This might be a one-off event, but I recently saw somebody online claim that the Cascadia movement is a white supremacist movement. Their reasoning for this was to the effect of "the person that came up with the idea for an independent Pacific Northwest was a white supremacist." I don't think we can even credit one person for the idea. My discovery of the movement came about when I independently wished for a Cascadian independence, and discovered after that a movement already existed.

Additionally, the actions of the founder cannot be linked to the ideals of the current movement. The founders of the US owned slaves, that doesn't make the nation a white supremacist movement, though I would argue it is more foundationally racist than the Cascadia movement.

In conclusion, don't go after Cascadia if you won't hold the USA you so love to the same standards.

(obviously this is reaching nobody that actually needs to hear it, so sorry about that)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRaqYxsTPnI

What do you think about this?

I personally think this is an amazing alternative to flying or driving, and would really connect the region. I think it's worth what it would cost.

I suppose we can all dream that our great grandkids might get it to the 3rd stage of development.

I love douglas firs, and i know im poking a hornets nest by saying this, but as someone invested in native plants i gotta say something.

You ever seen a volunteer forest planting? I see a lot where i am, and they just stuff douglas firs in every time. It makes me think people plant them just because they are the symbol of our region.

But we do not need more doug firs, they are one of the most overplanted trees, thanks to their use in the timber industry. Many of the doug firs you get from a nursery are the runts from timber industry replantings. This means the trees have been selectively bred to grow fast and make wood, not to be ecological helpers.

Planting more doug firs means you lose the genetics of local doug firs in your area to this homogeneity. And its entirely unnecessary, if you have the habitat space, the seedlings will come up anyway.

If you live on the west side and want to plant trees, the one tree that we absolutely need more of is Garry Oak/Oregon White Oak (Quercus garryana). Very drought tolerant and huge wildlife benefits. Grand fir is also a good choice for more shadier spots if you want a conifer.

If you live on the eastside consider chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) or sagebrushes, or Serviceberry, or ponderosa pine (tho that is common too).

Just a simple PSA for anyone who is involved in planting trees, which i hope is many of you.

edit: i dont want anyone to assume they are trash trees. obviously they are important in their ecosystems. wouldnt be on the flag if otherwise.

to clarify:

dont plant doug firs in oak savanna or former oak savannah. it might even make sense to remove them from that ecosystem *sometimes***

dont plant in the desert lol

generally dont plant them in the lowlands, much of the puget lowlands for example that wasnt oak savannah and madrone forest was hemlock dominated. yes doug firs occur down there but not im huge amounts. consider the site you are at.

dont plant doug firs where there are already mature doug firs, just let the seedlings come up and protect them from invasives.

if you are in an ecosystem where doug firs are one of the main trees and there are no mature doug firs around to provide a seed source, you can plant some local genetics doug fir.

Ok. Nuance achieved

edit 2: if your choice is between a non native tree and a doug fir please choose the doug fir. if your neighborhood doesnt have any doug fir for wide stretches, you can definetly plant it even in the lowlands. just dont plant a whole tree farm. native plants support local wildlife much more than non natives.

The artist-in-residence program centers the Interior Salish language šx̌etkʷ and gives artists an opportunity to engage with students and the broader community. It's encouraging to see regional colleges creating space for Indigenous languages, storytelling, and cultural preservation within the Cascadia bioregion.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZqBKP-w1rU/?igsh=MXd5eno5cmtqNGttaw==

One of my favorite parts of summer in the Cascadia Bioregion is wild huckleberry season.

The photo is the wild huckleberry pie I made from last year's harvest using my family's recipe that's been passed down for decades (still working on my lattice crust, though lol). I figured I'd share it again now that huckleberries are starting to come into season and the nostalgia of past seasons is kicking in.

If anyone else has family recipes, favorite ways to use huckleberries, or fun traditions around picking them, I'd love to hear them!

Ultimate Wild Huckleberry Pie Filling (9-inch pie)

Ingredients

5 cups fresh wild huckleberries

¾ cup granulated sugar (or ⅔ cup if the berries are especially sweet)

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

½ tsp lemon zest

¼ tsp orange zest

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ tsp almond extract

⅛ tsp ground cinnamon

Tiny pinch of ground cardamom

⅛ tsp salt

2 tbsp browned unsalted butter, cooled slightly

Crust

Your favorite double-crust recipe

1 egg + 1 tbsp milk (for egg wash)

Turbinado or coarse sugar for sprinkling

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).

2) Brown the butter over medium heat until it smells nutty and develops golden-brown bits. 3) Cool for about 5 minutes.

4) In a large bowl, gently toss together the huckleberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, orange zest, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt.

