“Thought-provoking” presentation on regeneration and bioregions coming to Caledon

By Zachary Roman

A speaker is coming to Caledon to give a presentation on regeneration in bioregions.

But what exactly does that mean? According to a report from former Toronto Mayor David Crombie, the Greater Toronto Bioregion (GTB) is “bounded by the Niagara Escarpment on the west, the Oak Ridges Moraine to the north and east, and Lake Ontario to the South.”

That covers our bioregion, but what about regeneration? According to the speaker coming to Caledon, Joe Brewer, regeneration is about bringing things back to life — whether its ecosystems or communities.

Brewer has a background in earth sciences and cognitive sciences, and currently spends his time doing regenerative work in Columbia.

His event is called “Weaving Together the Bioregion for Regeneration: Land, Water, Food” and during his two-hour presentation, Brewer is going to be exploring how a bioregional approach to regeneration can create more meaningful impact for the wellbeing of people and the planet.

The event is being held on February 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Caledon East Community Complex. Tickets are free, but guests are asked to register online by searching for the event on eventbrite.ca, so organizers can prepare for how many people are coming.

“Join us in exploring a thought-provoking new understanding of current local and global challenges, from regenerative practices for the stewardship of land to the effects of climate change,” reads the event page. “You'll also learn how we can forge a pathway toward a better future in the Greater Tkaronto Bioregion (GTB), including ways we can have healthier soil and grow more food… this is about integrated landscape management/stewardship and healthier communities across the bioregion, from the ground up.”

Debbe Crandall of Caledon's Mount Wolfe Farm said she's very excited to be attending the event for the educational opportunity it provides. She said she's excited to see the concepts of regeneration and bioregions being brought together.

Crandall said the event will be all about understanding that healing our environment will be a complex process. To move forward towards a better future, Crandall said we have to bring everyone together. 

“There's a lot of threads that connect us culturally, environmentally, and socially,” she said. “We are connected to this place, and we all have different disciplines and we all have different perspectives.”

Much of the environmental work Crandall has done in her life has been about protecting what exists and stopping it from being destroyed. While this work is critical, she said it isn't always the most hopeful, and coming together with a hopeful approach will be beneficial.

“We know that things are (bad), we know. So, what are we going to do about it…,” said Crandall. “I'm now interested in how to push the agenda forward.”

People attending the event are asked to wear a mask. If someone registers for it beforehand but is unable to make it, they'll be given special access to a recording of the event.