Nobody cares about Flickr anymore but the other three are quite culpable. Instagram is driving traffic the most, but Facebook and the Field Guide and forums are definitely also driving traffic. For all the complaining about the reveal of lesser-known hikes, I've yet to see anybody complain about the vast number of lesser-known hikes available both in the Field Guide here and on Trail Advocates. I personally support both, and use both frequently - but there are others who feel differently.Sean Thomas wrote:kepPNW wrote:Well... All it really takes is one Google for the name of that tree, to get a #2 ranked link to this forum, that has a link to a geocaching site (#1 ranked hit), which offers details provided by a member of this site. Not to cast aspersions on her, because the #3 hit goes to a Flickr photo with coordinates embedded. Just saying... it's out there, already.Sean Thomas wrote:For example, I still post photos occasionally of the Arcadia Cedar but never post a track or give directions etc. Sure someone out there can locate it, but they'll still have to do the work with a map to actually find it as opposed to if I was posting gps tracks and detailed directions.
That's a good point Karl. And doing some research the tree is sort of an interesting case, as it doesn't seem entirely clear whether its actually on state land or not. This was from a Clatsop County Board meeting back in 2013, but in it Astoria District Forester Tom Savage couldn't answer whether or not the tree was actually on ODF property. If it is ODF property it's in a protected parcel for Marbled Murrelet, which is great. And in many minds that probably makes it a great candidate for a spot that shouldn't be shared about online, even if the info is already out there. If it isn't protected, spam posts on fb of(insert hiker) hugging the tree aren't going to help much, I totally get that. But sharing contact info to one of the previously mentioned conservation advocacy groups already mentioned or your local and state government etc might help? Ok ok Im just part of the problem
This begs the next question, which is the most harmful? Fb, Instagram, Flickr or (drumroll)Oregon Hikers?!
The info about the cedar is on page 5, bottom half:
https://www.co.clatsop.or.us/sites/defa ... -13reg.pdf
Again, the closer to a populated area and the easier to access a beautiful place is, the more likely it is to become overrun with people. So the complaining about Oneonta Gorge is justified, but that's just what happens. It's not like this is a Portland-only phenomenon. When I lived in France I saw stuff like this all the time. But I was also able to find many obscure places with more effort and time spent getting away from major metro areas.