Photo credit: Ella Hubbard.
By Samuel Wearne, Ella Hubbard, Krisztina Jónás, and Maria Wilke.
“Bioregionalism” is a sustainability movement that has been around for more than 40 years and we have recently noticed some of its language coming back into vogue. We interviewed key figures in the movement to understand why, and we considered what bioregionalism might have to offer researchers and practitioners in sustainability.
Bioregionalism is now being described as ‘bioregioning’, and it looks different from previous iterations. We found parallels between the shift to bioregioning and the philosophical and practical questions that have become important in sustainability. These are questions like: where do the best ideas come from?—looking across different experiences or by deeply exploring specific contexts? And similarly, what is sustainability? Is it about achieving certain targets, instilling certain values, or establishing certain procedures and norms within society?
“Bioregioning” is different to other expressions of bioregionalism because it encourages us to ask these questions, rather than offering specific answers. It uses the same ideas (like shifting governance and economic models toward regional scales, better matching patterns in the landscape) but instead of treating them like doctrine or ‘best practice’, in bioregioning, these concepts are suggestions that need to be debated, questioned and considered in specific places and contexts.
This shift is nuanced, but we think it reflects a trend that sees sustainability moving from a focus on ideas and outcomes to something that is enacted by values and processes. There are three aspects, outlined below, that we saw in bioregioning that we think carry a mix of common sense, and learned wisdom:
Connect. “Bioregioning” is an invitation to ask questions, together, about where you are, and what is needed.
Act. Bioregioning sees the freedom and value that comes from action.
Reflect. Critical Reflexivity and contestation is part of the action we need.
Bioregional thought has some great tools and practices that can help us on an ongoing journey to become more socially and ecologically literate. We think bioregioning is at its best when it remains critical and pragmatic: whose place and which voices do we empower, and whose place(s) and which voices do we elide?
Relational Thinking 