Surfrider Foundation: MAKING WAVES, Core Programs


Surfrider's programs will benefit present and future generations	Core Programs MAKING WAVES, Dec./Jan. 1998-99

The Surfrider Foundation's greatest strength is our grassroots, community-based focus and our ability to act as local activists for the protection of the coast. In order to strengthen and build on this core competency, the organization must facilitate the dissemination of up-to-date, science-based information at the community level. The method that has proved most effective for Surfrider is the development of programs for chapter implementation.
The Surfrider Foundation's programs work because they are used at the community level. The programs, and the data they generate, educate students, the public and coastal management agencies about local, regional, nation and even global coastal environmental issues and problems, while giving them lessons and tools they can apply in their own "backyards."

RESPECT THE BEACH
Respect the Beach is a coastal educational program that includes field trips, classroom lectures, handouts, video, interactive computer applications and hands-on projects designed to teach ocean safety, marine ecology and coastal areas stewardship to K-12 students and community groups. Most surfers are natural students of weather, coastal physical processes and water quality. Teaching oceanography and environmental protection from a surfer's perspective captivates students of all ages and makes learning about the ocean exciting, fun and very cool. The Respect the Beach program is brought into classrooms by Surfrider members, who represent ocean environmentalism from the surfers perspective, and who are role models that students can relate to.

BLUE WATER TASK FORCE
The Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) is the Surfrider Foundation's most visible and successful program to date. BWTF was established with the following objectives:

to provide concerned citizens with the opportunity for hands-on involvement with an environmental problem solving effort;
to gather coastal water samples on a regular basis to determine pollution patterns in the near shore environment;
to raise public awareness regarding the extent and severity of coastal water pollution;
to use the data collected to bring polluters into compliance; and
to develop a model program that could influence national legislation and enforcement. This water quality monitoring, education and advocacy program is utilized by our Chapters and members to alert citizens and officials in their communities about water quality problems and to work toward solutions. BWTF has demonstrated success by raising public awareness of coastal water pollution levels and precipitating the establishment of state and local government water quality monitoring programs in many communities where the program has been implemented. We are still working to raise awareness about the need for a comprehensive national beach water quality monitoring program.

BEACHSCAPE
Beachscape is a flagship program that will move Surfrider to the cutting edge of citizen-based coastal mapping and create a detailed dataset of the coast. The program will utilize one of the Surfrider Foundation's greatest strengths -- a dedicated and knowledgeable membership -- to characterize coastal areas on a local level. The Surfrider Foundation's membership represents an enormous work force of interested citizens with knowledge of their local coastlines. Tapping this community resource will enable the BeachScape program to establish an accurate and credible baseline of coastal conditions that is widely available to local citizens, community activists, state and federal agencies. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to store, analyze and publish these geographic datasets, the Beachscape program will illustrate cumulative trends and improve information that will promote sustainable coastal resource management. This program will not only generate data to support coastal stewardship; it will empower local citizens with the information and skills they need to be effective advocates for coastal resource protection in their communities.

Surfrider Foundation USA:
122 S. El Camino Real #67
San Clemente, CA 92672
tel. (949) 492-8170
fax (949) 492-8142

Email addresses:
Membership: mmate@surfrider.org
Chapter Issues: emazzarella@surfrider.org
Envir. Issues: ekliszewski@surfrider.org
Legal Issues: mkremer@surfrider.org
Catalog: jwright@surfrider.org
Website Staff: mbabski@surfrider.org
Other: info@surfrider.org

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