Bushcraft Magazine's
Expert Writers

Ben and Lois Orford live amongst the rolling hills of Herefordshire on a small farm with their dog, 6 chickens and 300 newly planted trees to look after. Their work lives are spent, making tools and leatherwork for bushcraft, woodcraft and green woodwork enthusiasts. Ben makes the tools and Lois make the leather sheaths to house them. On the farm they have a modern indoor workshop on two levels and an outdoor green woodwork workshop where we make chairs, benches and bowls and run courses during the summer time. www.benorford.com

Jonathan is an instructor for Shadowhawk Tracker School, an internationally renowned school primarily working with law enforcement and conservation agencies. Jonathan is an ecologist, birdwatcher and tracker with over 20 years field experience. His passion for nature went to degree level, obtaining a BSC (Hons) in Biology (Ecology). Under both Shadowhawk and his own company, Tracks4Life, Jonathan has worked extensively within the nature conservation arena, undertaking survey and research work, both at home and abroad. http://tracks4life.blogspot.com

Fergus is perhaps better knows as the 'Road Kill Chef'. His interest in the natural world began early. As a boy he roamed countryside armed with his favourite I Spy editions to identify butterflies, moths and plants. However, while most youngsters would very likely have stopped there, Fergus began studying natural history books to discover the culinary and medicinal uses of the plants he found growing in the wild, and he often sampled their flavours on his way. Today wild food is his life. www.wildmanwildfood.com

Ian Maxwell is a Combat and Tactical Tracking Instructor, Fellow of The Royal Geographical Society and a Winston Churchill Fellow, best known for tracking some of the Worlds most elusive animals. He has featured on Big Cat Track, screened on Animal Planet and is the author of Animal Tracks ID and Techniques. A medal from the queen for tracking and conservation graces his shelves. Ian feels that tracking is the epitomy of bushcraft and survival, teaching these skills not only for fun, but it could save your life! www.shadowhawk.co.uk

Founder of 'Campfire Skills', established in 1999, Annette has a wealth of knowledge, ranging from first-hand experience with indigenous tribes to leading bushcraft courses for Ray Mears. Nature first inspired Annette at a young age, while she was studying Wildlife Management and later while she was working as a Zoo Keeper for 10 years. Annette is also a photographer, having photos published in Ray Mears and Professor Gordon Hillman`s book, ‘Wild Food’. Linking conservation, education and research, she gets a huge amount of satisfaction from sharing her passion with others. www.campfireskills.co.uk

George is one of the youngest and most serious members of the Bushcraft community. His love of the outdoors began at an early age, when he would go camping and fly-fishing. He has trained with many people, including Ray Mears, completing the course with top-marks and gaining the nickname ‘Mini-Mears’ from the Woodlore staff. George has attended a knife-making course at Dave Budd’s Handmade Tools workshop on Dartmoor, and already has plans to step into Alan Wood’s shoes when Alan retires from knife-making!

Jason's interest in Survival was sparked as a child when he went on his first aid course, rushing straight out afterwards to buy Lofty Wiseman's SAS Survival Handbook and all the kit he could purchase! However as he developed an understanding of what nature could provide he soon understood that it was the knowledge he held in his head and not the gear in his pack that was all the essential kit he needed. www.woodland-ways.co.uk

John is both the founder and head instructor at Woodcraft School. He is a naturalist, woodsman and craftsman and has a long, impressive pedigree in all aspects of outdoor life. He has worked as an arborist, green woodworker, charcoal burner and hedgelayer and has always been heavily involved in conservation management.The school and John have been featured on television, written about in national and local newspapers, and have taken part in many interviews for national radio. www.woodcraftschool.co.uk

You may have seen Fraser on the River Cottage TV Programmes, he has an instinctive understanding of and respect for nature and the elements. As a founder of Coastal Survival School, qualified chef, nutritionist, and instructor for River Cottage fish-based events, wild food and outdoor cooking are his passion. Fraser holds an MCA Commercial Endorsed Skippers License, as well as RYA Sea Survival and First Aid at Sea qualifications. www.coastalsurvival.com

'Make do and Mend' is Ian's Philosophy. He is a dab hand at all things creative, and would be a match for any skilled seamstress! His innovative ideas can save you pounds, showing you how to make kit from things that you might find lying around. Ian is constantly on the lookout for items to re-use or turn into something for bushcraft use. He also has a long-standing interest in and extensive knowledge of woodcraft and green woodworking, which, combined with his other skills, makes for some great money-saving tips!

Rhodesian born and bred, Grant now lives and works in the UK serving as a British police officer with over 17 years experience. The last 12 years he have been as a police firearms officer including being a national rifle officer (sniper). Grant more than enjoy the outdoors, camping, and fishing with his family living life to the full.

Tristan's passion for the subject of natural navigation stems from his hands-on experience. He has led expeditions in five continents, climbed mountains in Europe, Africa and Asia, sailed small boats across oceans and piloted a small aircraft to Africa and the Arctic. Prior to setting up his school Tristan gained extensive experience in the travel industry and is currently the Vice Chairman of Trailfinders. He is the only living person to have both flown solo and sailed singlehanded across the Atlantic and is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and the Royal Geographical Society. www.naturalnavigator.com

Throughout his life Joe has had a strong passion for the 'great outdoors' and an overwhelming desire to learn everything there is to know about self reliance in the wilderness.This desire to accumulate knowledge, coupled with his woodworking skills and military experience prepared him to teach bushcraft and survival skills, which he has done since 2002. He now runs ‘Wilderness Survival Skills’ where he, with a number of other experts in their fields runs bushcraft courses.www.wilderness-survival.co.uk

Regarded within the 'Bushcraft Community' as a friction fire lighting expert, Dave Watson shares his expertise as our writer and in his established bushcraft school. Dave and the team at Woodland Survival Crafts also offer one-to-one courses, accredited courses for young people, corporate events, personal mentoring and instructor training; they can be seen demonstrating bushcraft skills at various shows around the Country. www.woodlandsurvivalcrafts.com

Growing up on the Gower peninsular certainly helped to nurture Andrew's love of the great outdoors. Andrew Price has travelled extensively throughout many parts of the World and has spent every spare moment learning the skills of Bushcraft and wilderness survival. It was working as an outdoor pursuits instructor that determined the start of Dryad Bushcraft where he shares his expertise with many. www.dryadbushcraft.co.uk

Pablo is a life-long wildlife enthusiast. He has a military and law-enforcement background and has a wide range of teaching and training qualifications. He uses a combination of bushcraft, tracking and field craft skills to get close to wildlife. He has tracked wildlife in various locations around the world including Southern Africa. Pablo runs Woodlife Trails; a Bushcraft and Tracking school and Woodlife Social Network, a site dedicated to wildlife, tracking and bushcraft.