Page 1 of 2

METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Wed 2017-11-08, 13:48:50
by SuchaNana
Metroparks of the Toledo area is updating their Geocache Permit process & implementing Geocaching placement guidelines.
Existing Metroparks-issued permit holders, please send the old permit information and your current contact information to Jerri.Fink@metroparkstoledo.com.
Since Jerri has very old permits with outdated contact info, she needs to update this before January 1 for the 2018 permit.

To “Renew” your existing Geo permit please provide correct contact information. They're giving anyone who has a current permit till January 1st – January 15th to reissue their past permit. On January 16 all the permits that have not been received will be available for anyone to apply for. It will be a 'first completed application turned in' to Jerri process then that will receive the permit requested.
They will not be taking any permit applications till January 1, 2018.

Two caches only - NovaNikki https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC3EF_novanikki
and Ancient Lake https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC2DBE_ancient-lake
are grandfathered in for historical reasons and will need current contact info also.

All sites must be approved by Metroparks staff before a permit will be issued. Do not publish your cache on Geocaching.com until a permit has been approved.
Annual applications are required for all active caches by January 1st of each year. All caches not approved will be removed within 30 days. Cache permits may be renewed up to twice for a total of 3 years of placement time, with Metroparks reserving the right to not issue a permit renewal.

Each cache must have a separate application. Approved caches will receive a permit card, which must be visible on the outside of the container. Permit cards can be picked up at the Visitor's Center during open hours.

We're excited to partner with the Metroparks & look forward to this new exciting chapter in Geocaching.

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Wed 2017-11-08, 13:59:09
by SuchaNana
at the Maumee Meetneat event last eve, Jerri attended with requests for current contact info for permit holders:
Peter Scheuer - Dorothy Doris - Black Brown Dog - GoodDog - Walking Sisters - Mark Scheuer - Doris Duffy - James Engard

Jerri Fink can be contacted @ Metroparks of the Toledo Area 5100 W. Central Ave, Toledo, Oh 43615 419-407-9701

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Fri 2017-11-24, 12:17:22
by Stumpy75
I have been told to move a 10 year old cache >420' so that it is off of a marked trail, not a fire trail... I have been told that fire trails are not designated trails and should only be used in emergencies by staff and that caching on a fire lane that could be used for emergency vehicles is too dangerous. Guess this is some of the new guidelines...

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Fri 2017-11-24, 17:11:03
by cheechgang
Stumpy75 wrote:I have been told to move a 10 year old cache >420' so that it is off of a marked trail, not a fire trail... I have been told that fire trails are not designated trails and should only be used in emergencies by staff and that caching on a fire lane that could be used for emergency vehicles is too dangerous. Guess this is some of the new guidelines...
Yikes

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Sat 2017-11-25, 20:12:23
by TheBearclaws
Does Jerri at the metroparks have a geocaching account?

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Sun 2017-11-26, 09:16:09
by cheechgang
I am not sure what we are supposed to be doing. I emailed Jerri with my contact info as well as a list of my current permit numbers.
What else are we supposed to do? Is there a new permit form that needs to be done in January?

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Mon 2017-11-27, 13:45:22
by cheechgang
I just received the email with the new permit rules. I will be archiving all my Metroparks hides.

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Mon 2017-11-27, 17:02:11
by cheechgang
My 5 remaining Metroparks caches are now archived . TBSS

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Mon 2017-11-27, 20:13:07
by Stumpy75
Yes. it IS TBSS, for the cache owners who have abided by the rules, sometimes, for >10 years...

It's now obvious that the Metroparks want to severely restrict Geocaching for some reason. Get outside yourself?? Maybe it's only for programs that they come up with??? Geesh...

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Mon 2017-11-27, 20:28:40
by Stumpy75
cheechgang wrote:My 5 remaining Metroparks caches are now archived . TBSS
I will be archiving my two caches in a day or so. The new rules just make it too much of a pain in the %$# to bother with caches in the parks.

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Mon 2017-11-27, 20:36:43
by Stumpy75
This is the e-mail most people with caches in the Parks received today.


Please read over this email. It pertains to ALL Geo Caches, in any of the Metroparks of Toledo.



The only 2 Caches is does not apply to are Nova Nikki and Ancient Lake Those caches are grandfathered in and will always stay in the park.



Many of the caches will have to be moved to abide by the new 2018 guidelines.

All of you have had a cache in the Metroparks. We are letting you know of the new guidelines first so you can make any adjustments to the caches.



This will give you about 6 weeks to adjust your coordinates in need be. Please email me your coordinates to be verified before January 1st. If you wait till January 1st and submit your old coordinates and it gets rejected, you only have to January 15th to try to submit a new coordinates, with a new permit.



All caches have to be 30 feet from a designated walking trail. A fire lane, bike trail or a horse trail are not safe designated walking trails anymore. The Wabash Trail is very tricky also. The only caches that will be approved are those inside the park along the Wabash.



