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Coast & Climate

Coastal Conservation in Action

Hundreds of millions of Americans visit beaches across the country each year, supporting millions of jobs and generating over $143 billion annually. Yet, our coastal communities are increasingly under siege from poorly planned development, and climate change impacts, such as sea level rise and extreme weather events. 

The Surfrider Foundation is leading efforts at the federal, state, and local levels to protect our shorelines on every coast. Our efforts are focused on working with local communities to update land use plans, opposing shoreline structures such as seawalls that prevent natural flows and cycles, and leveraging nature-based solutions that will buttress coastal communities from climate change impacts and also absorb carbon.

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Shrinking Beaches And Rising Seas

Surfers cheer the waves generated by big storms, whether from North Pacific winters on the West Coast, hurricanes during the summer and fall, or Nor’easters along the Atlantic Seaboard. But of course, the best surf often comes with a price — eroding the shorelines and shrinking our beaches that offer a buffer between the powerful ocean and the land that we live on.

There is a constant struggle in many places to keep the sea at bay, whether building concrete seawalls or dredging up sand from the seafloor to dump on beaches. The wrong choices can accelerate the rate of erosion on disappearing beaches, damage local economies when coastal tourism and recreation resources become impacted, and billions of dollars can be lost to storm-damaged and flooded properties in a single severe weather event.

This is especially true as the effects of climate change and sea level rise become more evident and increasingly consequential. We cannot lose our beaches and natural shorelines without a fight.

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How The Surfrider Foundation Is Turning The Tide

The Surfrider Foundation’s Coast & Climate Initiative protects our shorelines. We proactively address threats like coastal development, sea walls and other types of shoreline armoring and beach dredge and fill projects to ensure the protection of our coast. Our network of volunteers work with community planners to make informed and responsible decisions on coastal development and to address the effects of rising sea levels.

On a national stage, our environmental policy and legal experts work with decision-makers to plan wisely and make the smart choices for the future of our coast.

Learn more about Surfrider's position on Coastal Preservation or contact Stefanie Sekich-Quinn, Senior Manager, Coast and Climate.​

How The Surfrider Foundation Is Turning The Tide

The Surfrider Foundation’s Coast & Climate Initiative protects our shorelines. We proactively address threats like coastal development, sea walls, and other types of shoreline armoring, and beach dredge and fill projects to ensure the protection of our coast. Our grassroots network of volunteers works with community planners to help them make informed and responsible decisions about coastal development and to address the effects of rising sea levels.

On the national stage, our environmental policy and legal experts collaborate with and advise decision-makers, enabling them to plan wisely and make smart choices for the future of our coast.

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The Surfrider Foundation is leading efforts at the federal, state, and local levels to protect our shorelines on every coast.

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Our Nationwide Network Taking Action

In Texas, our chapters are working on establishing “setback” lines for structures on the beach and are conducting numerous dune restoration efforts.

California chapters are working with state agencies and local municipalities to update “Local Coastal Programs” to incorporate proactive planning measures related to coastal armoring, managed retreat, and public infrastructure. In southern California, chapters are working on implementing ‘living shorelines.’ 

Florida chapters are working on sea level rise legislation and fighting a misappropriation of public funds to subsidize sea walls for wealthy private property owners. In addition, chapters are conducting dune and mangrove restoration.

Pacific Northwest chapters in Washington recently helped pass legislation that would require sea level rise to be incorporated into local land use plans. In Oregon, our chapters are working to update local development ordinances and restore an eroding coastline near Cannon Beach.

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic chapters are providing expert insights into Army Corps engineering plans to stave off harmful coastal armoring and inefficient ‘beach fill’ projects. In addition, many chapters along the East Coast engage in several dune restoration projects throughout the year.

Puerto Rico chapters are working on mangrove and dune restoration, installing thousands of plants that improve coastal resilience.

Ways To Get Involved

Volunteer

Join our network and help us tackle the issues that face our ocean, waves and beaches.

Donate

Support Surfrider and our network of coastal defenders.

Take Action

Take action right from your computer by contacting your local officials.