Bruce Zawalsky is the author of the bestselling book Canadian Wilderness Survival, published in November of 2017. He teaches professional instructor-led field safety training in modern wilderness survival, bushcraft, navigation, wildlife and bear awareness for field workers and the general public.
Bruce has been working full-time for over 27 years as a professional wilderness survival instructor while running the Boreal Wilderness Institute, his company which he founded in September of 1994. During his long career, he has worked as a Survival Consultant for various projects including media and TV.
Bruce guided his first backpacking group in the Rocky Mountains in 1981. Since then, he has developed his skills in navigation, survival, wilderness travel, teaching, leading groups and team building at the University of Alberta, Augustana University College, PADI College, the Nordic Ski Institute, and through over 38 years of military service in the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, a Canadian Army Reserve Light Infantry Regiment, based in Edmonton, Alberta. His military service has allowed him to travel to remote locations in winter all across Canada and in Northern Norway.
In 1989 as part of a small six-person group in three canoes, he completed an unsupported 92 day 3,600 km canoe expedition between Rocky Mountain House, Alberta and Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Explorations Odyssey: Life of a River Expedition canoe expedition involved over 60 portages and 200 km of upstream river paddling, lining and poling. The expedition proved the highlight of his Outdoor Education training at the University of Alberta. Changing his attitude about both long-term wilderness travel and survival.
He studied extensively with the late Mors Kochanski as a student and teaching instructor at the University of Alberta. When Bruce founded his company, Mors took on a mentorship role.
Bruce developed his teaching skills through years of instruction and practice. He is a true believer in building synergy within the outdoor education community, continually cooperating with, sharing knowledge, and learning from hundreds of other instructors, students and outdoor enthusiasts.
Through his writing, speaking and teaching he has been fortunate enough to be allowed to pass on a wealth of knowledge about modern wilderness survival, wilderness navigation, wildlife awareness and wilderness travel to a wide audience.