Could we please add a new Forum for the The Natural World, for discussion of flora, fauna, geology?

Roger did what he could.

Now it's up to the Fates.

BPL is currently in the process of switching servers. I got an e mail to my enquiry that they see no issue with making this happen. Give it a bit more time.

BPL admin normally does not read this forum as it is intended as a place for us to help each other with the quirks of BPL. A quirk of it's own.

"Is the administration normally this uncommunicative?"

Yes, Obama hasn't answered a single letter in 7 years. Maybe I'll send a nice letter and see if that works.

– 1

" Many members are highly interested in the animals, plants and geology encountered on trail. "

all great topics for discussion but I'm sure many sites already exist on the web for just this purpose.
should this site try to be all things to all people ? or focus on what its name says ?
what does BPL mean again ?

Too late Art. There is a photography forum, Chaff, Fishing, Photo Gallery, Other Activities already . I see no harm in one more off piste forum.

It's just too bad that you can't select individual forums to follow. You could then skip things like Philmont, Packrafting, Gearswap, etc…

Give the paying subscribers what they want.

"Yes, Obama hasn't answered a single letter in 7 years. Maybe I'll send a nice letter and see if that works."

maybe if you emailed him

I get emails from him all the time

I've been on here, on and off, for a very long time (first started payed sub in 2003, but visited often earlier) so I consider a lot of people on here my cyber friends. I feel like I know how they think about a lot of things, and commiserate on many things. I already know (mostly) which are full of shit, and which are an unlimited fount of experience. So frankly for me (I assume it the same for a lot of people on here) when I have a question, or a topic I'd like to discuss in the near vicinity of backpacking in general, however "peripheral" to UL, what I especially enjoy and appreciate HERE is the ability to come to to THIS group of people – or rather, a good size subgroup. THAT is what makes this site successful, IMHO.

Besides, those people on the OTHER backing forums are just weird. :-)

So yeah, I'm in very much in favor extra side forums if enough people would like them. For example, I had a guy on here ID a bird for me last year from the DESCRIPTION of its song – I could never actually see the bird. He nailed it in one – though I'd like to think it was my excellent description of its 3-note song. I tried the "real" birding site and people had no idea what it was – some were saying it was an insect and no help at all.

If you have problems with all the riff-raff that invade the narrower things you want to discuss then I suggest you do what a lot of folks in that situation do, and start your own narrower site. But IMO it is terribly boorish for a few people to repeatedly complain about how it sucks that such a wonderful (on the whole) community of people will not stick to a narrower field. But as is made pretty clear on this thread – they are SO outvoted.

Successful sites are open communities. The "secret society echo chamber" ones where no one is allowed to occasionally stray from the main topic, or talk some some shit, or make light of your "serious" pursuits all suck terribly IMO. But I guess it come down to whether you view it as a community or merely as a method of exchanging information.

I don't see the SNR here as a problem yet – probably ever. The "problem" with this site is not that you can't easily find information on any topic you want – its that there is so much good information. Its enough to make a dogmatist writhe in furry. More sub-forums only make stuff easier to find.

So in my humble opinion this site is WAI, or at least working as it should. Bravo.
(The "administration" excepted. Do we need to burn incense? Make a sacrifice? Consult an oracle?)

However I do NOT want to see any photos of your rashes, and that is final!

Hey everyone,

Thanks for your enthusiasm for this idea. As some of you may know we are working on switching to a new server and working on a new BPL site. Moving the forums has proven to be a challenge already so we don't want to complicate things further by adding a new forum. Once the new site is live we'll be reorganizing the forums.

Eric

Thanks for the heads up Eric. Any idea when the new site will be live?

Good luck with the migration. Looking forward to the new site.

I'm not sure exactly. I'm not too involved in that directly. Should be a nice change though.

+10 Marko. I feel I've recouped my Life membership fee many times over in knowledge and friendships.

Eric, any rough estimate of when the new site will be up? Don't worry, know how tricky migration can be and won't be hollering at you for coming in later than planned. Just have some cool stuff to share – it can wait a little longer.

> Do we need to burn incense? Make a sacrifice?
Gift offerings to the Moderators are always welcome …

Cheers

"Gift offerings to the Moderators are always welcome …"

I'll gift you a shirt….

will you wash it first?

"will you wash it first?"

I don't even wash my own clothes that I wear daily….

Thanks Eric.

Doug that explains a lot.

I’ve got more ;)

Thanks BPL for the separate fast packing forum. Let's not forget about this request.

I agree Ken.

To me gear is just a means to do what I love, which is getting out and enjoying "The Natural World". Without that, it's mostly tech talk and competitive pursuits; nothing wrong there either, but why leave out what is a fundamental part of backpacking for a lot of us?

Edited for spelling.

Has anyone asked BPL ? The fast packers got a new forum just by asking.

Maybe this forum is going into the BPL upgrade ?

Bump! We need a good place for articles like this one

http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article31632431.html

Hey. We're still here, waiting. There's a Giveaway forum now of sorts and the Fastpacking forum now too. why the delay BPL, Why?

Another +1. Come on, what's the holdup? With so many existing subforums that are barely used, we're already way beyond worrying about mission creep.

Got this today "Hi Ken Some things happen faster than others, and we are working on migrating the whole web site to a new improved host system as well. Cheers Roger" Been hearing about a new platform for some time too.

> For example, I had a guy on here ID a bird for me last year from the DESCRIPTION of its song – I could never actually see the bird. He nailed it in one – though I'd like to think it was my excellent description of its 3-note song. I tried the "real" birding site and people had no idea what it was – some were saying it was an insect and no help at all. See! I DO have some value at BPL. #smugselfsatisfaction #olivesidedflycatcher #quickthreebeers