Wilderness Survival Skills for Permaculture Design Integration

Kim Chisholm, Tacoma PDC Graduate, and Chris Chisholm, guest instructor on wilderness survival and traditional technologies at many permaculture events, will be teaching this class on wilderness survival from two perspectives: 1) emergency response in case of disaster or getting lost in the wilderness, and 2) traditional technologies that are necessary for sustainable living (also known as primitive skills, but we don't care for that term).

The cost is $10 and you can pay at-the-door, and please note that our normal Seattle venues are not available this month, so we reserved South Bellevue Community Center which is a great place to meet. Here's the itinerary for class which you can also view at www.wolfcollege.com (http://www.wolfcollege.com/):

Before Class: Please arrive early in order to complete any registration information, view recommended books, and answer questions. Also, if we get started early, we'll teach you how to make rope from all-natural materials which is a critical permaculture skill of self-sufficiency. Instructors Kim & Chris Chisholm (http://www.wolfcamp.com/about/staff.html) will teach everyone how to "reverse wrap" grasses, cedar bark, stinging nettles, and other materials into strong rope. In a survival situation, it is also important to multi-task, so as you practice your reverse-wrap, everyone will also introduce themselves with their primary interest for the evening.

15-30 Minutes: Essential Tools and the Critical Order of Emergency Survival: As you probably know, we should never venture into nature without the 10 Essentials, but as your skills grow, that list begins to change. For instance, if you become versed in making fire-by-friction using the "bow-drill" method of "rubbing two sticks together," you may find that this "primitive" skill is actually the most dependable fire-starting method in our cold, damp Pacific Northwest weather. So although bringing a fire-starting kit is great, it might not be as important as bringing a metal pot. Why? Chris will lead a discussion on this fascinating perspective.

15 Minutes for the Five Minute Emergency Drill: We will present an emergency scenario, and you can "go it alone" or form a small group to figure out how best to survive the situation based on the order of survival, your level of experience, and other factors.

15-30 Minutes on Shelter vs. Navigation: To get a jump-start on this discussion, check out our article on shelter (http://www.wolfcamp.com/wolfjourney/essays/shelter.html). We will discuss the decisions made during your Five Minute Emergency Drill, and then we'll show you actual materials you might find in the Pacific Northwest with which you can make shelter. We will demonstrate the lean-to, debris hut, and finding natural shelters, plus discuss the limitations of each structure in the Pacific Northwest. If time and space allows, we will again break into groups, and each group will have 5 minutes to build the best shelter possible for the "model" we provide. This activity is a real eye-opener for understanding actual shelter-building in emergency situations.

15 Minutes on Water: Now that giardia is pervasive in fresh water throughout North America, if your water filter fails, or you run out of purification tabs, what then? We will bring samples of "burn bowls" and show you how to make them in case you are caught without a metal pot to boil water in, and show you how to "rock boil" water in order to purify it.

15 Minutes on Fire: Of course, if you don't have a fire source, then you can't boil water or enjoy comforting external warmth. It is critical to practice making fire with all-natural materials. Unfortunately, few people actually practice this, and it's hard to do, especially in wet Pacific Northwest climates. We will set up "tipi" and "lean-to" and "log cabin" style fire demonstrations, discuss proper use of matches, lighters and magnesium, and then actually light (but of course immediately put out) a fire by "rubbing two sticks together" using the bow-drill fire-by-friction method. You can also get a jump-start on this lesson by reading our article on fire (http://www.wolfcamp.com/wolfjourney/essays/fire.html).

15 Minutes on Food: The depth to which we will discuss food will be entirely time dependent. We will start with wild edible plants that grow locally as well as out in the wilderness. We will also discuss the Big 5 foods you would seek out right away in a wilderness survival situation, even before resorting to hunting and fishing. Then join us in March for our full class on wild foods!

After Class - Feedback & Planning: Please join Chris & Kim after class to review experiences, browse resources, discuss feedback, and brainstorm ideas for the future. Email (chris@wolfcamp.com) or Call (http://www.wolfcamp.com/about/register/apply.html) us at any time with any questions and requests.

Please Bring:

• Hats, warm clothes, and rain gear if necessary for the outdoor portion of class. - Flashlight/Headlamp will make things a lot easier for fire making and other outdoor skills. - Any of the other 10 Essentials you want with you, although we'll be right on campus. A great description of the 10 Essentials can be found at http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/te... (http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/ten+essentials.html) Classes follow field exercises from our Wolf Journey Earth Conservation Courses, and topics through the rest of the Academic Year include the following themes:

Feb 19: Sustainable Homes & Gardens Workshop with Permaculture Potluck & Seed Exchange (rescheduled due to storm damage) 1-4 PM Puyallup with $10 off for Seattle Permaculture Guild Members, so $15 instead of $25, or just $5 if you hold a Permaculture Design Certificate! Feb 28: Herbal Medicine Class $10 Seattle Good Shepherd Center 6-8 PM March 3: Wild Foods Foraging & Herbal Medicine Making in Puyallup 10:00-4:00 normally $45 but take $5 off for Seattle Permaculure Guild Members. March 20: Wild Edible Foods Class $10 UW Center for Urban Horticulture 6-8 PM April 15: Sustainable Homes & Gardens Workshop with Permaculture Potluck probably in King/Snohomish County Location 1-4 PM May 19: Edible Seaweeds & Shelfish of the Salish Sea workshop at Deception Pass 10:00-4:00 normally $45 but take $5 off for Seattle Permaculure Guild Members.