Pearce Estate Park Wetland Interpretive Trails Multi-Cache

This cache has been archived.

GeoKs: Wetlands trail signs are in the process of being updated/replaced. They seem to contain a lot less information than the old ones. Rather than re-do the multi, we've found a new hiding spot for the container and will be submitted a new cache for review. This one lasted for 10 years...a good run. :)

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Hidden : 4/12/2008
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

While scouting Pearce Estate Park for the May 10, 2008 WWFM Event, we discovered a really informative network of wetland interpretive trails, including 19 information signs. Information on some of these signs should put you on the trail to a cache we later hid in the park.

June 30, 2009: The original container was muggled; it's been replaced with a magnetic matchbox container with a log book at the final coordinates.

THE CACHE IS NOT AT THE POSTED COORDINATES. The posted coordinates are for Sign 1, one of six signs you will need to visit to collect information to answer the multiple choice questions. Then use the table below the questions to convert the answers into the numbers needed to determine the final coordinates. Substitute the answers for the questions into the following coordinate pattern:

The cache is hidden at N51 02.(1)(2)(3) W114 00.(4)(5)(6)

If the answer to question one is (a), the number substituted into position (1) would be 7 and so on.

THE QUESTIONS:
Stage 1 (answer can be found at SIGN 1, at the posted coordinates) The green zone where land and flowing surface water meet is called a riparian zone. Riparian areas cover less than 2% of Alberta’s land surface, but sustain ___% of our fish and wildlife species.
a. 35%
b. 50%
c. 65%
d. 80%

Stage 2 (answer can be found at SIGN 7) When a well is drilled into an aquifer (underground water source), water collects in the well and can then be brought to the surface. The Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery was built here because of the steady supply of cold, fresh, clean water from this aquifer. The hatchery water wells extend ___ meters underground.
a. 15
b. 25
c. 40
d. 50

Stage 3 (answer can be found at SIGN 11) Peatlands are natural filters that help clean and regulate water flow and are also a source of water for some foothills and boreal forest streams. They act like sponges, absorbing and storing ___ times their weight in water.
a. 3 to 5
b. 5 to 10
c. 10 to 15
d. 10 to 20

Stage 4 (answer can be found at SIGN 15) Marshes are like supermarkets for wildlife. Birds, insects, animals and even people can find food and other things they need in a marsh. How many “aisles” are in the “Marsh-Mart”?
a. 3
b. 4
c. 5
d. 6

Stage 5 (answer can be found at SIGN 18) Healthy marshes can support several hundred species of invertebrates (animals without backbones, including insects), an important food source for the fish and birds which inhabit wetlands. How many different insects are pictured on this sign? (BE CAREFUL – some pictures may be of the same insect at different life stages and not all are pictures of insects. If you have any doubts about your answer to this question, USE THE HINT to check your westing coordinate before undertaking your search.)
a. 6
b. 7
c. 11
d. 15

Stage 6 (answer can be found at SIGN 19) Until very recently, people thought wetlands such as peatlands and marshes were waste land that had to be turned into something more useful such as farms, roads or houses. Up to ___% of the original wetlands on the prairies have been destroyed.
a. 50%
b. 60%
c. 70%
d. 80%

Stage 1 (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 5 (d) 4
Stage 2 (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4
Stage 3 (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 2 (d) 0
Stage 4 (a) 0 (b) 9 (c) 8 (d) 7
Stage 5 (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 5 (d) 4
Stage 6 (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 5

We walked more than 6 km to locate and take photos of all 19 signs. Your walk should not be more than 2 km. The cache container is a roundlock ‘n’ lock, about 500 ml size. NOTE: this can be a high muggle area, so PLEASE do your part to prolong the life of the cache by carefully re-hiding it when you are through.

June 30, 2009: The original container was muggled; it's been replaced with a magnetic matchbox container with a log book at the final coordinates.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Pbbeqvangrf: Gur fhz bs gur ynfg guerr qvtvgf bs gur jrfgvat vf 20.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)

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