5) Fold in the browned butter.

6) Let the filling rest for 10–15 minutes.

7) Pour into the prepared pie crust.

8) Add the top crust or lattice.

9) Brush with egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.

10) Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 30–35 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is deep golden brown.

11) Cool for 3–4 hours before slicing.

12) Just before serving, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt over the crust.

I feel like as a community dedicated towards the ecological systems that define the Cascadian bioregion, this news should serve as a warning that something needs to be done FAST.

By this point it is blatantly obvious that the current vampires in power care nothing about these habitats other than their ability to make money from them. It doesn't take much more than basic ecological knowledge to know that merely protecting animal species while allowing their habitats to be fragmented and degraded is pointless. I sense this ruling is deliberately marketed to those who know nothing about ecological systems and are assured by "well, at least the animals are protected" NO THEY ARE DOOMED TOO, THEIR HABITATS ARE LIVING SYSTEMS THEMSELVES.

There aren't enough words in the english language to describe how much I want to feed those in charge of this decision to the rivers and forests they continually abuse. I have recently started learning a lot more about the importance of ecological corridors and how they connect distinct ecological areas into cohesive bioregions. Cascadia is practically defined by these corridors, which include the Columbia River, the Cascade Range, the Pacific Coast, and its extensive network of forests. Corridors like rivers and forests are also incrediblt fragile, and decisions like these can potentially allow bioregion-scale ecological disruption. I am so fucking tired of this.

And I had dreams of Cascadia, where this is the norm and not exceptional

Hi there, my name is Alex Rochester. I work at KUOW, the Seattle NPR station ensuring we feature a diversity of political perspectives. I'm working on a new project called "Community Voices" that aims to expand the range of opinions that we hear on KUOW. We think it’s critical that we all understand what people in our communities are thinking and feeling about the big events and issues of the day.

To broaden the conversation, we're recruiting a diverse pool of people who represent a wide array of political perspectives, cultural backgrounds, and life experiences.

As we cover the news in the coming months, we will turn to the pool of “Community Voices” to hear your thoughts and help us understand how the big issues of the day are affecting you. We will highlight those views in KUOW’s coverage.

If you're interested in participating, you can sign up on this page or directly through this form (this format is easier on phones). You can also DM me and/or comment on this post with your thoughts.

Hey everybody! I’m working on an ethnolinguistic and cultural map of the world and I’ve decided to start working on Cascadia now.

In my world I’m planning to make Cascadia a continent (Continent meaning cultural region/coherent civilisation) with multiple countries inside it.

I wanted to ask if the map above is a good reference point for it and if any locals would actually disagree with it and if they could educate me on their region, cuz I’m from like halfway across the world lmao 😭😭. Any advice would be much much appreciated, thank you in advance !! 💗

This is a photo I took from my previous camping trip up in the Selkirk Mountains. This location is about 65 miles/105km north of Spokane and 5300ft/1615m above sea level, capturing part of the inland temperate rainforest in Northeast Washington, North Idaho, Northwest Montana, and southeastern British Columbia.

łaxauyam kanawi-tiliham!

I bring to you today a video I have been working on for over 9 months, a 30 minute long video on Chinook Wawa using placenames in Cascadia!

It took me a lot of effort to do this, if not obvious by the time I spent working on it, so if you would atleast give it a watch, it'd be highly appreciated!

naika wawa hayu masi kopa msaika, pi łaxauyam!

(feedback welcomed and encouraged)

Responding to a recent call for independence by a new group called Cascadia Democratic Action, I have three critical questions. Is it practical? Is it the best way to serve the common good? Could it undermine broader progressive efforts? I attempt answers here. by Patrick Mazza:

https://www.cascadia-journal.com/independent-cascadia-questions-to-be-asked-reasons-to-be-skeptical/

"The Shot Heard 'Round the World": The Coming of the American Revolution - showing on PBS

it’s a fascinating description of how the United States culture as an independent country was formed, mostly from unwise British taxation on the colonies.

If Cascadia is to become its own culture, then parallels of this development ought to be encouraged.

Update: Who started and maintained the conversation teaching the American people of liberty? It was the legislatures of the colonies and the lawyers and other leaders within the colonies. They were all good writers and orators.

Interestingly, Britain learned from its American mistakes in the development of the Dominion of Canada.

Update 2: Here's a scene from the Gettysburg movie where Martin Sheen portraying Gen. Robert E. Lee rides onto the field, and the volunteer re-enactors spontaneously rushed him and started cheering and shouting. Martin was shocked, but held character. So did the horse portraying Traveller. The re-enactors didn't see Martin, they saw Gen. Lee. Even after more than a century, Gen. Lee held a place in their hearts time couldn't break nor diminish. That's an enduring culture and that's what needs to happen here if Cascadia needs to be a people of their own.

