Trailing in Borecka Forest, Poland

We will be visiting the Borecka Forest located in North-Eastern Poland in the Masurian Lake District. It is considered to be one of the most ecologically valuable forest complexes in Poland and it is also one of the most beautiful natural forest areas of ​​Warmia and Mazury, with a very rich history dated back to VI Century. The picturesque landscape of the Forest is complemented by pastures, meadows, and numerous peat bogs. It is rich in plant and animal communities, with a long list of species, including: European bison, wolf, lynx, red deer, moose, wild boar and many bird species.

Course content

During first three days we will cover the techniques needed to trail an animal in the wild, including spoor recognition, spoor anticipation, anticipation of dangerous situations, alertness and stealth.  Each of these main headings will be broken down further into sub categories leading to what we believe is a most in-depth and thorough trailing criteria.

We prefer to teach trailing in a realistic scenario, so course will take place mostly on the trail, but in the evenings, after dinner there will be theoretical lectures. We tend to focus on ungulates, and in Borecka forest we will have chance/choice to follow some magnificent animals like European bison, Moose, Red deer or Wild boar.

During the last two days there will be two day trailing evaluation. The purpose of the Trailing Evaluation is to assess the tracker’s ability to follow an individual animal (or group of animals) spoor across the landscape, to evaluate the trackers ability to interpret behaviour of the animal(s) on the trail and to locate that specific animal.  Locating the animal involves finding, approaching to within a reasonable distance, observing and exiting the area without alerting the animal to the tracker’s presence. The species followed during an evaluation depends on the species available at the venue with consideration given to the difficulty of the substrate and terrain.   Human trails are occasionally used for Level I candidates or in combination with animal trails when there are venue or weather constraints.

Instructors

It is a very special training, as we will have three Senior Trackers and Evaluators with Cybertracker Conservation on this one! Except of our very own John Rhyder, we will have Lee Gutteridge and Kersey Lawrence! It is a real deal and I’m personally very excited about it. Maximum number of students is 8, so it will be a small group.

Kersey is also the Director of Education and Research for Original Wisdom and Lee is the Owner and Principal Trainer for Nature Guide Training. They run guide training, tracking, education and research programs across the world. Kersey holds a doctorate from the University of Connecticut in the ecology of tracking and the culture of trackers. She combines quantitative and qualitative methods, incorporating local knowledge and skill into modern science to advance our wholistic understanding of the natural world. Lee is one of the most highly qualified guides, and guide trainers, in Africa, and is the author of ten natural history and tracking books. Graduates of his training school have gone on to work at or establish some of the most prestigious lodges in Africa. Kersey and Lee’s work takes them all over the world, with the majority of their focus on the African savannas and the forests of North America. There, they teach tracking experientially, and ensure that trackers meet the internationally recognized gold-standard set by CyberTracker. Together, they facilitate TrackerMentoring.com, an international online education company and published The Tracker Mentoring Manual. Through their passion for tracking, Kersey and Lee strive to inspire others to appreciate and protect the diverse beauty of our planet.

Accommodation and food:

We will stay in a beautiful guest house, mainly in two persons rooms. There is availability of single rooms for additional cost that will be allocated on the basis of need and the order of request. Breakfasts and dinners are provided at the guest house, and a packed lunch. It will be traditional regional kitchen, with vegetarian and vegan options. The guesthouse is based near the Goldopiwo Lake, very close to Borecka Forest, to which we will travel in cars to spend most of the days in the nature.

Getting there:

Pick up and drop off from Warsaw Chopin Airport can be arranged without additional costs.

When: 11-17 October 2024

WHAT IS INCLUDED

Food (breakfast, packed lunch, dinner) and accommodation in two person rooms. Additional £150 single room supplement (limited availability). Transport to trailing venues. Flight and travel costs prior to arriving in Poland are not included in the price.

How to book:

Contact info@trackingschool.co.uk for more information