The word “cairn” comes from the Scottish Gaelic for stone man can invoke images of faith and motive, of spiritual journeys. Cairn building is a very popular activity in the backcountry. It’s easy to understand why people are drawn to these little piles of flat stones that can be stacked like children’s blocks. With shoulders hurting and black flies buzzing through ears, hikers will look over the stones in front of her and attempt to select one that is just the right balance of flatness and tilt along with depth and breadth. After a few close calls (one that’s too big or too small) the shrewd will pick the one that’s set perfectly in place, and the next layer of the cairn becomes complete.

However, what a lot of people don’t know is that cairns can have their explanation an adverse environmental impact, especially when it’s done near water sources. When rock is removed from the shore of a pond, river or lake, it disturbs the ecosystem and ruins the habitat of microorganisms which support the entire food chain. Additionally these rocks can be transported by erosion to locations that could pose a threat to humans or wildlife.

For these reasons, the practice of making cairns should be avoided in areas that have endangered or rare reptiles, amphibians, or mammals or plants and flowers that require the humidity that is locked in the rocks. If you construct a cairn on private land it could violate the laws of the state and federal government that protect the land’s natural resources. This could result in fines, or even arrest.