Jonny Klassen

I am a Canadian survivalist and naturalist. I was born on Saltspring Island, British Columbia in 1997 where I spent the first fourteen years of my life.

I spent most of my childhood in the forests of Saltspring Island where I developed a deep connection with the natural world. I attended a Nature immersion school named W.O.L.F (Wilderness Our Learning Foundation) for two years where I was mentored by Jean-Claude Catry, (founder of wisdom of the earth) David Kriegar and Tashmyra Crowe (the founders of wolfkids.org and wolfkids cowichan). I graduated from W.O.L.F In the summer of 2011 through a five day canoe trip around Saltspring with my four fellow graduates, followed by a solo 48 hour vision quest.

In the Fall of 2011 my family moved to Nova Scotia where I met Carla Silver, a graduate from Tom Brown's Tracker School. I took lessons in tracking and Native American scout techniques from Carla for the next two years.

In January of 2012 I went to Belize with my fellow graduates and mentors of W.O.L.F. for three weeks we stayed in various Mayan villages learning about plant medicine and challenging ourselves to apply our skills and survive in the jungle.

The following March I attended a two week Permaculture design course which sparked my interest in growing food, leading me to experiment with permaculture, and forest gardening techniques on Solomon Brook Farm, the land my parents had just bought.

After choosing to drop out of school in 2013 I spent the next two years learning woodworking and sculpting from my father Lloyd Klassen, a master woodworker. I also learned about herbalism, reflexology and food preservation from my mother Helga Gruner and helped my parents with developing the Solomom Brook Farm community and healing center.

This past year I traveled back to Saltspring where I worked as a free lance carpenter to save up money for my three month trip to Ireland in December. During my stay I helped teach at W.O.L.F and also participated in The Heart of Mentoring workshop where I learned how to more effectively mentor children and adults.

Now that I am in Ireland I wish to pass on my skills to the people here so that they can connect with their land the way their ancient ancestors did.