Welcome to Cascadia!
we’re glad you’re here – read on for a brief intro
Cascadia and Bioregionalism
A Bioregion is;
A unique “life place” defined largely by interconnected watersheds. Encompassing diverse climates, habitats, and living things (both plant and animal,) everything within a bioregion is interrelated and interdependent as it shares the same life giving river system. Acting as an organic organizer, the boundaries of a bioregion highlights how life on our planet exists in defined spaces where all living things depend on the same source of water, and share the same resources to survive.
Cascadia is a(n);
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bioregion defined by the watersheds of the Columbia and Fraser river valleys that stretches from Northern California to south east Alaska and as far east as the Yellowstone Caldera and continental divide. It encompasses most of the states and province of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and parts of southeast Alaska, Northern California and Western Montana.
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inclusive social movement to empower every individual and community to be active around issues they care about, and find solidarity and support.
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regional identity, rooted in a love of place and stemming from shared experiences, environment, and need, as well as principles and values.
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positive vision for a bioregion that is resilient, vibrant and autonomous, that protects the things we find special
The Doug Flag
As both a symbol of unity, and a visual manifestation of life in the bioregion, our flag represents the people of our movement and the special place that is Cascadia. of our bioregion and movement. Nicknamed the “Doug Flag” for the Douglas Fir tree at its center, tricolor banner was designed by Portland, Oregon native Alexander Baretich while studying abroad. In his own words,
“I designed the Cascadian flag, aka the Doug, way back in the mid 1990s when I was a graduate student studying in Eastern Europe. Though I totally love the people, cultures and landscape of Eastern Europe, I was deeply homesick for the forests of Cascadia, specifically the Willamette Valley forests I grew up around. One day as I sat on a hill with my companion, I had this vision of a flag where the Cascadian landscape came to mind. Prior to the design and its popularity, the idea of Cascadia–specifically the bioregion–was pretty much an abstract concept reserved for radical geographers and hip sociologists. The flag conveys something far more tangible than an abstract concept of demarcation of space; the flag captures that love of living communities in our bioregion. Unlike many flags, this is not a flag of blood, nor of the glory of a nation, but a love of the bioregion; our ecological family and its natural boundaries; the place in which we live and love.”
The Movement
Cascadia is a growing social, cultural and political movement. It defines a unique regional character found within the Pacific Northwest, and extends to a wide range of topics. It’s foundation stems from academics in the 1970s who, noticing the distinct social, political, and geological traits of a bioregion, gave Cascadia a name, and with it, birthed an identity rooted in the people and places found here.
As a bioregion, Cascadia seeks to further local and regional autonomy by empowering individuals and communities to represent their own needs, and push for greater political, economic and environmental responsibility within an increasingly democratic, transparent and open governance structure. The Cascadia movement encourages people to reengage with their local communities, where they can reframe the focus of all institutions away from systems that harm us, and towards sustainable watershed focused models.
Cascadia as a place, an idea and movement has been featured wide range of publications, such as Vice Magazine, USA Today, NPR, the CBC, NYtimes, CNN, Forbes, Portland Monthly, the Seattle Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Oregonian and many others.
Reunification
As an ultimate goal, Cascadia, and bioregionalism, seeks to restructure the way people interact with the place they live in by organizing around mother nature’s watershed boundaries. The Cascadian Department of Bioregion uses grassroots activism, our network of diplomats and online media to call out and satirize the ineffective and increasingly toxic governance of the federal occupying forces of the Canadian and U.S. governments. It is our vision to remove the colonial smear of the 49th parallel and unite a free and equitable bioregion where everyone and everything can take pride in our beautiful home.
Take the next step!
Link in to our social media networks – click below
Order your Passport!
become a citizen of Cascadia
Becoming a citizen of Cascadia and getting your Passport does more than get you a nifty book to treasure and show off. Citizenship opens wide the doors to fully enjoying the bioregion and all our movement has to offer.
Passport holders receive:
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A genuine, custom to you, first edition Cascadia Passport book with 64 pages celebrating our beautiful bioregion.
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Complimentary camping in our private 98 acre Cascadian valley paradise, located at the headlands of the North River in the beautiful Willapa Hills of Southwest Washington. Note: Advance booking required as availability and length of stay are limited.
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Access to our Cascadian Business directory with special discounts and promotions.
Cascadia 101 Class
A primer on people and place
At the Department of Bioregion, we’re committed to building our watershed movement from the grassroots up. Our monthly Cascadia 101 class focuses on getting newly interested Cascadians up to speed on the history and parlance of the movement including its current events. Reflecting a desire to encourage every citizen to take action socially, culturally and politically, the focus of the class is to inspire each student to pursue education as a pathway to action.
Cascadia 101 class Topics:
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Bioregionalism the Organic Organizer
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History of the Cascadia Movement
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Towards reunification. Why Cascadia? Why now?
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Alternative ways of being and organizing