Regenerate the Gorge
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Regenerate the Gorge is a 501(c)(3) program of Regenerate Cascadia and the Department of Bioregion. All donations are tax-deductible.
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About Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island is a 37-mile-long island in the heart of the Salish Sea, forming the northern boundary of Puget Sound between the Olympic Peninsula and mainland Washington. It is a place of rich ecological diversity and deep cultural history — home to coastal prairies, coniferous forests, seasonal wetlands, and nearshore eelgrass beds that once supported abundant salmon, orca, and shellfish populations. Our landscape includes not only Whidbey itself, but its interconnected watersheds and ecological neighbors — including Camano Island and the Skagit River delta — forming one interwoven bioregion.
Where did this group come from?
The Whidbey regeneration community began informally gathering in 2023, catalyzed by conversations around climate, water, food systems, and cultural healing. Yet our roots go deeper. Many of us have worked for years in organizations dedicated to ecological stewardship, mutual aid, indigenous solidarity, and community preparedness. Recognizing the limits of siloed work, we have come together now to launch Regenerate Whidbey — not as a new initiative, but as a shared container for coherence, collaboration, and long-view regeneration.
Our group’s purpose is to support a bioregional way of life on Whidbey Island — one that is ecologically grounded, culturally inclusive, and intergenerationally wise. We face challenges: aquifer stress, habitat loss, waste infrastructure failures, and the trauma of colonial disconnection. But we also hold tremendous potential. Our island is alive with grassroots energy — from neighborhood resilience teams and indigenous justice work to community compost initiatives and ecological restoration projects. Regenerate Whidbey exists to weave this energy into a whole-system movement of renewal.
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Seven Generation Vision
Seven generations from now, Whidbey Island has become a resilient and ecologically vibrant community, shaped by generations of intentional care. The island’s forests are healthy and diverse, supporting wildlife corridors and native species. Prairie ecosystems have been protected and expanded, while coastal bluffs and wetlands are actively stewarded to reduce erosion, recharge aquifers, and support biodiversity.
Nearshore marine habitats — including eelgrass beds, kelp forests, and shellfish areas — have recovered and thrive under collaborative restoration. Pacific herring and forage fish once again teem in Saratoga Passage and Admiralty Inlet, providing essential support to seabirds, marine mammals, and the endangered Southern Resident orcas that travel these waters.
Groundwater, the island’s sole source of drinking water, is carefully monitored and sustainably managed. Wetlands are restored and new development honors recharge zones and hydrological limits. Organic waste is no longer sent off-island; instead, it is transformed through community composting into fertile soil that supports regenerative agriculture and home gardens across the island.
People live with a strong sense of place and responsibility. Communities are planned within ecological carrying capacity, with infrastructure and land use aligned to protect ecosystems. Local food production is widespread, and cultural practices emphasize reciprocity with the land and water.
To live in right relationship here means recognizing Whidbey as a living system. Stewardship is collaborative, intergenerational, and inclusive of Indigenous voices and knowledge. Regeneration has become not just a practice — but a shared ethic woven into how people live, learn, and care for one another and the island they call home.
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Core Team
David Haskell
David moved to Whidbey three years ago. He is married to Kiki La Porta. David, since his early days at the University of California, Berkeley, has aligned himself with the philosophy of bioregionalism. David is a lifelong professional environmentalist—with a specialty in harvesting natural energy and promoting zero waste. He attended Joe Brewers’ original tour talk and has been biding his time until it was right to move. The time has arrived. David’s strength will be in networking/weaving the organizations and individuals on Whidbey that presently do such good work for community and Mother Earth, guiding them to appreciate their context and their capacity to contribute to the greater Regenerate Cascadia movement.
Geoff McNeely
Geoff is married with three teenagers. He lives with his wife and family in the Scatchet Head area of South Whidbey. Geoff is highly skilled in software applications. He has a deep understanding of the ways and means within the bioregeneration sphere. Geoff has been a good friend of both Joe Brewer and Brandon Letsinger for years. Geoff’s strengths will be in weaving the multifaceted iterations supporting the Bioregional 3.0 Web structure—both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Stephanie Nestlerode
Stephanie has lived in Oak Harbor for three years. She’s a social worker by training and a strategic planner by trade. She is the founder of 7th Generation Labs whose mission is “Weaving Old and New Eyes Wisdom to co-create a future that works for all beings.” She’s been sharing Indigenous wisdom with organizations and community collaborations for over 30 years. People are immediately drawn to these practices because they quickly sense the connection to spirit. On the Island, Stephanie is active with sʷədəbš Cultural Center & Creative Hub in Coupeville, with the Native Connections Initiative and Indivisible Whidbey. Stephanie’s strengths are sensemaking, organizing, communicating, all through the lens of Indigenous wisdom/ecology.
Becky Porter
Becky was born and raised on Whidbey Island. She is a descendant of the Snohomish Tribe of South Whidbey. Becky is active in Tribal Affairs and sits on the Tribal Council. More recently, she organized the welcoming and programs associated with the arrival of the Blue Heron Canoe in Langley Harbor. Becky currently lives in the Renton area, altho...