The word “cairn” comes what is cairn making from the Scottish Gaelic for stone man, can conjure up images of faith and motive, of the spiritual journey. In the backcountry, making cairns is a trend, and it’s easy to understand why people feel attracted by these sweet little piles of flat stones that are shaped like children’s building blocks. A hiker who is suffering from aching shoulders and black fly flies buzzing in her ears will attempt to pick a stone that has the perfect mix of flatness as well as tilt, width and depth. After a few close calls (one that’s too bulgy, another that’s too small) The solitary will pick the one that sets perfectly in place, and the next layer of the cairn is complete.
But what people do not realize is that cairn-making can have an adverse environmental impact, particularly when it’s done near water sources. When rock is removed from the shore of a pond or lake, it dishevels the ecosystem and destroys the habitat for microorganisms that feed the food chain. Additionally these rocks can be carried away by erosion to places where they could harm wildlife or humans.
In light of this, the practice of cairn making should be discouraged in areas that have rare or endangered reptiles, amphibians, mammals or plants and flowers that require water that is trapped under the rocks. And if you build an cairn on private property, it may violate federal and state regulations that protect the land’s natural resources and may result in fines or even arrest.
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