Hey KingofClad...I enjoyed your thoughtful post! I would suspect most of us Detectorists are in form or fashion Ecologists or Naturalists...We spend an inordinant amount of Time outdoors and have all our Lives...We just naturally pay attention to things.... We have seen some big changes in the ecosystem in our 40yrs afield..We can identify plants, soil structure, rocks, animal tracks, weather patterns, reptiles and amphibians, trees, etc...way more than most...
A lot of us do clean ups, tree plantings...beach or river, whatever..any excuse to be outside is good enough!
Detecting gives us a viable excuse to go explore! We are the least environmentally damaging of just about any outside recreationalists I can imagine. As you know, We sure as hell are not litterbugs! We track people by what they have cast off or discarded...Out in all weather, year round, self ordained Stewards and Wardens if you will...We do no more 'damage' than a squirrel or mole and a lot less than a beaver!...
Funny thing about beaver....Besides us, they are the only other mammal on this Planet that will drastically and quickly change an ecosystem to suit their needs...They will roll into a place, cut down trees, dam up a waterway, dig and root around...I know theres beaver over in those West Chicago park drainages...I've seen their work...had a Human done that in a managed park environment? That poor guy would be sitting in the slammer! BAD!
So yeah...We aint hurting nothing compared to them, and we aint nobodys problem, certainly not the grasses...the grass will cover us all eventually with no concern...I'd like to know what dipsh!t threw this refrigerator into MY river though!
Probably some damn Sierra Club member!
I tell you what really frosts my buns worse than a Minnesota outhouse? Whoever imported Argentine grass and Purple Loose strife ornamentals!! In my Lifetime, That stuff has just decimated nesting wetlands and native habitat...
Mud