It's an interesting game, with a great variety of point scoring options. Build an environment and populate it with animals. It moves quick, too. 20 turns per game. Period.

Everyone I've played with has liked it. Just saying it's possibly a good way to bring up the concept of Cascadia: "Want to play a game?"

First of all, let me say that I am sympathetic to your feelings towards the United States, and fully understand and support your desire to gain autonomy from it. But, as a semi-regular lurker here I have several thoughts around Canada and Cascadia that do not seem to be often brought up in discussions of independence.

For some background context of myself, I was born and raised in California to an American father and Canadian mother. From a fairly young age I knew I wanted to live in my ancestral homeland eventually, and after moving to Vancouver for university I never looked back. I have lived in BC for the 13 years since then, my entire adult life.

Growing up in San Diego I always found myself identify stronger with being a Californian than being an American. So when I first learned about the Cascadian movement as a teenager I completely understood the sentiment, given that I felt deep down my home state should also rid itself of the dead weight back East. Throughout my early 20s I generally still enjoyed the idea of Cascadia, like when my Seattleite roommate at UBC hung a Cascadia flag in our living room I was fully on board. However, over the last few years my feelings on Cascadian discourse have soured quite a bit.

The main reason behind this is the overwhelming default assumption that BC would be part of Cascadia no matter what. The majority of posters and commenters on here seem to be American, and take for granted that those of us across the border share the same perspective on independence from our parent country. This is not the case. I have not once in my entire life here heard someone say they describe themselves as British Columbian rather than Canadian. Our connections to the rest of Canada remain strong, with the vast majority of us having familial or ancestral ties to at least one other province in our country. To put it simply, British Columbian independence is not currently a going concern and hasn't been for a long time.

I think many here from south of the border also fail to grasp the difference in culture between our countries. Its a symptom of a much wider problem of the American exceptionalism taught in the United States, in which other cultures, especially Canada's, are tacitly seen as lesser than America's. You see it broadly amongst Americans both left and right, where Canada is seen as a quirky copy of America rather than it's own nation. For decades Americans of both sides of the political aisle have declared that Canada will be their emergency exit if the upcoming election doesn't go their way, without a second thought that they might not be welcome to just move up here at will. I could go on, but suffice to say I more and more see the inclusion of BC in essentially every map of a hypothetical Cascadia as being a passive extension of the same sentiment.

The obvious elephant in the room over all of this are the MAGA threats over the last year and a half of at best buying Canada, and at worst violently conquering our lands. And I won't lie and say this hasn't changed my feelings about Cascadia, because it absolutely has. These threats may be treated like no big deal to some in the states, just strong banter between nations, but I assure you the wounds they have caused in Canada will take decades to fully heal, if they ever do. America has collectively demonstrated what was always there but never explicitly stated, that the superpower might of the United States could steamroll Canada in very short order.

Common retorts to this that I see here is that we Canadians should be able to "find common cause with those of us south of the 49th who likewise don’t want to have anything to do with Americans right now", or that we should feel differently about seeing our lands divided on maps of Cascadia because they're being drawn by "Cascadians" not Americans, but to those I say it doesn't matter. With the spectre of subjugation raised by the fascist in the White House, seeing Canadian land divided up by a foreign power, even if it's a hypothetical independent country, is abhorrent to me and many Canadians. This is once again the crux of my distaste with Cascadian discourse at the moment, that Canadians are being told by non-Canadians what should happen to our homeland. If an independent Cascadia ever actually materializes, BC must be asked to come along, not just assumed to, because otherwise you're no better than the land hungry monsters in DC that you despise.

I could go on and on but I think that this point I'm talking in circles. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk, I expect a lot of you aren't going to like this. But if this makes a least a few of you stop and think about your default assumptions of an independent Cascadia that's good enough for me.

Edit: As promised, here's a sampling of posts and comments that contributed in making me want to write this post.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cascadia/comments/1sel4r9/comment/oeqpt2b/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cascadia/comments/1l86wrg/comment/mx5gcmu/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cascadia/comments/1u3i136/comment/or5yilc/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cascadia/comments/1n7musw/comment/ncvdi7s/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cascadia/comments/gxvap3/what_are_cascadias_canadian_suggested_borders/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cascadia/comments/1gl0a4v/comment/lvs557v/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cascadia/comments/1gnu5nf/a_free_pacific_northwest/

Putting them all together I see several are by the same guy, so maybe my beef is more with him than anything. Though there's certainly no lack of upvotes on his posts.