Rock stacking trend can be harmful to wildlife
PARIS : If you're planning a hike in the mountains soon and feel the urge to pick up rocks, pile them up and post your creation on Instagram, think again.
This trend, known as 'rock balancing,' 'cairns,' 'rock stacking' or 'stone stacking' may be all the rage on Instagram, but it can have very real consequences for the flora and fauna that populate mountain waterways.
Back in 2020, Australian ecologist Nick Clemann, issued a warning about the dangers of such formations to a particular skink lizard in a report by Australian media outlet ABC News.
In Australia and elsewhere in the world, rocks form the habitat of these small reptiles and other animal species. Moving them therefore means depriving them of their shelter, which can directly threaten their survival.
In France, too, the practice is being called out. In 2022, the website of the Parc national des Calanques, a national park located on the Mediterranean coast in Southern France, published a press release sounding the alarm.
A number of animal and plant species in this sublime natural setting – but heavily affected by overtourism – are suffering as a result of rock stacking, notably the Tarentola mauritanica, or common wall gecko, the European yellow-tailed scorpion and the Sabline de Provence, a plant endemic to the region.
But that's not all: 'By removing stones along a pathway, the soil is left bare, leading to severe erosion until the bedrock is reached,' the news release explains.
While the release states that its aim is to raise awareness rather than punish what appears to be a harmless act, it nevertheless points out that building cairns in the park can result in a fine of €135.
National parks and mountain trails are not, of course, the only ecosystems affected. Picking up, moving, or stacking rocks or pebbles is punishable by a fine of €1,500 along the entire French coastline, as the government explains on its official website.
Meanwhile, in the past month, the issue has been brought to the fore once more, with tourists and locals in the area of Lake Tekapo, New Zealand speaking out about the practice.
While on this particular site, there is some disagreement about its direct impact on the ecosystem, the practice is being criticised for its disruption of the natural setting.
Described as 'environmental vandalism' by one resident in a report by Radio New Zealand, it's yet another example of tensions surrounding sites of natural beauty and how they are being affected by social media-driven tourism.
While it is obviously not forbidden to capture the breathtaking landscapes that you sometimes discover after hours of walking, there are practical and simple ways to enjoy the wonders of nature without harming it.
National parks and other marked trails are generally subject to strict regulations, which are posted on signs in strategic locations for visitors. You should always read these carefully before setting off on a walk.
Another golden rule to help you preserve the biodiversity of the place you're exploring is to 'leave nothing but footprints.' This advice applies to litter, building cairns, and even lovers who might be tempted to carve their initials into a tree or rock!
The 'leave-no-trace' principle of outdoor exploration is also espoused by experts in the US, cited in a recent article, who have labelled the proliferation of cairns an aspect of 'visual pollution' in a natural landscape.
Furthermore, cairns may have an important meaning in certain cultures whether as a traditional wayfinding approach or imbued with spiritual meaning, and thus stacking stones 'for fun' can potentially be seen as creating confusion or even offensive.
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