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 »

🧭 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. 🌿