🪵 FIELD GUIDE 13: Learning to survive

Connecting with nature is one thing, but could you survive in nature? What are the skills that are required for surviving in the wilderness, and how long do you think you could last?

(I’m throwing in the towel before I even get started, if I’m being honest)

Name

Joel Morwe

Soundtrack

This song is relevant because when you’re in a survival situation, its important to pick yourself up.

Habitat

The Jungles of Botswana

Stuff he’s done

• I am currently working as a Security Officer in the Diamond Sorting and Marketing industry after having served for over 16 years in the Army as a Sergeant (Platoon 2IC).

• During my tenure as a soldier, I was a reputable instructor in most military disciplines including weapons, tracking, and survival.

• I was also a top achiever in military training hence my interest in tracking and survival.

• As a dexterous instructor for over a decade I have taught survival to the Army and Wildlife officers.

• I have also written a few columns for the defunct Botswana Tourism Magazine.

Important ideas of survival

• Survival on its own means being able to prolong life with limited resources.

• Most people this skill set is a long lost art which does not fit in the modern times but there have been incidents where people have lost their lives in the jungle just because they did not possess any skills on survival.

• Survival skills are important in the sense that in order for one to survive you have to have knowledge of the surrounding flora and fauna and improvising to better the chances of living with no dependency to artificial resources and medicines

Basic skills you can use

There are many combinations of methods to orient yourself:

These methods can help give an approximate direction since they are not 100% accurate.

• The shadow tip: This utilizes the sun or the moon and stars and their movements. We place a stick in the ground to observe the movement of the shadow it casts. Once we determine the direction the sun or moon is moving we can determine north.

• Bird nests: Are always built facing away from the sun.

• Old tombstones and churches always face to the east.

• Anthills: Tend to lean towards east. In Botswana, this is because ants tend to avoid heat and during the day will be building towards the west where there is less sunlight.

Shelter building and building a fireplace without endangering the forest is also important.

Many trees and plants have medicinal properties. More especially bark and roots for various ailments:

• Alder tree barks have anti-inflammatory qualities.

• Ash tree seeds can stop bleeding, as well as lower fevers. Their bark can treat rash/irritation.

• Birch bark is antibacterial.

• Some types of cacti are anti-inflammatory and are useful when sore or injured.

It is important to be able to predict the weather as best as possible when in the wilderness. Here are a few that indicate approaching bad weather:

• Expanding, tall, fluffy clouds indicate thunderstorms.

• Reddish colored sky at dusk

• Birds that normally fly at higher altitudes (like swallows), flying low

• Ants busy or frantic while gathering food for storage

• Hair on human skin standing on end

Joel’s recommendations

Theres not a constant need to have these skills. But, it is important to learn the use of this art and to know medicinal properties of plants around you. Marking your way in case you get lost will allow you to navigate your way in and out of unknown territory and is a skill that can be used at any stage in life. Learning how to protect yourself against harsh weather conditions in times of need could also save your life.

Learn more

Joel encourages attending survival seminars or boot camps to fully immerse yourself in learning these skills.

There are many benefits that come with understanding nature. Confident camping and hiking experiences is one. Jessie Krebs has spent 30 years helping people prepare for the unexpected. This is a virtual class that will immerse you in survival to set you up for success.

The Outdoor Herbivore is a blog that covers everything from organic vegetarian recipes to put together in the great outdoors to how to plan hikes in any season or weather.

One of the most informational books, on plants and their medicinal and nutritional values that Joel recommends is, Trees & Shrubs of the Okavango Delta by Veronica Roodt. Given that you’re likely not in Botswana, here’s an encyclopedia that has over 550 plants with their medicinal properties and applications.