Links to other bioregional groups and resources
Bioregional Directory & Map
Welcome to the online Bioregional Directory* of Groups, Publications and Contacts
More and more people are beginning to consider the well-being of the places the live as central to their own well-being. Ecology-related social transformers recognize that humans have the task of rediscovering what a realistic relationship to their life-place (or bioregion) entails.
Exploring and understanding local bioregions is the natural place to begin to develop a planet-based consciousness. Bioregional groups address community, economics, interdependence and other issues from the perspective that human beings are an interactive species in the biosphere. The activities of “bioregional” groups and organizations may include research and study, bioregional education, place related publications, celebrations of place, hands-on restoration activities, actions for change, etc.
*The Directory is just beginning – not many publications or contacts are included yet. Also change happens, new groups form, maps are created. Help keep the Directory current and accurate by contacting Planet Drum Foundation with updates, additions and/or corrections.
Urban Organizations
***EcoCity Cleveland was a nonprofit organization that promoted a vision of ecological cities existing in balance with their surrounding countryside. Through its publications and projects, EcoCity Cleveland presented innovative ideas for regional land use planning, transportation systems, watershed restoration, ecological redevelopment and other issues. After 15 successful years of promoting the design of ecological cities, EcoCity Cleveland merged with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. David Beach, creator of Eco-City Cleveland, continues the work as the director of a new Center for Regional Sustainability at the Museum. ***=done
***Ithaca HOURS is making a community while making a living in the local Ithaca, NY area. Ithaca Hours are a legal alternative money system that provides an expanded way to barter. Rather than having to construct a two-way trade with only one other person or business, you can earn Hours in a transaction with any of hundreds of members, then spend them with any other. The money is called HOURS to remind us that the real source of money’s value is created by people– our time, skills, and energy. ***=done
***The New Farm SF continues publishing an online calendar of Eco events, classes, workshops, and volunteer opportunities (Green City Calendar), listings of Farmer’s Markets in the Bay Area, and other sustainability oriented Resources on this website. ***=done
***New Haven Bioregional Group sponsors walks, films, canoe trips, potlucks, and other events to help residents of the Quinnipiac Bioregion connect with their natural and built environment, and to build community and local resilience. They have been exploring the Quinnipiac Bioregion Since 2005. “Food not lawns.”***=done
***Shaping San Francisco is an incredible resource of all things San Francisco. They maintain an interactive online history archive, have published books and videos and continue to hold forums about important local topics. Click for the index of audio presentations they have held—Also see these short videos Ecology Emerges Series ***=done
***Urban Ecology Australia, Inc. is a non-profit organization working to promote and create ecologically integrated human settlements. “An eco-city is a city in balance with nature.” ***=done
***Friends of the Urban Forest is committed to the belief that trees are a critical element of a livable urban environment.***=done
***Greenaction for health and environmental justice. They confront corporate polluters and their friends in government.***=done
Eco Warriors
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***Friends of the River is dedicated to preserving, protecting, and restoring California’s rivers, streams, and their watersheds. =***done
***Global Exchange is a human rights organization dedicated to promoting environmental, political, and social justice around the world.=done
***The bioregional group Guard Fox Watch formed around efforts to raise consciousness about the effects of the 1998 Olympics on the watersheds and environment around Nagano, Japan. In 2002 Guard Fox Watch took up work around the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, and then made a site visit in Turin for the 2006 Winter Olympics and a visit in Vancouver, Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Click for an index of Guard Fox Watch’s analyses and press releases. The 2014 Winter Olympics were in Sochi, Russia and concerned locals contacted Guard Fox Watch and the UN Environment committee.=***done
***Headwaters is at the forefront of defending our forest ecosystems of North America. Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters collaborates with grassroots activists on California’s north coast and organizations in the SF Bay Area, working to ensure preservation of the redwood forest ecosystem, with real solutions for workers and communities.=done
Headwaters Action Video Collective produce Earth Films, educational video and media that specializes in environmental and social issue documentaries.=done
***Humane Farming Association is leading the campaign against factory-farming and slaughterhouse abuses. They are also home to the largest farm animal refuge, Suwanna Ranch.=done
***Santa Cruz Mountains Bioregional Council is a biodiversity planning and conservation group for the Santa Cruz Mountains (California). Their objective is to conserve native plant and animal biodiversity in the Santa Cruz Mountains Bioregion.=done
***San Bruno Mountain Watch has been working for over 30 years to help protect and preserve San Bruno Mountain as the largest and richest remaining example of the native Franciscan bioregion, elsewhere destroyed in the urbanized northern San Francisco Peninsula. Their mission is to preserve and protect San Bruno Mountain’s native American village sites and endangered habitats. They educate the public, including groups of school children, and watchdog government agencies.=done
International Bioregional Contacts
A map of Australia’s 89 bioregions as well as their 419 sub-regions is available from the government. They call this project IBRA, the project has gone through many iterations with the most current being IBRA7. NOTE- enter this onto new website.
***The Eco Ecuador page on this website has updates on the collaboration between Planet Drum Foundation and the bioregional eco-municipality community of Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador. =done
***Italian Bioregional Network (c/o morettig@iol.it) publishes Lato Selvatico magazine and news of Italian bioregional movement from Po River Valley to Naples.=done
***Japan Bioregional/Deep Ecology Movement (including Guard Fox Watch) c/o tokim@aomori-u.ac.jp=done
Bioregional Articles
***Some of Planet Drum’s best articles appear in the Library section of this website.
Key Characteristics of Bioregional Management, an article at the World Resources Institute.
