Cairns, the word that comes from the Scottish Gaelic for stone man is a symbol of faith and the purpose of an enlightened journey. In the backcountry, cairn making is a popular trend, and it’s easy to understand why people are attracted by these sweet little piles of flat stones that are balanced as child’s building blocks. With shoulders hurting and flies that are black buzzing in ears, hikers will survey the stones before her, and then try to select one that has just the right balance of flatness and tilt, breadth and depth. After a few close calls (one that’s too bulgy or too small) The solitary will choose the one that’s perfectly in the spot, and then the second layer of the cairn will be complete.
But what people do not realize is that cairn making can have a negative environmental impact, particularly when done close to water sources. When rocks are removed from the shore of a pond, river or lake, it degrades the ecosystem and destroys the habitat of microorganisms that feed the food chain. These rocks may be swept away from the edge of a river, pond or lake through erosion and end up in places where they could inflict harm on humans or wildlife.
Cairn building should be avoided in areas that are home to rare or endangered reptiles, mammals amphibians, plants, or other species or where the moisture is trapped beneath the rocks. If you build a rock cairn in private land, it could be in violation of federal and state regulations protecting the natural assets of the land. This could result in fines and even arrest.