At the bushmoot last year Mors Kochanski invited me to join him teaching in schools in Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge area of British Columbia. Of course I took him up on his offer and have just returned from my visit.
I flew to Edmonton, Alberta, where I spent a couple of days visiting relatives and Elk Island National Park.
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Both Plains and Woodland Bison can be seen in the national park.
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Beaver are very common and here is a beaver lodge with musk rats living it.
Leaving Edmonton, I flew to Dawson Creek where I was met by Mors. Initially we would stay with Pat and Robin O'Reily (Pat is a good friend of Mors' and founder of Bear Mountain and Gwillam Lake outdoor education facilities.
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We used the site at Bear Mountain for teaching children of a variety of ages.
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We took the children on walks in the bush where Mors talked about edible and medicinal uses of plants we encountered.
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Each child was provided with a "walking stick" and were given a sea shell each with which to peal the bark from the stick with.
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and were given other activities such as making musical instruments and simple buck saws
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While there we saw black bears
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and heard wolves. This is a plaster cast of a wolf track
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We then moved to Tumbler Ridge where we stayed in a small cabin.
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Working with younger children we collected plants and each child taped down their collection
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And each class gained a comprehensive collection of plants around there school and learned about there uses.
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They also helped to construct a "super shelter"
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and parents were invited to join us for a hot dog roast
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After collecting birch bark
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Mors taught me how to make bark baskets of various sizes
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and knife sheaths
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Mors had also made baskets from corn flake packets
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and aluminium
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I plan to write some tutorials for the various things Mors taught me to make as and when I have the time.
Here is a picture of the four knives Mors rates most highly. At the top is a new knife made by Rod Garcia to the specification Mors wrote in "Bushcraft" and with advise from Mors himself.
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Having worked for Mors, he will be returning the favour next year by assisting with a course with me.
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I flew to Edmonton, Alberta, where I spent a couple of days visiting relatives and Elk Island National Park.
Both Plains and Woodland Bison can be seen in the national park.
Beaver are very common and here is a beaver lodge with musk rats living it.
Leaving Edmonton, I flew to Dawson Creek where I was met by Mors. Initially we would stay with Pat and Robin O'Reily (Pat is a good friend of Mors' and founder of Bear Mountain and Gwillam Lake outdoor education facilities.
We used the site at Bear Mountain for teaching children of a variety of ages.
We took the children on walks in the bush where Mors talked about edible and medicinal uses of plants we encountered.
Each child was provided with a "walking stick" and were given a sea shell each with which to peal the bark from the stick with.
and were given other activities such as making musical instruments and simple buck saws
While there we saw black bears
and heard wolves. This is a plaster cast of a wolf track
We then moved to Tumbler Ridge where we stayed in a small cabin.
Working with younger children we collected plants and each child taped down their collection
And each class gained a comprehensive collection of plants around there school and learned about there uses.
They also helped to construct a "super shelter"
and parents were invited to join us for a hot dog roast
After collecting birch bark
Mors taught me how to make bark baskets of various sizes
and knife sheaths
Mors had also made baskets from corn flake packets
and aluminium
I plan to write some tutorials for the various things Mors taught me to make as and when I have the time.
Here is a picture of the four knives Mors rates most highly. At the top is a new knife made by Rod Garcia to the specification Mors wrote in "Bushcraft" and with advise from Mors himself.
Having worked for Mors, he will be returning the favour next year by assisting with a course with me.