The Surfrider Foundation’s Florida Chapter Conference is held annually on the first weekend in November. It’s an opportunity for all the Florida Chapters to come together for two days of training, workshops, guest lectures, team-building, and fun. This year, over fifty activists representing ten chapters from across the state gathered at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound.
The conference speakers tackled issues ranging from seismic blasting and offshore oil drilling to plastic pollution, ocean acidification, climate change and beach access. Click here to view the full agenda. Our chapters are making a real difference protecting our ocean, waves and beaches in Florida. Of course it's not all lectures and workshops, the conference also included a field trip to Blowing Rocks Preserve to learn about coastal restoration on barrier islands and nearshore hardbottom, and a visit South Florida's first microbrewery to sample some of their organic brews.
After a long weekend of learning, activists head home with lots of new information, inspriation and a sense of unity and comradery from their fellow-Florida Chapters. “I am grateful to all my fellow Surfriders as well as all of those who are committed to protecting our land, rivers and streams and oceans, waves and beaches for us and future generations…I’m not one who thinks we can change everything in our lives or in the world overnight but I do believe if we all make positive changes in our lives and do our little part to help the environment then we can make a huge difference and protect the beautiful world we were gifted with for future generations” writes First Coast Chapter Chair and author, Paul Hayden. Click here to read his blog on the Florida Chapter Conference.
