Presenters of the Bioregional Data T-Lab (Workshop #1)

A series of remarkable leaders will participate with YOU across the three days learning how to better map seagrass meadows in Casco Bay, Gulf of Maine.

Some Reflections on the first Casco Bay Bioregional T-Lab/ Workshop #1 January 10-12, 2024

Who attended?

While we do this work in appreciation of the many thousands of people who are working on innovations, this event featured 25 people to build connections and develop deeper relationships across a wide range of expertise and grow through the power of networks and relationships. There were many different sectors and disciplines represented including many who have been contributing to the COBALT/Team Zostera Working Groups and have been invited to serve as advisors and contributors representing diverse perspectives.

DIVERSITY:  For an effective bioregional T-Lab/Workshop, we begin with a diversity of perspectives, professions, ages, ethnicities, disciplines, and sectors. The power of a convening such as this is to learn how to see through the eyes of another and that is best accomplished through diversity – so join us for future workshops and bring your perspective but be prepared to learn how to see through the eyes of others!

Why Now?

Many agree that we are in a “global polycrisis” or “meta-crisis.” These terms refers to a time when crises in multiple global systems become entangled in ways that affect human life support, and significantly degrade our prospects of survival. We are all aware that the risks to humanity are profound, spreading in unimaginable ways. In 2021, a Nobel Prize Summit was convened called Our Planet, Our Future and the authors describe this time in the state of the planet as “a critical juncture for humanity.” They emphasize the importance of social innovations at a bioregional scale that align with windows of opportunity to unlock broader levels of change within a governance system.

At local scale, the Casco Bay National Estuary Partnership describes Casco Bay as remarkably healthy compared to many other U.S. estuaries yet warns of a series of major changes “underway that warrant a timely response to protect the Bay and the many people whose livelihoods and quality of life depend upon it.” The Maine Monitor recently reported that “More than 34,000 people moved to Maine during the pandemic…vast majority came from elsewhere in the United States, although the Maine also took in nearly 3,500 international migrants, including many fleeing conflicts in Ukraine and countries in Africa.” Our social and ecological systems are changing rapidly, yet our dominant worldview remains (world as machine, need for separation and fragmentation, problems as simple and linear, the primacy of of top-down command and control, maximizing self interest and prioritizing consumerism). These dominant paradigms frame our our goals and what we do as a society.

We believe simple but profound questions related to how we see, conserve and restore our ecological systems (such as seagrass meadows) are needed to help navigate into this uncertain future. These questions begin with a focus on the places where we are living and how we are living within them. This work is about building an understanding of both the deeper sense of seagrass meadow health and emerging alternatives through engaging with purpose, potential and calling.

What is a T-Lab?

We are building various expressions of a Bioregional Transformation Lab or “T-Lab” which is a concept developed by our colleagues at the Stockholm Resilience Centre and others around the world. T-Labs are intended to be “safe spaces” to discuss questions deeply and if possible to launch innovations that may help to address deep challenges with no clear solutions, no silver bullets. The “magic” is based upon the people who are engaging in the many different expressions of COBALT T-Labs, people who are doing real change work. So these events focus on engaging with the catalysts of transformative change. This begins with inviting people who are willing to spend time to get to know one another, willing to work with new languages and ideas, willing to appreciate and try new practices and willing to be part of something that is not tied to any one organization but appreciates the contributions of the whole.

As noted, a major goal is learning how we better “see/sense” the systems we are living within. This includes both the social and the natural/ecological dynamics. This is why we are calling the series of three workshops “Building a Bioregional Data Lab.” This work requires a sense of history (indigenous and colonial), as well as the implications of decisions made over the past 400 years that have led to where we are.  

Going even deeper – our Bioregional T-Lab explores the amazing life associated with our coastal ecosystems that include salt marshes, seagrasses and seaweeds and the power of life and immense value to society that they support.  For systems, we mean seeing into our local food/fiber systems, seeing the systems and innovations around food waste, water infrastructure and waste water treatment, energy, tourism, etc.  No small task.  The “data revolution” and “internet of things” has made all of this suddenly possible so we are creating the Bioregional T-Lab to build the wolds first Bioregional Digital Twin to better learn how to navigate the poly-crisis ahead.

What are the likely outcomes for future Bioregional Data Labs?

Every bioregion has the potential to define its unique sense of character and cohesion, which then nourishes those who live there and entices and enriches guests, and attracts supportive investments. From this “fertile ground,” new, creative projects continuously emerge. Like plants in regenerated soil, individual enterprises prosper. We believe creating a Bioregional Data T-Lab is an essential step to better see, connect and amplify transformative change where communities discover that more becomes possible when seeing together, in a continuous unfolding of learning, healing, vitality and potential. We believe this foundation is essential for communities to develop the kind of adaptation and resilience to withstand future shocks and disruptions. This begins with a deeper sense of place, and we will start by learning how to map seagrass meadows in Casco Bay, Gulf of Maine.