Bioregions are very often defined by water, and when we ask what is Oxford’s Bioregion, the Thames Headwaters is a good answer, as so much of the waters of the Thames catchment above the Goring Gap (where the Thames cuts between the Chilterns and the Wiltshire Downs) flows through Oxford.  

To survive the Climate and Ecological emergency we need a new story, and changing the boundary is a good step towards changing the story.

Land use planning based on the contours of the land rather than state-defined local-authority boundaries, opens the possibility of framing the local economy as a spiritual question.

A spiritual connection to the land requires solidarity with the local biotic community, not just the human community. It calls for re-enchantment, celebration, joy, and sorrow for the worn ecological fabric which we have to restore.

A return to considering our relations with other species implies a deep change of perspective, which needs to feed into policy making and educational priorities.