Protecting land and water with the Surfrider Foundation

Image: Alex King via Unsplash

This article written in collaboration with the Surfrider Foundation

Protected public lands and waters are at the heart of great outdoor experiences. For ten years, Outdoor Alliance has united the human-powered outdoor recreation community to achieve lasting conservation victories. Outdoor Alliance is a coalition of national advocacy organizations that includes the Surfrider Foundation, the most proactive organization involved in protecting the public’s access to ocean recreation. Together, our work has permanently protected 40 million acres of public land and water, secured $5.1 billion in funding for the outdoors, and has converted hundreds of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts into outdoor advocates.

The outdoor community has a powerful connection to place. Many of our coastal parks and waters are culturally significant, as well as being places where surfers gather and play. Coastal state and national parks are uniquely special places for the surfing community and include Cardiff, Trestles, Malibu, Rincon, and Steamer Lane in California, as well as east coast gems like Sebastian Inlet in Florida, Cape Hatteras in the Mid-Atlantic, and Hither Hills in Montauk, New York. This connection to place makes the surfing community a powerful force for conservation—because the more experiences we have, the stronger and more numerous our connections are to the outdoors.

There’s a large cross-section of Surfrider supporters who are not only surfers but also recreationists who support other organizations within Outdoor Alliance. Among them is Surfrider’s CEO, Dr. Chad Nelsen, who is an avid climber and mountain biker, in addition to his passion for surfing. When the opportunity arose for Surfrider to join Outdoor Alliance, they were excited to partner with so many like-minded organizations that are leaders in their advocacy and conservation work. Together, we’re able to unify the voices of the outdoor recreation community, and by speaking with one voice in favor of common goals, we’re able to achieve so much more.

Here are some of the most important victories that the Surfrider Foundation and Outdoor Alliance have achieved together:

Land Water Conservation Fund

The Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), often dubbed “America’s best conservation program,” has helped protect parks, beaches, and trails in every U.S. state for over fifty years without using funds from taxpayers – because it’s funded by revenue from offshore oil and gas leases. In 2019, Surfrider along with several other Outdoor Alliance member orgs worked to pass a permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and get it fully funded by Congress. One of Surfrider’s key findings is that LWCF helps coastal communities, and the country as a whole, better prepare for climate change impacts because intact, resilient coastlines act as ‘buffers’ against sea level rise and extreme weather by reducing erosion and protecting open space and habitats.

“Our report demonstrates that the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has protected and reinforced our precious coastlines for decades,” said Surfrider’s CEO, Dr. Chad Nelsen. “In light of climate change, the resilience of our coastal lands is of paramount importance. This makes the LWCF more important now than ever before.”

Chumash Heritage Marine Sanctuary

The waters off California’s central coast are culturally significant, as well as being among the West Coast’s most productive and biologically diverse. Features include Chumash sacred sites, abundant feeding grounds for whales and dolphins, thriving kelp forests, and world-class fish diversity. The San Luis Obispo coast also offers popular outdoor recreation activities like surfing, paddling, and diving. These are invaluable resources which are highly vulnerable to human impacts, and have been threatened by potential exploitation for offshore drilling and seabed mining. 

The proposed Chumash Heritage Marine Sanctuary would be the first sanctuary to focus on Indigenous culture and history as a primary core value along with the protection of ocean habitat. The Chumash Tribe’s understanding and respect for nature come from their long and profound cultural relationships with marine ecosystems. Sanctuaries still allow for a wide range of activities that include sustainable fishing—a primary management goal in order to conserve the marine environment.

“We know the importance of protecting this vital stretch of ocean, for our marine life, our fishing, and our cultural heritage. Sanctuaries uplift local participation in ocean management, and this sanctuary will put Indigenous communities in partnership with NOAA. The collective knowledge of the Central Coast’s First Peoples, as well as other local stakeholders, scientists, and policymakers, will create a strong foundation to have a thriving coast for generations to come,” said sanctuary Nominator and Northern Chumash Tribal Council Chairwoman Violet Sage Walker.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Established in 1990, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects the only barrier coral reef in the continental United States, stretching south from Miami to the Dry Tortugas. Within these waters lie nationally-significant resources including seagrass beds, coral reef colonies, mangrove-fringed islands, and thousands of marine species. This fragile habitat supports lifeways and livelihoods of the residents of the Florida Keys and is increasingly under threat from hurricanes, disease, boat groundings, climate change, pollution, and human interactions.

Surfrider is currently working to encourage NOAA to finalize the new rule, management plan, and environmental impact statement to protect North America’s only coral reef tract so it can survive and be enjoyed by future generations. You can add your voice here.

San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

The expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is a recent success that both Outdoor Alliance and Surfrider have worked on together. The San Gabriel Mountains are a beloved outdoor recreation space for nearly 13 million people living in close proximity. The coast of Southern California is uniquely connected to the San Gabriels because they are home to the headwaters of the San Gabriel River, as well as other creeks and streams that wind their way through the LA basin and eventually to the Pacific Ocean. Downstream flows carry cobble and sediment that help create our beaches and provide critical ecological linkages between land and sea. The monument also protects nearly 70 percent of the open space in Los Angeles County, and it plays a crucial role in providing water to those who live in the metropolitan area. The expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is a huge success, and part of a locally-driven effort alongside other Outdoor Alliance member groups.

Get Involved With Surfrider

The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s ocean, waves, and beaches for all people through a powerful activist network. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over one million supporters, activists, and members, with more than 200 volunteer-led chapters and student clubs in the U.S., and more than 800 victories protecting our coasts. Learn more at surfrider.org.