Geography Awareness Week is November 15-19, 2021 ___ GIS Day is November 17, 2021
- National Geographic, Geography Awareness WeekBe a geographically minded global citizen -- make effective decisions, understand geo-spatial issues, & recognize your impact . . . "this annual public awareness program encourages citizens young and old to think and learn about the significance of place and how we affect and are affected by it. . .students, families and community members focus on the importance of geography by hosting events; using lessons, games, and challenges in the classroom; and often meeting with policymakers and business leaders."
- Resources - GIS Day"Participate in the international celebration of GIS technology. GIS is a scientific framework for gathering, analyzing, and visualizing geographic data to help us make better decisions. On GIS Day, help others learn about geography and the real-world applications of GIS that are making a difference in our society."
- USA Citizen Science"In citizen science, the public participates voluntarily in the scientific process, addressing real-world problems. CitizenScience.gov is an official government website designed to accelerate the use of crowdsourcing and citizen science across the U.S. government."
Register
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Free Magazines
Read issues of Backpacker and more magazines about exploring the outdoors on the Flipster app!
Articles
Search the Academic Search Premier database for full text articles on the topic of geocaching.
Some notable reads are:
"Finding Their Way How Geocaching Is an Adventure for All, Including Teens"
"Geocaching: Finding Mathematics in a Global Treasure Hunt"
"Geocaching for Fun and Learning"
"How to Leverage Geocaching to Promote Park and Recreation Events"
"Unlocking Thinking Through and About GPS"
Florida Newspapers
Search the newspaper databases for articles detailing geocaching and actual experiences.
The Palm Beach Post: "Mother, daughter discover geocaching; 4-day treasure hunt planned at Jonathan Dickinson State Park"
"Geocaching is a type of global treasure hunt of people looking for caches, or hidden stashes of objects. Maps, notebooks, and GPS devices are all equipment for geocaching adventures. Participants use navigation skills to find hidden containers, or geocaches. The hobby has changed a little since its start in Oregon in 2000, when it was called geostashing. Geocaching was started by a group of people who were interested in technology and geography. They used GPS devices and the Internet to re-invent the older hobby of letterboxing. Letterboxing is a lot like geocaching, but the clues are provided in booklets or other printed material. Geocaching has evolved from a small hobby to huge, well-organized treasure hunts for people of every age and ability." - National Geographic
Apps:
BASIC STEPS:
(1.) Pick an app and choose what device to put it on. In addition to the activity app you may want to install a "trails" or map app. (2.) Create an account. (3.) Make some choices about where you want to go and travel options. (4.) Pack up basic supplies including water, pen, log, etc. If part of the experience, don't forget the item you'll leave behind! (5.) Use the app to navigate and your phone or mobile device to navigate. If you have a GPS device bring that too. (6.) Find the geocache, "clue hunt," or letterbox. (7.) Share your experience.
Florida Info & Resources:
- -- Video - "What is geocaching?" (Groundspeak)(Groundspeak runs one of the primary apps.) "Join the world's largest treasure hunt. There are 2,436 geocaches around Fort Lauderdale. To get started, create a free geocaching account and download the app or use a GPS device."
- Broward County Parks (Florida) "Things to Do" - GeocachingBroward.org official county webpage focused on geocaching in local parks. "Think of geocaching as a worldwide treasure hunt using Global Positioning System (GPS) devices. The first clue is a set of GPS coordinates, corresponding to where someone has hidden a 'treasure,' or geocache. Geocaches can come in all shapes and sizes and even be virtual."
- Florida State Parks - Geocaching"Operation Recreation GeoTour, hosted by Geocaching.com, stretches from Pensacola to Key West and includes 71 Florida state parks and trails. Visit 20 caches and win the official Operation Recreation Geocoin. The Florida Park Service is proud to announce the launch of the Operation Recreation Kids GeoTour, specially designed for children. Download and print the official tracking sheet to begin your adventure. Remember to cache and save with unlimited entry for a year with the Florida State Parks Annual Pass." (https://www.floridastateparks.org/learn/florida-state-parks-annual-pass)
- Florida State Parks - Letterboxing"Letterboxing combines navigational skills and rubber stamp artistry in a treasure-hunt style game. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly accessible places and post clues on one of several websites to help others find them."
