- Only member Societies of EFMLS Affiliate Societies who have joing EFTA may participate in and attend EFTA field trips.
- Do not publish EFTA field trip information where the general public can access it. This includes but not limited to social media and society websites.
- Do not send or share EFTA field trip information with any organization that is does not participate in EFTA or anyone who is not a member of a EFTA.
- All sites visited by the Field Trip Sharing Program (EFTA) are not to be revisited by anyone unless they are on public property or on privately owned land with the owner’s permission. This is the quickest way to lose access to a field trip location. Therefore, if an EFTA member society or one of its members breaks this crucial EFTA field trip policy, their future EFTA field trip information will be forfeited!
- Please do not visit a site immediately before a EFTA field trip. Also, do not go to a site ahead of the group on the day of the field trip. Meet and caravan with the rest of the group so that everyone will have equal access to the site.
- By attending an EFTA field trip you agree to comply with the property owner, field trip leader, and anyone designated as a field trip official. Inappropriate behavior can result in dismissal from the field trip site.
If a liability waiver or other form is required for a site, you will not be allowed to participate until you have properly completed the document(s) required. - If a fee is required for a site, you will not be allowed to participate until you have paid the fee.
- Make sure to bring all safety equipment required for a trip or you might not be allowed to participate or even enter the site.
- Be on time.
- Do not park your vehicle where it is blocking a road, gate, or another vehicle.
- Always fill in all your holes.
- Don’t litter.
- Adhere to the AFMS & EFMLS Code of Ethics.
- Never disturb buildings or other facilities at a collecting site.
- Only take home what you can reasonably use.
- Be sure to remove photo metadata information from pictures taken on EFTA field trips before posting them publicly, especially if the field trip site was private.
- PLEASE keep your vehicle locked at all times.
- And above all — PLEASE HAVE FUN!!!
AFMS Code of Ethics
All attendees must follow the AFMS Code of Ethics
- I will respect both private and public property and will do no collecting on privately owned land without the owner’s permission.
- I will keep informed on all laws, regulations or rules governing collecting on public lands and will observe them.
- I will, to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary lines of property on which I plan to collect.
- I will use no firearms or blasting material in collecting areas.
- I will cause no willful damage to property of any kind – fences, signs, buildings, etc.
- I will leave all gates as found.
- I will build fires in designated or safe places only and will be certain they are completely extinguished before leaving the area.
- I will discard no burning material – matches, cigarettes, etc.
- I will fill all excavation holes which may be dangerous to livestock.
- I will not contaminate wells, creeks, or other water supplies.
- I will will cause no willful damage to collecting material and will take home only what I can reasonably use.
- I will support the rockhound project H.E.L.P. (Help Eliminate Litter Please) and will leave all collecting areas devoid of litter, regardless of how found.
- I will cooperate with field trip leaders and those in designated authority in all collecting areas.
- I will report to my club or federation officers, Bureau of Land Management or other authorities, any deposit of petrified wood or other materials on public lands which should be protected for the enjoyment of future generations for public educational and scientific purposes.
- I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources.
- I will observe the “Golden Rule,” will use “Good Outdoor Manners,” and will at all times conduct myself in a manner which will add to the stature and public “image” of rockhounds everywhere