Hello all. I am a bushcraft instructor currently in the uk. I work for Ray Mears, undoubtedly our leading authority. I am re-locating to NZ in about May this year, probably Northland. i wanted to know more about the scene there and about schools and learning. i'd like to know if this is something i could do for a job there. No doubt i will have to learn about 1000 new trees, plants and animals but the skill sets and teaching i believe will be very much the same. please drop me any comments to help me on my way.
Many thanks.
Tags: Instuctor, uk
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Hi
I have a ray mears dvd hes good but you cant get hes dvds here
take a look at landsar nz and doc nz i think they do workshops on bushcraft / sarvival
I hop it helps you
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Hi Ian
Bushcraft is growing in popularity in New Zealand but at the current time I don't think there are many job opportunities we are a pretty small and spread out population. The term bushcraft is used by the Mountain Safety Council and they run courses but it is really only emergency skills rather than bushcraft in the wider sense that we refer to here.
Of course there is always scope to better tap into the existing demand and start your own course after you learn abut our flora and fauna (and their Maori names!). I think that if done properly a school/workshop would be popular. There are a few things going on that are borderline bushcraft but come under the cultural umbrella, I doubt you would have a look in unless you have a maori ancestor hidden in the family tree!
There are also other jobs such as an instructor for Outdoor Pursuits Centre or various other outdoor groups which could be a good intermediate while you get up to speed with NZ.
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If you want a headstart on Native edibles get 'A field guide to the Native Edible Plants of New Zealand' by Andrew Crowe. He also has a bunch of books on Native Birds, Trees, Shrubs etc etc that you can buy which are about the same size as the SAS Survival Guide- pocket edition- but a lot thinner. As far as my research has revealed there is no Bushcraft Schools in New Zealand, and it is something I would love to get going in here. In my opinion it would not be as popular as it seems to be in England and a school in Bushcraft may not survive if this is the only type of courses run.
Basically most things that are huntable or plants that are edible that are not in Andrew Crowes books, in New Zealand, will have been introduced and as we are mostly from over your part of the world, you should be fairly familiar with a fair chunk of stuff. All huntable and trappable animals here, as far as I know, are introduced. The only one you may not know are Possums, but my article on trapping them will give you a bit of an idea.
Shame your moving to the North Island, Don't worry eventually you will come to realise that the South Island is far superior to the North Island, its people much nicer and much much more humble-LOL. That should get a hit from up north.
Somewhere like 'Outward Bound' may be very interested in you.
If you decide to move South, or finally come to your senses if you move up North, let us Southerners know as I am sure you may be able to run courses of your own for some extra cash, should be the same up North if your silly enough to stay.
As a Scout leader, I think this may be something that Scout troops may be interested in as well. Although it has become Scarily PC, so try approaching the Head office and it may lead to something even before you have arrived.
I hope that it all works out for you, and if you do get a job teaching Bushcraft here let us know, as I am sure some of us will be interested in knowing where and also attending courses. If there is anything that learning Bushcraft has taught me it is that you can never have enough knowledge, new skills or techniques.
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Hi Ian, I am trying to get a Bushcraft meet happening in Christchurch area, but I have know idea what kind of content to use as it will be our first one. Do not want to put people off before we even get our group going. I think I will have a BBQ at home with as many as will come and have a brainstorming session and get their ideas. But if you were able to help us with any of your experience it would be greatly appreciated. Do you have course content you could send me or give me any idea of how you run it and what you do, that would be huge.
I am not intending to run courses or charge at these, I just want to try and have our Christchurch group going strong and get others involved. Bushcraft is in its infancy here, in the form that we think of it now anyway, lots of the skills have been lost and we would like to bring them back.
Maybe Ray Mears company would be interested in expanding to New Zealand, if they are and did- CAN I HAVE A JOB?????????-lol.
Anyway any help you could offer would be fantastic
Thanks- Scott
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Hi Ian,
Welcome to the forum.
Woodlore is going through a shake up with Paul Kirtley leaving and you are heading here...
As the others have pointed out there is a big difference between the UK and NZ bushcraft 'scene' and 'market' and as a consiquence the need for 'Bushcraft' Instructors.
Working for Woodlore is a huge achivement well done on that. However that will not carry the same level of interest for potential employers as it would in the UK. RM is pretty much unknown here even in the outdoor world and the NZ style of bushcraft is very different to the UK. Then you have terrain differences, flora and Fauna differences etc.
The outdoor industry is always looking for capable people but with that comes a caveat in that they need the appropriate NZ qualifications. I'm not sure what UK based outdoor qualifications you may have picked up while working for Woodlore. A Summer ML would be a start...
Anyhow the above is not meant to sound negative in anyway. Drop me a PM if fancy a chat on skills requirements or the work situation here.
Cheers
John
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"The outdoor industry is always looking for capable people but with that comes a caveat in that they need the appropriate NZ qualifications."
Doesn't sound good, that. I have bushcraft experience, and would dearly love more than anything to share that knowledge with anyone who would like to learn, but I don't agree with the idea of spending a few hundred to a few thousand having to get a piece of paper saying I can actually do what I already know I can do.
If anyone is looking for a bushcraft instructor with no paper qualifications, but practical experience, please let me know!
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