http://cairnspotter.com/data-room-software-keeps-growing-but-no-one-company-is-dominating
The word cairn is derived from the Scottish Gaelic meaning stone man. It can conjure images of faith, purpose, and spiritual journeys. In the backcountry, making cairns is a popular pastime, and it’s easy to understand why people are attracted to these adorable stacks of flat rocks that are balanced like child’s building blocks. With shoulders hurting and black flies buzzing in ears, a hiker will examine the stones around her and try to pick one with the right balance of tilt and flatness, breadth and depth. After a few close calls (one that’s too large or too small) the shrewd will choose the one that’s set perfectly in place, and the subsequent layer of the cairn will be complete.
Many people are unaware that cairn building can have a negative environmental impact, especially when done near water sources. When rocks are removed from the edges of in a lake, river, or pond, they alter the ecosystem and eliminate the habitat for microorganisms which provide the food chain. These rocks may also be swept away from the edge of a pond, river or lake by erosion, and end up in places where they could inflict harm on wildlife or humans.
This is why the practice of making cairns should be discouraged in areas that have rare or endangered reptiles, amphibians or mammals or plants and flowers that require the humidity that is locked in the rocks. And if you build an cairn on private property it could be in violation of the laws of the state and federal government that protect the land’s natural resources and may result in fines or even a detention.