Save The Waves Coalition

An excellent update from Mara Arroyo Senior Manager, Conservation and Science at Save The Waves Coalition. Recently, Punta del Este hosted the 10th International Waters Conference with the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) 🇺🇾 I was very grateful to be part of this event and for the opportunity to present our project with Conservation International, Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental, and UNIDO. The International Waters Conference was a key learning and exchange event for projects funded by the GEF in the focal area of International Waters. Together with Conservation International, we hosted a clinic on “Strengthening Marine Conservation Through the Blue Economy, Tourism and Nature-Based Sports” 🌊🏄🏻♀️🌎 This space allowed us to share our innovative approach to marine and coastal conservation, using surfing as a vehicle to create networks of surf-protected areas. The conference gathered more than 300 participants, collectively representing around 100 current GEF IW projects, from 80 countries. I’m looking forward to continuing working with our amazing team and expanding the networks of surf-protected areas to other regions around the globe 🌍

Exciting News! Save The Waves Coalition is thrilled to announce our partnership with the Rivian Foundation! 🌊 We are honored to be among the 41 inaugural grantees of Rivian Foundation’s launch, which was announced this week. Together, we are helping to protect California’s iconic surf ecosystems and making a lasting impact through this grant. “Rivian’s support to help us protect surf ecosystems goes beyond the wave. It preserves coastal habitats, provides refuge for endemic species, and safeguards local communities who depend on the surfing economy for their livelihoods. Our model of local-to-global partnership in California and beyond is forging a more resilient future against climate change - and spreading stoke while we make a difference through tools like our film festival,” - Nik Strong-Cvetich, CEO of Save The Waves. For more info on the Rivian Foundation, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gZKMYW96 

Surf ecosystems face increasing threats from climate change, but a new parametric insurance model offers an innovative financial solution. We have teamed up with Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance and the Government of Canada, to develop the world's first surf ecosystem climate insurance policy in El Salvador, ensuring coastal communities thrive economically and ecologically amid rising environmental challenges. Thanks to our partners Paso Pacifico, Las Flores Resort, Fondo de Inversión Ambiental de El Salvador, and Advisors at WTW, UCSC Center for Coastal Climate Resilience, Integral Consulting Inc. https://lnkd.in/gzPznikP

Check out this new paper on carbon-dense surf ecosystems by Jacob J. Bukoski PhD with contributions from Save The Waves staffers Diego Sancho Gallegos and Mara Arroyo! Huge shout out to the team Conservation International, Scott Atkinson, Marissa Miller, Kellee Koenig, GISP, Dan R. Reineman, John N. Kittinger https://lnkd.in/gN5Rd95J

Stoked to announce the next episode of The Lead, featuring ⁠Majka Burhardt. Check it here: https://lnkd.in/gerDgp6r Majka is a professional climber, a mom of twins, a best-selling author of "More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood", and overall student of life, but more importantly Majka is Founder and Executive Director of ⁠Legado⁠, a rapidly growing NGO that empowers indigenous communities and creates legacy-drvien conservation. In our conversation, we talk about the transition from professional athlete, to nonprofit founder; the challenges and rewards of balancing family, adventure, and conservation, and how to stay curious. As well as finding time to document all of the good and bad in a book. Check out ⁠Majka⁠ on LinkedIn or on social @⁠majkaburhardt ⁠and go learn more about Legado’s good work in mountain communities of Mozambique, Kenya, Peru and beyond at www.legadoinitiative.org Also, on this episode I have to apologize to Alex Honnold for throwing him under the bus and claiming he doesn't work for the environment. Not true and his new commitment to ReGen Ventures attests to this. Thanks! Sorry! Patagonia Save The Waves Coalition Brick House Media Music by: George Winston