You can submit the coordinates to Jerri.Fink@metroparksToledo.com. I will gladly have the correct people look over your coordinates and get back with you if your cache is ok. We can do this now, before January 1st , but the approved coordinates are NOT an approval for a permit. You will still need to apply between January 1st and January 15th for a permit..



If you send in a permit before January 1st it will not be accepted. We will post the new 2018 permits on our website before January 1st 2018.



Another change is we are only allowing 3 permits per person in all our Metroparks. You may only have 1 permit per Metropark location. Example Jane Geo had 2 pervious permits in Oak Openings, 1 at Wildwood and 2 at Side Cut.. Jane can only have 1 at Oak Openings, 1 at Side Cut and 1 at Wildwood.

If you have received this email multiple times, you have multiple caches. Metroparks is not responsible for making past cache permit holders aware of the changes. So please help spread the word to past cache owners.

Thank you all so very much in your help with these updates.



New Guidelines for 2018:


All geocaches within the Metroparks require a permit. Please download and return a completed permit application. Completed applications can be submitted by email.

Please direct questions about the Geocache program to:

Jerri.Fink@metroparkstoledo.com

To contact Jerri Fink

Metroparks of the Toledo Area
5100 W. Central Avenue, Toledo, OH 43615
(419) 407-9701

Geocache Placement Guidelines

Anyone wanting to place a cache at a site within the Metroparks must first fill out a geocache permit application. Only one permit is allowed per person, per park, and a maximum of 3 permits will be issued per person. The permits will be available:

January 1, 2018 to January 15, 2018 for RENEWAL permits only. Each permit must be renewed every year. Renewal permits may be issued twice for up to three consecutive years.

Renewal permits must be fully completed by January 15, 2018 and approved by the Metroparks. Any existing permits that have NOT be renewed by January 15, 2018 will be available for ANYONE starting January 16, 2018. Any cache not renewed will be removed from the Metropark(s) within 30 days. Metroparks will not be responsible for any damaged or missing caches.

Starting January 16, 2018 you can apply for any existing open permits.

Renewal permits will be issued for three (3) consecutive years. Only one permit per person per park. There is a maximum of three (3) permits per person in all the Metroparks.

All sites must be approved by Metroparks staff before a permit will be issued. You can submit your GPS coordinates BEFORE January 1, 2018 to see if your site could be approved. Please submit those GPS coordinates to Jerri.Fink@MetroparksToledo.com. Do not publish your cache on Geocaching.com until a permit has been approved.

Permit applications are good for one cache only. Each approved cache will be given a unique permit number and a physical permit card. These cards will be color coded each year; cache owners must update their permit card each year a cache is renewed. Permit cards can be picked up in the Visitor’s Center at Wildwood during open hours, or they can be mailed to you. The card must be displayed and visible on the outside of the cache. For micro/devious caches a permit sticker will also be available that can be placed on the log-book inside the cache.

The cache application will now ask for a photo of the cache in place.

Caches should be monitored monthly and maintained as a family friendly cache. Caches should contain no food, firearms, drugs, alcohol, or any adult items. If any such items are found within a cache, they should be reported to a ranger immediately. Inappropriate caches will be removed by park personnel.

Placement and access to the container cannot damage any park property, vegetation or wildlife.

Certain areas within the Metroparks are restricted due to Natural Resource Management, sensitive wildlife habitats, or safety concerns. Not every park is suitable site for cache. Parks not listed on the Geocache Application Form do not allow caches.

Caches should be placed in safe areas and be reachable from ground level (no higher than 5 feet off the ground). Caches can’t be buried in the ground or placed more than 30 feet from a marked trail. No caches will be permitted along the mountain bike or horse trails. For multi-caches, all parts of the cache must abide by Metroparks guidelines. The Metroparks will need coordinates to all multi-cache parts.

Containers used cannot be metal or resemble anything that might cause public alarm.

The requesting party must abide by all Metroparks rules and regulations.





Jerri Fink

Administrative Assistant, Customer Service






5100 West Central Avenue

Toledo, Ohio 43615-2016

Office: 419-407-9701

Jerri.Fink@MetroparksToledo.com

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Tue 2017-11-28, 16:30:40
by TeamMina
Thanks for posting the email.
We have written requesting the updated guidelines ourselves, with no response.

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Wed 2017-11-29, 14:34:19
by TheBearclaws
I never received the email..that's how stealthy I am.

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Wed 2017-11-29, 18:54:36
by TeamMina
We thought maybe we didn't get the email due to only owning earthcaches in the Metroparks.
Maybe not.

Re: METROPARKS CACHE PERMITS 2018

Posted: Thu 2017-11-30, 08:01:07
by TheBearclaws
Turns out I wasn't excluded, they just used an email address that's not in service any longer.