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Learning from Stone Age ancestors -

Back then, life was not focused on careers or money or possessions, but rather on survival and reproduction. It was intense and risky, but undeniably human.

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Why it’s becoming attractive -

These days we eat processed and packaged meals, our produce comes from stores, we sleep in climate-controlled houses, and the wilderness we do know is in curated parks.

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Part of a bigger picture -

Human rewilding is part of the rewilding conservation movement, which aims to restore human-altered ecosystems to their wild state.

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Doing things better than Stone Age ancestors -

While they hunted various large species to extinction, causing entire ecosystems to go out of balance, modern rewilding wants to reintroduce large species into protected wilderness spaces to restore balance.

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People are also looking to restore balance within themselves -

With things like burnout setting us off-kilter, people are heading to wilderness survival camps to escape their restricted lives and discover their wild side.

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Don’t worry, you don’t have to give up your life -

The goal isn't to live in caves and wear animal fur, but rather to wake up our human potential and the genes and traits our species evolved in order to survive.

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Getting reacquainted with the world -

Beyond concrete jungles, there lies a vast world of nature that many of us aren't even aware of. Through rewilding, you can reinvigorate your experience of life.

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Some people join in preparation for the apocalypse -

There are those who are preparing for the apocalypse and who believe it’s necessary to learn wilderness survival skills because the end is nearing. It's stressful, but they could be the ones with the last laugh.

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Some are doing it for the environment -

Learning to live more closely with the land and adopt low-impact living is popular with eco-activists.

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And there are the anti-establishment types -

They reject capitalist systems and the homogeneous monotony of life, like the young people ditching cities for this rural China commune.

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Origins of "human rewilding" aren’t clear - Many supporters have taken inspiration from Indigenous populations, like survival expert Tom Brown Jr. who founded the Tracker School back in 1978 to teach the wilderness skills imparted by his Apache mentor Stalking Wolf. These methods serve as models for many wilderness survival programs today.

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The overarching goal -

The goal is to teach humans how to integrate with, rather than extract from, nature. Learning to understand it, respect it, and re-engage with it, as well as figuring out where humans fit into the natural order instead of exploiting it.

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So, what are the skills? -

It’s all about ditching modern tools and tech (there are no charging stations in the wild) and learning about some bush engineering. See if you’ve got the guts...

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Tool-making -

In the wild, you must make a shelter and hunt and cook, but before all those things you have to know how to make tools required out of materials like stone, bone, and wood.

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Tool-making -

You have to go even farther back, in fact, and learn about what types of rocks are best to, for example, serve as a hammer or arrowhead. You might also have to learn how to make a fishing hook from bone.

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Fire starting -

Everyone should know how to make a fire, whether that's learning how to make a bow drill to create friction, or choosing the right stones and tinder.

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Foraging -

Identifying edible plants and berries is a priceless skill for wilderness survival since wild game isn't always available. You'll definitely want to know which are poisonous, and which provide essential nutrients.

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Identifying medicinal plants and herbs -

Ancient cultures have identified leaves, flowers, herbs, and roots that can cure all sorts of problems from digestion and fever to wounds and aches.

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Tracking -

A successful hunter must track the natural movements of animals, using prints, calls, and droppings to locate what could be their next meal.

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Trapping -

Indigenous cultures around the world learned to engineer camouflaged traps that saved precious time and energy.

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Hunting -

This is likely one of the hardest skills for most people who have never killed an animal before. You must learn how to make weapons like spears and arrows, and then how to use them.

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Wilderness cooking -

Cooking over an open fire using roasting sticks, spits, and buried pit methods are essential after you've figured out the hunting part.

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Hide-tanning -

We won't go into the gory "brain tanning" method, but smoking and curing animal hide ensures you waste nothing and you have material for clothing, storage, or shelter.

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Too extreme for you? -

Even if you're not ready to commit to the wild, there are many ways you can still add some wilderness into your existence.

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Take more hikes -

In forests, coastal trails, and any other pristine natural settings! Try to pay attention to the diverse animal and plant species you encounter.

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Take a local foraging class -

This way you definitely won’t pick up anything poisonous, and you might learn about the best spots for free food!

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Learn about botany -

Starting your own garden is a great way to get more connected with nature, learn some essential tools, and become more self-sufficient.

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You can even start in your mind -

Many programs stress the philosophical component of rewilding. Learning about what your ancestral birthright is, learning a mindset that is free of city stress and aware of the bigger picture, and learning to embrace adventure are all great first steps.

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Take a "survivacation" -

Famed survivalist Creek Stewart reportedly coined the term "survivacation" for his three-day survival skills retreats at his Will Haven Outdoor school in Indiana, but you can find similar short-term retreats all over the world.

A-tent-tion! Check out the world's most beautiful campgrounds.

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