Stoked to announce the next episode of The Lead, a podcast dedicated to sharing the stories of effective conservation, climate and ocean leaders. This episode we feature Majka Burhardt. Majka is a professional climber, a mom of twins, a best-selling author of "More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood", and overall student of life, but more importantly Majka is Founder and Executive Director of Legado, a rapidly growing NGO that empowers indigenous communities and creates legacy-driven conservation. In our conversation, we talk about the transition from professional athlete, to nonprofit founder; the challenges and rewards of balancing family, adventure, and conservation, and how to stay curious. As well as finding time to document all of the good in a bad in a book. Check out Majka on LinkedIn and go learn more about Legado’s good work in mountain communities of Mozambique, Kenya, Peru and beyond at www.legadoinitiative.org The Episode will be live tomorrow July 26 on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gzPeGksq Patagonia Save The Waves Coalition Brick House Media

A great piece on J by Save The Waves board member Easkey Britton 🌊 https://lnkd.in/g4cJjWjQ

I am really stoked to announce the first episode of my new podcast, The Lead, featuring Chad Nelsen, CEO of The Surfrider Foundation. You can find the episode here: https://bit.ly/4cjlGAh The Lead is dedicated to sharing the stories of effective conservation, climate and ocean leaders— Intrepid people who are having a real impact in their sector. We seek to explore and document their successes and challenges to be able to share across the globe in a set of real and engaging conversations. We unpack  what makes these leaders tick, what was their journey, and how they think about leadership at this critical time. Chad is an amazing individual. The last 25+ years of his life he’s worked at The Surfrider Foundation, a US based non-profit dedicated to protecting oceans, waves and beaches. Working his way up from intern all the way to CEO, the organization has now grown three times over under his leadership tenure, and had a significant impact in protecting our nation’s coastlines engaging with over 1000 communities. He and I delve into a pretty deep conversation, understanding how people can make leadership transitions from within, the struggles with going from a doer to a thinker, and what it means to balance the ever-growing needs of conservation with your own sanity and health. You can find the lastest episodes here: https://bit.ly/4cjlGAh Follow Chad and Surfrider on X and Instagram: @chadenelsen and @surfrider Thank you Save The Waves Coalition, Brick House Media! Photo credit: Zach Weisberg Episode Music Credit: George Winston

On this world’s ocean day, I wanted to share some of the growth at Save The Waves Coalition and welcome a few new members of our team. First, I want to officially welcome Donna Meyers as our acting Director of Conservation Impact. Donna has led and scaled a variety of conservation and government initiatives, including City of Santa Cruz, Big Sur Land Trust, Coastal Watershed Council with a pragmatic creativity that makes stuff actually get done. So excited to work alongside her as we scale our impact across the world. I also want to welcome Rachael Roehl as our new Philanthropy Manager. Rachael comes to us from 10 years of growing and scaling things at Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, and is an incredible colleague already making strides. Last, I want to welcome officially Richard Margoluis to our Board of Directors. Richard is the Chief Adaptive Management and Evaluation officer at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and previously co-founded and led Foundations of Success which underpins the planning approaches of STW. For me this is personal as many of these folks have been my long term mentors in effective surf ecosystem conservation, and I feel like it is a dream to be able to work along side them as well as our amazing team in place #happyworldoceansday

Save The Waves Film Festival returns!! 🌊 The world’s only international surf and environmental film festival is officially back 🎉 STWFF has been on hiatus since the pandemic in 2020, but we’re proud to revive this community favorite this summer and fall! Upcoming tour dates below👇 Tickets on sale soon and more stops to be announced!  - Playa Brasil, Mexico - June 11 - Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica - July 5 - Noosa, Australia - July 13 - Gold Coast, Australia - July 13 - Manly Beach, Australia - July 15 - Santa Cruz, California - July 19  - Laguna Beach, California - August 1 Save The Waves Film Festival is an international film tour and fundraiser for our environmental efforts to protect surf ecosystems. Learn more: savethewaves.org/filmfest Presented by O'Neill Supported by Rivian West Peak Sparkling Spirits dryrobe Ltd Klean Kanteen® and Mountains Wave Marketing