Kersey Lawrence's guest appearances

Kersey Lawrence

The Wilderness and Wellness Podcast

WildFed Podcast — Hunt Fish Forage Food

John Slattery

Dan Gardoqui

Ben Greenfield

Luke Storey

Daniel Vitalis

Paul Greenberg

Doug Duren

Karl Malcolm

Robert Kelly

Donnie Vincent

Hank Shaw

Doug Tallamy

Lori McCarthy

James Agee

Sally K. Norton

OwlTail

Today’s guest is Senior Cyber Tracker Kersey Lawrence. If you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you’ve heard Daniel speak to a few skilled trackers in past episodes. This skill, of studying, identifying, and ultimately tracking and trailing animals was — most likely — fundamental to the development of the modern human brain and perhaps even to language itself. At one time, this skill would have been nearly universal amongst humans, but of course, in our more modern era, it’s atrophied to the point that most of us can’t identify the tracks of the native wildlife around us, no less interpret them. Now, modern hunters are a bit of an exception. Most of us are aware of the track patterns of the animals we pursue, and use these tracks, albeit in a rudimentary way, to locate our quarry. That kind of tracking is a bit like learning an alphabet, or maybe even reading a few monosyllabic words. What Daniel's talking with Kersey about today is different. It’s more akin to reading sentences, paragraphs, and ultimately books of knowledge about how animals have used the landscape in the recent past and potentially might use it in the future too. There are places and peoples in the world where this skill is still alive, part of an unbroken lineage that stretches back into the deepest recesses of human antiquity. And there are also folks, for whom this field of study came later in life but who have developed it into a contemporary art-form and culture — who’ve codified it and who are ensuring it doesn’t blink out of existence the way so much of our ancestral skills and technologies have. Kersey has a foot in both worlds. She lives part time and works alongside trackers in Africa, who come from communities where tracking is still practiced the way it always has been. Places where the practice of this art was never generationally interrupted. But she also lives part time here in the US where she teaches tracking to folks whose lineage forgot the art of tracking long ago. Kersey is the first woman to ever earn the title of Senior Tracker in the internationally renowned CyberTracker system. Today she’s going to tell us what CyberTracker is, and about the art of tracking. She’s done the deep dive, and she’s going to introduce us to something our ancestors forgot long ago, and maybe even invite us to pick it up where those distant relatives left off. To not just follow in their footsteps, but to follow their footsteps themselves. View full show notes, including links to resources from this episode here: https://www.wild-fed.com/podcast/114

Today’s guest is Senior Cyber Tracker Kersey Lawrence. If you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you’ve heard Daniel speak to a few skilled trackers in past episodes. This skill, of studying, identifying, and ultimately tracking and trailing animals was — most likely — fundamental to the development of the modern human brain and perhaps even to language itself. At one time, this skill would have been nearly universal amongst humans, but of course, in our more modern era, it’s atrophied to the point that most of us can’t identify the tracks of the native wildlife around us, no less interpret them. Now, modern hunters are a bit of an exception. Most of us are aware of the track patterns of the animals we pursue, and use these tracks, albeit in a rudimentary way, to locate our quarry. That kind of tracking is a bit like learning an alphabet, or maybe even reading a few monosyllabic words. What Daniel's talking with Kersey about today is different. It’s more akin to reading sentences, paragraphs, and ultimately books of knowledge about how animals have used the landscape in the recent past and potentially might use it in the future too. There are places and peoples in the world where this skill is still alive, part of an unbroken lineage that stretches back into the deepest recesses of human antiquity. And there are also folks, for whom this field of study came later in life but who have developed it into a contemporary art-form and culture — who’ve codified it and who are ensuring it doesn’t blink out of existence the way so much of our ancestral skills and technologies have. Kersey has a foot in both worlds. She lives part time and works alongside trackers in Africa, who come from communities where tracking is still practiced the way it always has been. Places where the practice of this art was never generationally interrupted. But she also lives part time here in the US where she teaches tracking to folks whose lineage forgot the art of tracking long ago. Kersey is the first woman to ever earn the title of Senior Tracker in the internationally renowned CyberTracker system. Today she’s going to tell us what CyberTracker is, and about the art of tracking. She’s done the deep dive, and she’s going to introduce us to something our ancestors forgot long ago, and maybe even invite us to pick it up where those distant relatives left off. To not just follow in their footsteps, but to follow their footsteps themselves. View full show notes, including links to resources from this episode here: <a href="https://www.wild-fed.com/podcast/114" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.wild-fed.com/podcast/114</a>

