“Raise The Stakes, the Planet Drum Review, a bi-annual publication, presented thought-provoking essays on issues ranging from restoration ecology to the greening of cities from 1979 – 2000. In addition [it had] a “Circles of Correspondence” section describing the activities of bioregional groups throughout the U.S. and internationally, Raise the Stakes included original poetry, articles on a variety of ecological subjects, unique graphics, new publications and other announcements.” It was printed in tabloid format on book paper.
“…the periodical Raise the Stakes was of immeasurable importance in defining and disseminating the ideas and possibilities of bioregionalism…”
—Gary Snyder, 2011
Naturalists, alternative energy advocates, poets, permaculturists, social activists, and others attracted by the bioregional idea eventually required more regular means to communicate with one another than the infrequent “Bundles”. Planet Drum began publishing its biannual review Raise The Stakes! (the first two issues had an exclamation point after the name), with an issue in 1979 titled “Soft Borders,” that declared the following intention:
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“Humankind. Our identity as a species sharing life on this planet is emerging to break through the political concrete…and cultural artifacture of the machine-dominated Age of Production.
We are becoming the peoples of the planet.
Our lives are growing more directly related to each other and to the life of the planet itself.
What “freedom” meant in the 18th Century and what “social justice” meant after then has become for us now the spirit of interdependence.
RAISE THE STAKES! will present ideas and information from the opening terrain of humankind identity.
SOFT BORDERS is an introduction to the spectrum of new political vision that is relating ethnic and regional preservation to wider questions of our species’ adaptability and the diversity of the biosphere…
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Below is an index of issues. Each issue has a table of contents and a PDF that may be read online or downloaded, The articles are continuing sources of valuable ideas. Some issues are still available for purchase and complete sets are available for libraries.
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