and I would very much doubt that you need to contact any land owners.

It would seem from that response that permission to place a cache is not required in Scotland as the access code applies to the whole country!

countrymatters
27th April 2012, 09:43 AM
The SNH stance on geocaching is excellent news; it's something I've come across when placing caches on Skye. However, if the cache is in a SSSI, the reviewers will still require evidence of consent from the landowner before publishing, and the landowner may not be, and probably isn't, SNH. So, landowner consent is still required.

Brenin Tegeingl
27th April 2012, 11:52 AM
Both SNHi and Historic Scotland have supported Geocaching for years, HS despite approximately 5 years ago, discovering a cache in a Dry Stone Dyke (wall) which was a Scheduled Monument. Due to the work over the issue by a local Geocacher and UK Reviewers. To quickly resolve the issue, SH came on board with support.

If there is a Landowner Agreement in Place, then the Cache Owner will be required to meet the requirements of that Agreement, and as Terry-Countrymatters has correctly pointed out. In all cases of SSSI/Nature Reserves, the CO will be required to provide details of Landowner Permission.

As for Scottish Land Access Laws, as Geocaching has not yet been Legally Ruled to be a Acceptable Activity under the Access Laws. This is still up in the air. Currently a Landowner who finds a Geocache placed without Permission, can treat the container as "Litter", and as such it would not meet the Land Access Laws.

Deci

kwazii_and_peso
1st May 2012, 09:54 PM
Hi All / Agentmancuso,

Thanks for this, it sounds very promising and very timely from my perspective. I am quite new to placing caches and I wanted to ask SNH for permission to place a cache on some coastline designated SSSI in Fife.

I am quite new to placing caches, and so would appreciate some advice on how people think I should best go about contacting SNH. Can I just e-mail them, refering them to this website and specifically this post asking for specific permission for the place I have in mind? Or is there a standardised way to approach such organisations?

On a related issue, there is a private estate in Fife that I was planning to ask for permission to place caches on, but you have to pay to enter the estate. Assuming they say OK, is it still OK from the geocaching perspective to place caches on this estate, as people would have to pay to enter (i.e. I was worried this might infringe the non-commercial rule)?

Many Thanks in advance for any advice,
Kwazii

drifter
2nd May 2012, 07:23 PM
Generally SNH are very good at giving permission for caches although I recently applied to place a cache in Inverewe Gardens (which also requires an entrance fee) and permission was not granted. I am not sure if they understood what caching was about and with all the poor publicity the activity generates and the amount of poorly placed caches I am inclined to agree with them to some extent. I too wondered about the commercial implications about such a cache but did not persue the matter.
I have another cache pending where SNH have given permission but unfortunately they do not own the land and the landowner is taking a long time to respond to my request.

kwazii_and_peso
3rd May 2012, 08:15 PM
Dear Drifter,

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. I posted a thread under 'new members' asking about caches where you have to pay an entrance fee - apparently this is not allowed. At least we know.

Been to Inverewe gardens ourselves last year - very nice !

Kwazii

drifter
3rd May 2012, 08:53 PM
Dear Drifter,

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. I posted a thread under 'new members' asking about caches where you have to pay an entrance fee - apparently this is not allowed. At least we know.

Been to Inverewe gardens ourselves last year - very nice !

Kwazii

That is interesting. I wonder if that is because Groundspeak is a commercial enterprise? Perhaps other publishers would not be so fussy.

Simply Paul
6th May 2012, 11:11 AM
I set a cache on Rum (Small Isles) last year and SNH were very helpful. It's always good when an organisation is aware of existing caches on their land (some were left on Rum by a German visitor in 2006 without permission or a maintenance plan..!) and are ok with their positioning, as it makes 'doing it properly' rather easier. As earlier comments, 'pay to enter' locations are usually off-limits for caches. One outside the location, drawing attention to it but not being too much of an advert is usually ok though.

drifter
7th May 2012, 08:31 AM
I set a cache on Rum (Small Isles) last year and SNH were very helpful. It's always good when an organisation is aware of existing caches on their land (some were left on Rum by a German visitor in 2006 without permission or a maintenance plan..!) and are ok with their positioning, as it makes 'doing it properly' rather easier. As earlier comments, 'pay to enter' locations are usually off-limits for caches. One outside the location, drawing attention to it but not being too much of an advert is usually ok though.

I don't really understand why "Pay to enter" places are off limits to caches. It seems to me that a cache inside such places would encourage more visitors.

The Hornet
10th May 2012, 08:35 AM
I don't really understand why "Pay to enter" places are off limits to caches. It seems to me that a cache inside such places would encourage more visitors.

It only a Groundspeak restriction, other listing sites may well not have such a rule. Groundspeak usually don't allow them as they perceive such caches as being "commercial" in that they can be viewed as encouraging people to visit a business. Of course charity or "heritage" locations might be viewed differently.