Woodlife

JP Lamoureux is a keen Natural Historian, Bushcraft and Wilderness Living tutor who, encouraged by his parents and inspired by the natural world, ventured from the cultured beds of his parents back garden, to the wild hedge rows and fields of the farm land which surrounded him. From the scouting movement to the Army cadet force (where he spent 5 happy years though nature rather than the military side of life continued to be his main interest), along with his numerous and varied pets! These ranged from the usual gerbils, hamsters and rats to racing pigeons and tropical fish… his keen interest for British wildlife also saw his menagerie expand to include tadpoles, newts, and the odd snake.

Much to his mother’s dismay, this hybrid Gerald Durrell x Jack Hargreaves character then decided at 13 years of age that Ferrets and Tarantulas should also be welcomed into the house! The ferrets led to a place for many years on the committee of the Essex Ferret Welfare Society  and the Tarantulas took him to the committee of the British Tarantula Society (www.thebts.co.uk ) as Welfare Coordinator. As a result, expeditions to Borneo and Sri lanka found him collecting data and filming natural history footage for National Geographic, where his interest in the every day survival skills used by local tribes and native peoples also took shape (Jp still keeps Ferrets and Tarantulas to this day).

JP’s enthusiastic and jack of all trades approach to all things wild also led to his assisting at country pursuit shows for many years. Also over the years helping and working with local countrymen, woodsmen and local game keepers, JP has learnt many skills that have now sadly been forgotten to most but skills which he still practices to this day in his Essex homeland. He is never happier than when mooching about the country side with his dogs, watching wildlife, hunting or foraging for a meal.

JP has been a Bushcraft instructor with Bearclaw Bushcraft and Bison Bushcraft schools for 5 years , running courses across the globe and tutoring Air Cadets, Scouts and Guides, and supporting small holders associations and charities such as MIND to name a few.

Using nature and bushcraft as a therapeutic tool JP is also a Volunteer for Open Door which helps children in care, young offenders and potential offenders to deal with the problems today’s society throws at them. This is something very close to his heart and he believes nature is the best teacher. Teaching people Nature’s Ways is close to JP’s heart and he always has time and a helping hand for any enthusiastic budding naturalist or Bushcrafter. So, if you need some help and are unsure how to go about it, don’t be shy drop him a line.

“Come on board and we’ll celebrate the wonders of Nature together…”