Way of the CyberTracker with Dr. Kersey Lawrence — WildFed Podcast #114

In this episode of my tracking series I am privileged to speak with Kersey Lawrence, who is currently the only female in the world that holds the certified highest level of skill with the title of “Senior Tracker” through the CyberTracker system. Kersey and I talk about her journey into a deep connection with the natural world and her foray into the world of tracking. Kersey discusses how the very practical, African style of tracking really resonated with her learning style and drew her to move to and seek mentorship through trackers from Africa. Kersey describes her journey towards becoming the highest certified female tracker in the world and the humbling responsibility that comes with that title and the naturalist knowledge that she has garnered over the years. Kersey describes the capabilities of a skilled tracker and how tracking and immersion in the natural world can instill within people a desire to protect and preserve the earth and its living creatures. Kersey shares more information about the programs offered by her company, Original Wisdom. Finally, Kersey offers an in-depth look at the CyberTracker system, expounding on its genesis, methods of evaluation to determine the expertise of trackers through its “track and sign” and “trailing” evaluations, and the ways that an evaluation is just as much a tracking workshop as it is a test of skill. Kersey teaches us what characteristics and skills are looked for in a good tracker by CyberTracker evaluators, and offers some advice on beginning to learn the art and skill of tracking.Connect with Kersey and her company “Original Wisdom”:Original Wisdom WebsiteOriginal Wisdom Facebook Page Original Wisdom Instagram Page Book Recommendations: A Sand County AlmanacBraiding SweetgrassThe Art of Tracking: The Origin of ScienceMammal Tracks and SignTracks and Sign of Insects and other InvertebratesBird Feathers: A Guide to North American SpeciesPractical Tracking: A Guide to Following Footprints and Finding AnimalsBooks by Lee Gutteridge

In this episode of my tracking series I am privileged to speak with Kersey Lawrence, who is currently the only female in the world that holds the certified highest level of skill with the title of “Senior Tracker” through the CyberTracker system. Kersey and I talk about her journey into a deep connection with the natural world and her foray into the world of tracking. Kersey discusses how the very practical, African style of tracking really resonated with her learning style and drew her to move to and seek mentorship through trackers from Africa. Kersey describes her journey towards becoming the highest certified female tracker in the world and the humbling responsibility that comes with that title and the naturalist knowledge that she has garnered over the years. Kersey describes the capabilities of a skilled tracker and how tracking and immersion in the natural world can instill within people a desire to protect and preserve the earth and its living creatures. Kersey shares more information about the programs offered by her company, Original Wisdom. Finally, Kersey offers an in-depth look at the CyberTracker system, expounding on its genesis, methods of evaluation to determine the expertise of trackers through its “track and sign” and “trailing” evaluations, and the ways that an evaluation is just as much a tracking workshop as it is a test of skill. Kersey teaches us what characteristics and skills are looked for in a good tracker by CyberTracker evaluators, and offers some advice on beginning to learn the art and skill of tracking.Connect with Kersey and her company “Original Wisdom”: <a href="https://www.originalwisdom.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Original Wisdom Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trackingisoriginalwisdom" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Original Wisdom Facebook Page</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trackingisoriginalwisdom/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Original Wisdom Instagram Page</a> Book Recommendations: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345345053/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0345345053&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=coyotespath-20&amp;linkId=07218a5a078ed7b5ea9676dbf7423d22" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Sand County Almanac</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571313567/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1571313567&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=coyotespath-20&amp;linkId=7f6add5a37bf4ab29b8977b922def24b" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Braiding Sweetgrass</a> <a href="https://www.cybertracker.org/downloads/tracking/The-Art-of-Tracking-The-Origin-of-Science-Louis-Liebenberg.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Art of Tracking: The Origin of Science</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811737748/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0811737748&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=coyotespath-20&amp;linkId=ecae2bcfe32d61c15f365d56a653e81f" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mammal Tracks and Sign</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811736245/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0811736245&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=coyotespath-20&amp;linkId=41ff69f4e52821e0399a536de57c73b9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tracks and Sign of Insects and other Invertebrates</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811736180/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0811736180&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=coyotespath-20&amp;linkId=d575324788795704f9e1464e94e14efe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bird Feathers: A Guide to North American Species</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081173627X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=081173627X&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=coyotespath-20&amp;linkId=6c84872d61347415397fb877119e5e37" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Practical Tracking: A Guide to Following Footprints and Finding Animals</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B003VN1OKS?_encoding=UTF8&amp;node=283155&amp;offset=0&amp;pageSize=12&amp;searchAlias=stripbooks&amp;sort=author-sidecar-rank&amp;page=1&amp;langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Books by Lee Gutteridge</a>

Tracking Series 03 – Kersey Lawrence: Joys of Wildlife Tracking – Overview of the CyberTracker System of Evaluation and Education