March/April 1984 RAIN Page 31 Bioregion—a continuous geographic area seen in terms of similarities of plant and animal life and climatic and geological characteristics . . . and a terrain of consciousness—a place and the ideas that have developed about how to live in that place. —Peter Berg Bob Benson Pacific Northwest Bioregion Report Gregory Bateson, the late wizard of systems thinking, was often caught saying, "The map is not the territory." Well, quite often Ifind myself wondering if other readers don't feel similarly about the Northwest Bioregion Report. While we run our phones mad, checking into exciting Northwest news, mapping out the region's activity, it still falls short of what's actually brewing and swirling in the territory's communities. Simply put, we're looking for news tidbits, sketches, black- and-white photos, poems, and new publications that reflect community development, cooperative efforts in solving social and economic crises in urban areas, and creative ways of making neighborhoods more self-reliant. Help us bring more of the territory to you. To show our appreciation, we'll send you RAINfor six months, provided we print your submission. -KN Maritime Northwest Bioregional Meeting RAIN, as a member of the Coordinating Council of the North American Bioregional Congress (see page 30), would like to hold a precongress meeting of those interested in attending in May and those wishing to take part in this phase only. The one-day gathering will involve laying out our collective priorities for resolutions to be adopted at the congress. (No, we will not plagiarize Ecotopia Emerging.) The meeting will be held Saturday, April 7, from 11 to 4 (brown bag lunches), in Portland; the exact location will be announced after we receive written responses from those interested in attending. R.S.V.P. (2270 NW Irving, Portland, OR 97210) by Wednesday, March 28. Those living east of the Cascades should contact Friends of the Trees Society, Box 1064, Tonasket, WA 98855. Chestnut Revival Tilth (the Northwest organization for sustainable agriculture) and the Northwest Chestnut Project have declared 1984 The Year of the Chestnut. What seems to have become an agricultural hermit may hold little- noticed attributes. The chestnut is nutritionally superior to potatoes and rice, and the chestnut tree yields a competitive 2000 pounds per acre. As a hardwood that once dominated forests on the East Coast, it grows throughout the Pacific Northwest— even on marginal lands. In fact, the largest chestnut tree in the world is in Oregon City, Oregon. "The purpose of the project," said Tilth's Mark Musick, "is to inform and inspire people about the history and potential of chestnuts in the Northwest. We're collecting, organizing, and distributing chestnut lore, recipes, and information on existing trees." The project will promote appreciation of the chestnut tree in backyards, bordering streets (some aren't edible), and in parks, as well as investigate its potential as a new agricultural industry in the Northwest. A packet of information on the project and chestnuts is available for $2 from the Northwest Chestnut Project, 2519 NE 14th, Portland, OR 97212. Meditation Network For several years now, members and friends of the Chinook Learning Community on Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound have met on Sunday Cont-
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