He first noticed the problem after visiting remote beaches in Orkney, Scotland, and has continued to see, and tweet about, the detrimental effects of this trend. John Hourston, the founder of a small environmental organization called the Blue Planet Society, believes stone staking is a terrible trend with devastating consequences that must stop. Stone Cairn Are Stone Cairns Graffiti or Art? However, these stacks of stones and rock pile trail markers are viewed as a dangerous form of graffiti by many conservationists, park rangers, and nature lovers today.

Indigenous people also built stone cairns to mark landmarks, trails, or memorials. One of the most ancient known uses for these rock piles was to measure the sun for solstice and equinox celebrations. Stone cairns have been created for many reasons over the years. ( source) Therefore, a stone cairn is a human-made pile of balancing stones stacked on top of each other. вЂњCairnвЂќ is a Gaelic translated to mean вЂњheap of stones.вЂќВ Wikipedia describes a cairn as a stack or pile of stones, often in a conical form. Related: 20 Ways to Play Outside in the Rain What is a Cairn?

But please be aware of the dangers of this rock activity. In modern times, many people use stacking stones to relax, relieve stress, meditate, create, play, and learn. Rocks were stacked and placed on top of each other to create stone cairns for different reasons by many different indigenous people over time. The art of balancing stones has origins across several cultures. Evidence of cairn-building and rock balancing art pre-dates the bible and can be found all over the world. These balancing rock piles, or stone sculptures, are also known as stone cairns. Rock balancing is when stones are stacked on top of one other to create land art without adhesives or any other means of support. So, please carefully dismantle any balanced stone creations you make in the wild before you leave, or keep your artistic cairn creations in your own backyardвЂ“thank you! You might also enjoy skipping stones, and Sorting and Classifying Rocks: Geology for Kids.

However, while stacked stones are gorgeous, and are a simple way to mark a trail or burial sites, environmentalists and conservationists warn that piles of rock in the wrong place can lead to erosion, and be dangerous for eggs, small creatures, and other wildlife. Rock balancing, also known as stone stacking, stone building, and stone balancing, is when you balance or stack rocks on top of each other in various positions to produce beautiful land art sculptures or stone cairns. Balance and stack rocks, or stones, of different shapes and sizes, with this meditative art form that doubles as a gravity-defying STEAM activity! But pleaseвЂ“be awareвЂ“piles of rock can be devastating to the natural landscape, and can lead to erosion, and the extinction of endangered species.

The wishing stone art project