Northeast Woodlands Bioregioning Collective
About Us
Motivation
The Northeast Woodlands Bioregioning Collective was born from a shared desire to bring coherence and collaboration to the regenerative movements of the Northeast. In a time when communities, ecosystems, and economies face interconnected crises, we are motivated by the urgent need to heal ancestral lands and waters, support Indigenous resurgence, and design human systems that work in reciprocity with the natural world.
Goals
Our core goals are to:
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Regenerate our ancestral watersheds, forests, soils, and communities.
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Increase coherence and collaboration among regenerative actors across the Northeast.
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Support Indigenous sovereignty and resurgence of culture, knowledge, and governance.
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Facilitate systems change for ecological, social, and economic regeneration.
Vision
We envision a bioregion where all beings belong and thrive within interconnected ecosystems. A place where healthy soils, forests, and fisheries sustain abundant regional food systems; where renewable energy supports ecological and social wellness; where communities flourish in regenerative economies that eliminate poverty and build shared wealth; where every culture and individual gift is honored and celebrated; and where human life is once again aligned with the flourishing of Mother Earth.
Our Team
We are a 21-member Collective co-led by an intertribal alliance, weaving together the leadership, knowledge, and creativity of Indigenous nations, regenerative organizations, ecovillages, finance innovators, and grassroots networks. Our constellation includes representatives from the Mashantucket Pequot and Eastern Pequot Tribal Nations, the Inter-Tribal Alliance, the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed, Aton Forest, Bio-Based Materials Collective, The Center for an Ecology-Based Economy (CEBE), the Connecticut River Valley Bioregioning Collaborative, Design School for Regenerating Earth, Garrison Institute, Mycelial Law, Northeast Healthy Soils Network, Sirius Ecovillage, and Wellspring Commons—along with finance experts from Bloom Network, Capital Institute, r3.0, and Regen Foundation.
Together, we bring deep expertise in social and ecological systems transformation, finance innovation, governance, and regenerative design. Our strength lies in the diversity of our relationships, rooted in respect, reciprocity, and shared responsibility.
Strategy
We are advancing this vision through four interwoven strategies:
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Co-Governance & Tribal Sovereignty — Developing frameworks that honor Tribal sovereignty and support self-determination, in collaboration with the Intertribal Alliance for the Regeneration of Ancestral Waterways.
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Bioregional Learning & Knowledge Commons — Supporting regional learning centers and shared knowledge to ground our work in history, place-based wisdom, and regenerative potential.
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Bioregional Regeneration Strategy — Co-developing a comprehensive strategy to regenerate culture, governance, food systems, health, watersheds, housing, energy, and infrastructures.
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Bioregional Finance Facility — Building a financing mechanism to channel capital toward regenerative enterprises and systemic interventions across the Northeast.