Cascadia

Cascadia is a term for the ecological and climatic region of North America bounded by the Cascade Range and the Pacific Ocean. Its ecoregions are distinct from those of the more arid lands to the east and south, and so its agriculture and forestry also vary.

Some claim that its politics necessarily also vary. In the Nine Nations of North America, Joel Garreau claimed that the Pacific Rim region he called Ecotopia had a different culture from that of what he called The Empty Quarter to the east, and was necessarily different economically as well as ecologically.

Secessionist Movements and Ideas

The Republic of Cascadia is a proposed name for an independent state that would unite British Columbia, Washington State, and Oregon, each seceding from their respective federal governments in Ottawa and Washington DC. Its boundaries would incorporate those of the existing province and states. It would, according to its proponents, also include coastal Northern California and Alaska.

• The Cascadian National Party proposes an independent state consisting of Washington and Oregon.

• The Cascadia Institute promotes consciousness of a bioregion extending along the coast from northern California up to northern British Coumbia and extending east into parts of Idaho and Alberta.

• The Republic of Cascadia is a tongue-in-cheek parody of secessionist movements in general.

The region is already served by several cooperative organizations and interstate or international agencies, especially in forestry and fishery management and emergency response - the whole region being prone to earthquakes. These organizations are thought by some to be leading towards a true bioregional democracy perhaps along the 'Republic' lines.

See also: Alaska secession, Republic of California