Bioregional Confluencing 2025: Ambling Toward Planetary Bioregional Congressing
As we face mounting ecological, social, and political challenges, one thing has become increasingly clear: top-down systems alone won’t save us. Regeneration begins from the ground up—through people organizing in place, building trust, and cultivating the relationships that make life flourish.
That’s the spirit behind Bioregional Confluencing 2025, an ambitious global initiative to revitalize bioregional gatherings and reclaim the practice of congressing—an ancient and future-facing model of participatory governance.
🌍 From Global Conference to Local Confluences
Building on last year’s prototype launched by And Now What and the Equinox Collective, this year’s Bioregional Confluencing expands the format by inviting bioregions around the world to host autonomous, place-based gatherings—called Confluences—alongside a two-day online Global Conference in September 2025.
Rather than simply tuning in virtually, bioregional organizers are encouraged to gather in person, explore their local context, share meals, and deepen collective strategy—all while engaging with a broader movement of planetary regeneration.
📅 Key Dates for Bioregional Confluencing
Global Conference: September 9–10, 2025
Global Confluence Debrief (Part I): September 11, 2025
Global Confluence Debrief (Part II): September 18, 2025
These debrief days are designed for cross-pollinating learnings, strengthening inter-bioregional relationships, and seeding the next generation of continental and planetary bioregional congresses.
🌀 Confluencing as a Path Toward Congressing
Inspired by Peter Berg’s seminal 1976 essay Amble Toward Continental Congress, this year’s tagline—“Ambling Toward Planetary Bioregional Congressing”—is more than a metaphor.
It reflects a long-term vision:
From living rooms to bioregional hubs
From decentralized gatherings to continental-scale strategy
From isolated efforts to planetary regeneration rooted in place
For decades, the bioregional movement has hosted 10 Continental Bioregional Congresses (1970s–2009). Bioregional Confluencing 2025 aims to reawaken this tradition, weaving together the wisdom of the past with the possibility of our planetary future.
🌿 Funding to Support Local Organizing
To help bioregions activate their own gatherings, the Design School for Regenerating Earth and r3.0 have launched a Confluencing Fund, seeded with an initial €21,000 from Lankelly Chase and distributed across three scales:
Living Room Confluence (€3k shared):
Small, self-hosted gatherings (5–10 people), perfect for those new to bioregionalism.Bioregional Group Confluence (€6k shared):
Mid-sized gatherings (10–20 people) for active local organizers seeking light logistical support.Bioregional Team Confluence (€12k shared):
Larger gatherings (20+ people) needing venue rentals and deeper collaboration infrastructure.
Organizers are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) to host a Confluence and receive guidance, shared materials, and connection to a growing ecosystem of support.
👉 Submit your EoI to host a Confluence »
🌲 Cascadia Confluences Are Already Underway
Here in Cascadia, confluences are already being seeded across the bioregion—each one a unique expression of place-based organizing and cultural renewal. Some highlights:
Cascadia – General (US)
A general Cascadia Confluence is being coordinated to support cross-ecoregional alignment.
If you are interested in potentially joining this confluence, please contact:
📧 brandon@regeneratecascadia.org
Cascadia – Willamette Valley (US)
In collaboration with organizing and regenerative teams in Cottage Grove, Eugene, Corvallis, and Portland, we are co-creating an ecoregional listening tour, taking place September 4–17, 2025. The tour will visit and weave together regenerative projects across the Willamette Valley, stopping at culturally and historically significant sites throughout the ecoregion. At the conclusion of the tour, the group will gather in Portland to watch the Confluencing Conference recordings and participate in the global dialogue, contributing reflections and insights from our regional work.
📧 For tour interest, contact: regen.willamette@gmail.comEach Confluence will be rooted in local priorities, guided by shared values, and connected to the broader ecosystem of Regenerate Cascadia, r3.0, and the Design School for Regenerating Earth.
🧭 Why This Matters
Bioregionalism isn’t just a concept—it’s a strategy for survival and thriving in a rapidly changing world. It’s about:
Re-grounding in place-based identity
Organizing through trust and reciprocity
Designing systems that honor ecological boundaries
Cultivating regenerative cultures that can endure
Bioregional Confluencing 2025 is a step toward all of this. It’s not a top-down summit—it’s a grassroots spiral. A return to relational governance, shared meaning-making, and earth-rooted collaboration.
✨ Join the Movement
Whether you’re just beginning your bioregional journey or part of a long-standing landscape group, there’s a place for you in this global weave.
🔗 Learn more & get involved: r3-0.org/bioregional-confluencing
🌐 Cascadia-based? Reach out to hello@regeneratecascadia.org to connect with a local hub or explore hosting your own Confluence.
Let’s amble—together—toward planetary congressing.
Let’s regenerate Cascadia. 🌿
