Viristar provided two Experiential Learning Trip Risk Management courses in Lithuania in May, hosted by the American International School of Vilnius (AISV), and held at their Upper School campus in Vilnius. Participation was opened to schools in the Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA), and the trainings were attended by faculty and staff from … Read more

River safari guide Paul Templer, 27, was leading a canoeing trip down the Zambezi River in his native Zimbabwe when the hippopotamus struck. The two-ton bull hippo hit a boat with two clients and an apprentice guide, lifting the boat half out of the water. The apprentice guide, Evans, was catapulted into the river. Templer … Read more

Viristar is delighted to welcome Rachel Weber as our new Communications & Events Associate. Rachel brings a background in media, communications and storytelling to her work. Before joining Viristar, she spent more than six years with VICE Media Group, where she worked across global PR and brand communications campaigns and helped coordinate cross-functional initiatives spanning … Read more

At the OFFSEAS 2026 Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Viristar’s Director, Jeff Baierlein, delivered two workshops to outdoor and experiential professionals from across Southeast Asia and beyond. The first workshop, Crisis Communications for Adventure, Travel and Outdoor Programmes, examined good practices in crisis communications, with a particular focus on effective media relations. Participants explored how … Read more

Viristar gave a talk on maturation pathways for the outdoor sector in growing markets like China, to a group of outdoor professionals in Guangzhou, China. The presentation was hosted by the Guangzhou Leadclimb Outdoor Center, and was held at the Guangzhou headquarters of Kailas, the outdoor sports company that is the parent organization for Leadclimb. … Read more

Viristar delivered a Foundations of Adventure Safety course May 1-2, in Guangzhou for a group of outdoor, education and adventure professionals from across China. Participants came from organizations including Utahloy International School Guangzhou, China New Horizons, Guangzhou Leadclimb Outdoor Center, Beijing Concord College of Sino Canada, 宏信書院 ELCHK Lutheran Academy, and Hong Kong International School. … Read more

We are proud to introduce Chris Cartwright, member of the Accreditation Council for the Adventure Safety Accreditation. Chris is the Director of Experiential Learning for Advanced Knowledge Development at Beijing Concord College of Sino-Canada. He also serves as a trustee on the Board of Directors of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, China, and sits … Read more

Viristar is pleased to announce the release of the 2026 revised edition of its acclaimed textbook, “Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: A Guide to Safety in Outdoor Education, Recreation and Adventure.” Now available in both paperback and e-book formats, this updated edition continues to serve as a definitive resource for adventure, travel, experiential and outdoor … Read more

Viristar is pleased to share that participants in the Foundations of Adventure Safety course can now earn continuing education units (CEUs) through ACCT International (formerly Association for Challenge Course Technology).  The course has been approved to provide CEUs for both Inspector Certification (ICE) and Operation Reviewers (ORs). This recognition supports challenge course professionals seeking high-quality … Read more

We’re pleased to introduce Emma Bartlett, a member of the Accreditation Council for the Adventure Safety Accreditation. Emma serves as Cross Campus Head of Trips and Outdoor Education at Bangkok Patana School in Bangkok, Thailand. She oversees risk management and operational planning for a complex and expansive trips program that includes approximately 130 trips and … Read more

Viristar’s director, Jeff Beierlein, was recently interviewed by leaders from the European Centre of Adventure Training to discuss safety in the global adventure sector. The interview was conducted by Jacqui Coward, Co-Founder and Head of Leadership and Program Development, and Thomas Exner, Co-Founder and Head of Mountain Programs. ECAT provides professional training programs for adventure … Read more

An analysis of safety research on preventing workplace safety incidents supports the effectiveness of a “Safety by Design” approach to risk management, using a variety of safety measures in a hierarchy of controls, from most to least effective.  The Safety by Design approach focuses first on eliminating hazards, then substituting greater hazards with lesser hazards, … Read more