Photo credit: Wilderness Leadership School
Partner Organisation: Wilderness Leadership School
Location: South Africa
In a world increasingly dominated by screens, schedules, and urban sprawl, the call to rewild is not just about restoring ecosystems – it’s about rekindling the deep, visceral connection between humans and the natural world. Our new Alliance Partner, the Wilderness Leadership School, encourages that nature connection bringing a touch of adventure into nature restoration.
Imagine walking through grasslands, encountering wildlife and sleeping under a canopy of stars. These experiences are small adventures that accumulate into acts of rewilding. They remind us that we are not separate from nature – we are Nature. To make the experience authentic, WLS invites participants into wilderness areas only accessible by foot, where humans have left little negative impact. In this way, participants are more than likely to fall in awe of the wildness that surrounds them.
Photo credit: Wilderness Leadership School
Beyond the personal, there’s a collective impact. When people experience the wild firsthand, they become advocates for its protection. They feel the urgency. By blending nature restoration with education and adventure, WLS creates a ripple effect. Every trail walked and every person inspired contributes to a larger movement—one that seeks to heal both the earth and its inhabitants. Through the 70,000 people that have walked those trails since 1957, the influence is substantial.
Photo credit: Wilderness Leadership School
Their “community trails” are another example of that ripple effect of positive impact. By involving local communities in rewilding efforts, new sets of “eyes and ears” on the ground join the movement. They become guardians for nature and, for example, their help has been one of the most successful interventions for catching Rhino poachers. They also add value to nature through the training, mentorship and development of individuals in the tourism sector.
Youths aged 21-35 are selected from disadvantaged communities and are afforded the opportunity to be trained as nature guides and earn a NQF National Guiding Certificate which includes intensive training in first aid, weapons handling, Leave no trace, Wilderness Ethics and all aspects of nature protection and biodiversity. Walking these trails also allows a certain surveillance. It attunes its participants to their surroundings, creating awareness in all the senses. WLS builds on this through their bio-monitoring patrols adding scientific observations to the experience. In this way, an assessment of the biodiversity gives continuous insight on the health of the ecosystem.
Two Rhinoceros Walking On Brown Field. Photo credits: Nicole Kruger from Pexels
So, step into the wild. Let the trails guide you, the grasslands and shrubs embrace you. And then, gather around the campfire, listening to and sharing the stories of the day, letting awe weave into yourself. The Wilderness Leadership School invites us in that space and connects the power of experiential learning with rewilding. We are excited to have them as Partners!