By: Jonathan Kocsis, Lead Intern
When hearing the words wilderness survival, most think about being stranded on a deserted island and having to survive by any means necessary. What most people wouldn’t do is willingly sign up for the opportunity to do this at just 13; however, that is exactly what I did during my very first year at scout camp. So there I was, looking at the 30’ by 30’ clearing in the woods where I was expected to make camp for the night right after a five-mile-long hike.
With only a few hours to set up a usable and durable shelter, I began to see what I could use and noticed a long, slim tree that a recent storm had taken down. Using my skills and tools I had brought with me, I cut it to usable 4-foot and 5-foot logs and piled them up. I then began to lash these together and create a small teepee tent structure, which, once completed, I covered with smaller sticks and dead leaves I found around the area. After just 2 hours, I had created my home for the night, and with the sun slowly receding to the horizon, I made a fire with the leftover scraps from my work.
That night was not only the most uncomfortable one of my life but also the most enlightening thus far. I was left alone to the wimps of nature with only my skills and knowledge to guide me, just like many of our ancestors who lived on these very lands. I built that home, and even for one night, I was part of nature completely again and got to connect with it. The sounds of the crickets chirping acted as my natural white noise, the sun and birds were my alarm clock, and the dirt and leaves acted as my mattress.
I learned what it was like to be a part of nature instead of just in nature, and it was incredible to the point that I can still remember it vividly today. After this, all I wanted to do was get closer to nature and my role within it, not as an observer but as a link in its chain, and see what else it can teach me that I can then go and teach others. For others who are unsure where to begin in their rewilding journey, I suggest simply spending a night as a part of nature and see what you learn. That single night, under that handmade shelter, ignited a lifelong passion, and it’s a feeling I hope everyone gets to experience.
Let’s get wild New Jersey!
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