- Florida State Parks - Orienteering"Orienteering is a competitive international sport that combines navigational skills and racing - using a map and compass to navigate from one point to another. The challenge to this sport is not just finishing the race the fastest. Selecting the route, reading the map and making on-the-spot decisions make it a mental sport."
- Orienteering - USA"Orienteering is the sport of navigation—often held in unfamiliar terrain—using a map and compass."
- Sun Sentinel newspaper article (11/8/2009) - "On an eTreasure hunt" by Rick Duteau"Create your own personalized online profile so you can log and track your finds. To learn where the nearest caches are from your location, simply follow the prompts from the home page of geocaching.com by either entering in a set of specific coordinates or your ZIP code. Each cache is given its own unique name, description, coordinates and (sometimes) hints. Hints are always encrypted so users have the option to decrypt it or try to find the cache without the extra clue. Cache containers range in size . . .and they are rated in difficulty on a scale of 1 (easy) to 5 (most difficult). Once you find a cache, enter your name and the date on the log sheet, as well as the website."
Geocaching Official Websites, Information, & Tips
- ** ClueKeeper - Official Site"a platform for creating and playing location-based clue hunts"
- ** Geocaching 101 (Groundspeak)Read: "Geocaching in the time of COVID-19." Page includes video, tips, & instructions on how to find your first geocache in four simple steps.
- ** Geocaching Adventure Lab (Groundspeak)"Create, play and share unique outdoor scavenger hunts, experiences, and games. Unlike traditional geocaching, Adventures do not require a physical container and can be located indoors. Possible to create both public and private experiences."
- ** Geocaching Blog (Groundspeak)Read: "How to Find Your First Geocache." Blog covers news, communities, learning, & environmental issues.
- ** Letterboxing Community - Atlas QuestLearn about, see rules, check FAQs, & register. This hobby is art + treasure-hunting + parks/forests. Follow clues & seek out hidden letterboxes. Find a rubber stamp (often hand carved) to stamp in your journal. "Letterboxing North America (a.k.a. LbNA) is primarily for listing clues and nothing but listing clues. Atlas Quest also allows the listing of clues, but message boards are included directly on the website."
- ** Letterboxing North America (LbNA)Search clues by location and search by letterbox name. "Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly-accessible places (like parks) and post clues to finding the box online on one of several Web sites. However, clues to finding some of the most highly-sought boxes are passed around by word of mouth."
- Florida Orienteering Events (Central)Variety of courses available throughout Central Florida. Special courses have been set up to allow you to go orienteering during COVID-19.
- Geocaching Outdoor Basics (REI Co-op)"How to Get Started Geocaching"- advice via REI's Learn site. (Disclaimer, REI is store dedicated to outdoor products.)
- Geocaching While Black (Blog)"I geocache. I'm black. Let's see how they mix…" (For info on this person's experiences see the NPR link.)
- Geocaching While Black (NPR)"Cadd is one of more than 1.6 million active geocachers in the United States. Bryan Roth of Groundspeak said that while there is political and economic diversity among the hobbyists, people of color are greatly underrepresented."
- Virtual Souvenirs - Cache In Trash Out (CITO)Geocachers & community groups work together to improve the outdoors. Souvenirs are earned by hosting/attending events -- cleaning up litter, planting trees, removing invasive species, building trails, etc.
Read On!
Backcountry Trails of Florida by ISBN: 9780813054544Publication Date: 2017-09-19Experience wild Florida with this guide to 100 off-the-grid hikes from every corner of the state.
Cool Maps and Geocaching by ISBN: 9781624036958Publication Date: 2015-08-01Teaches readers how to use a Global Positioning System receiver in order to find caches, or hidden objects, while out hiking, and learning orienteering.
Exploring Wild South Florida by ISBN: 9781561645008Publication Date: 2011-09-01An insider's guide to the natural areas of south Florida, from Hobe Sound in the east and Punta Gorda in the west down to the Keys and the Dry Tortugas.
Geocaching for Dummies (eBook) by ISBN: 0764583514Publication Date: 2004-09-07Seek out containers of goodies hidden around the world by other geocachers, hide a cache of your own, see new places, and get a little exercise to boot.