Los Angeles a History of the Future by Paul Glover originally appeared in Raise the Stakes #6, Winter 1983. It is available on these websites: Book form and with some Spanish translation.
North American Bioregional CongressCall for the First NABC by David Haenke, 1983.
15 Green Cities by Grist online magazine (Jul/19/07) =DONE
Bioregional Publications & Publishers (some are groups*)
Columbiana is a magazine devoted to the northern portion of the large Interior Columbia River Basin, focuses on environment and culture; including the creation of community based sustainable economics, in harmony with native ecosystems. Contact info:
Columbiana Magazine
2055 Chesaw Road
Oroville WA 98844
509.485.3844
www.columbiana.org
info@columbiana.org
Jere & Rick Gillespie
j.columbiana@gmail.com
rickg@columbiana.org
***New Society Publishers produces books to build a sustainable and just society — accountable economics, conscientious commerce, bioregional theory and practice, ecological design & planning, sustainable living, environmental justice, resistance and community, the feminist transformation, conflict resolution, progressive leadership, and educational and parenting resources. Free catalog: 800-567-6772, or browse: www.newsociety.com.=done
***Resurgence: The Resurgence Trust is an educational charity at the forefront of a movement for change. The charity was established in 2006 to further the educational work of Resurgence magazine. Their bi-monthly magazine Resurgence & Ecologist offers positive perspectives on a range of engaging topics covering ecology, social justice, philosophy, spirituality, sustainable development and the arts.=done
Bioneers is an innovative nonprofit organization that highlights breakthrough solutions for restoring people and planet. Founded in 1990 in Santa Fe, New Mexico by social entrepreneurs Kenny Ausubel and Nina Simons. For information and action regarding the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. News and solutions from our community of thought leaders. Inspirational videos. Updates from our radio show and podcast. World-changing campaign initiatives. The bi-weekly Bioneers Pulse email newsletter is filled with the information you need to be the best citizen of Earth possible. =done
Bay Area Bioregional Publications & Groups
California Invasive Plant Council: Cal-IPC provides science-based tools and information to help land managers and others make the best choices for California. They have a newsletter to help stay connected to Bay Area partners.
Acterra : Acterra is a San Francisco Bay Area 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Palo Alto that brings people together to create local solutions for a healthy planet. They focus on what you can do locally to address current environmental problems. They send out a variety of monthly newsletters including ones about plant based diets, electric vehicles, workplace sustainability, and more.
Together Bay Area : Is a of coalition of nonprofits, public agencies, and Indigenous Tribes working together for climate resilient lands – including lands that are natural, working, rural, and urban. To receive emails about upcoming events and news subscribe a the bottom of their page.
The Greater Farallones Association conserves the wildlife and habitats of Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary through scientific research, environmental education, and community-based conservation. Through high-impact programs rooted in science, they engage over 14,000 adults and youth a year in ocean conservation, collect critical data and research on globally-significant wildlife in the Sanctuary, restore vital habitats, and help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change through nature-based solutions. You can subscribe to receive news from the organization.
A Living Library: provides a powerful systemic framework, multiple methodologies and strategies for creating place-based, ecological change in communities and schools – locally and globally.
The California Center for Natural History provides free outdoor education throughout the Bay Area. Their mission is to facilitate inquiry into the past, present and future of California’s diverse ecosystems; create communities of culturally and experientially diverse naturalists; and illuminate the interdependence between humans and California’s wildlife. For news and events subscribe to their newsletter.
Bioregional Frame of Reference
***CREEC, California Regional Environmental Education Community, is the best source for local environmental education resources in California.=done
***Chrysalis Charter Schoolis a school based on local science and nature education along with general curricula. =done
Ecotrust is an online atlas for the coastal temperate rain forest/Pacific salmon region of North America providing accessible and useful information and data and links to other mapping resources. NOTE- Allison received email with Directory link 8/10/23 & hasn’t responded.
***The National Water Center has been active in the bioregional movement since 1980. They coordinate the Water Committee for the Bioregional Movement. They are located in the Ozarks Bioregional, and for two decades have cultivated and articulated a clean water practice based upon appropriate technology and personal responsibility.=done
***A Proposal for a Bioregional, Thematic Humanities Education was originally written in 1986 to to assist Alaskan Educators in creating place-based curriculum for Alaskan schools. The Axe Handle Academy updates the original proposal for internet usage with supplementary hyperlinks, pictures, etc. This information along with other resources regarding the Alaska Native Knowledge Network can be found here University of Alaska Fairbanks .-done
Sustainability Projects
The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a sustainable, prosperous future through LEED (leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the leading program for green buildings and communities worldwide. Their vision is that buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation. Their mission is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.
***Build It Green is a non-profit membership organization whose mission is to promote healthy, energy- and resource-efficient building practices in California. They offer education, information, technical assistance and training, providing a link between consumers, building professionals and product manufacturers. They work with mainstream stakeholders in the housing industry to accelerate the adoption of green building practices.=done
*** The Institute for Local Self-Reliance is a small organization with a remarkable track record for breaking new ground in promoting sustainable communities through fighting corporate control, building local power and partnering with others. =done
***Native Perspectives on Sustainability offers insight from contemporary indigenous leaders from Salmon Nation to inform and enrich the public dialogue on sustainability and nurture bioregional thought and practice. They believe indigenous voices provide a valuable contribution to the dialogue on how to live in our shared home for countless generations to come.=done