The Green Room: A Surfing-Conscious Approach to Coastal and Marine Management

Abstract

I. INTRODUCTION II. WHAT IS A SURFING RESOURCE? A. Peel Angle B. Breaking Intensity C. Holistic View III. WHY SHOULD WE PROTECT SURFING RESOURCES? A. Value to Surfers B. Cultural Value C. Economic Value IV. WHAT ARE THE MAJOR THREATS TO SURFING RESOURCES? V. WHAT IT MEANS TO PROTECT SURFING RESOURCES VI. METHODS FOR PRESERVING SURFING RESOURCES A. Laws With the Purpose of Protecting Surfing Resources B. Government-Owned Parks C. Marine Protected Areas D. The Public Trust Doctrine E. Official Recognition of Surfing Resources F. Public Education G. Other Mechanisms 1. Eminent Domain 2. Land Trusts 3. Listing on the National Register of Historic Places 4. Conditional Easements and Exactions VII. CONCLUSION Introduction In recent history, mankind has recognized significant value in the earth's natural resources, and has made substantial progress in preserving these resources in the face of heightened exploitation and development. Endangered species and their habitats, geological wonders like Yosemite Valley, and pristine rivers and lakes have received the bulk of attention from this preservation movement; and due to the work of concerned admirers, many of the planet's most appreciated natural sites have remained relatively free from the post-industrial impact of human society. (1) One type of natural resource enjoyed by millions of people and similarly threatened by the activities of society has received relatively little attention, however. Surfing resources are finite in number, fragile, and not often considered when evaluating coastal development projects. (2) High quality surfing resources are rare along the world's coastlines, and they provide healthy recreation for surfers and onlookers alike. (3) Unfortunately, many surfing resources have been negatively impacted or destroyed as a result of inconsiderate human activity. (4) The loss of a surfing resource impacts not only the surfers who frequent it, the surfing community as a whole, and local communities whose economies benefit from surfers visiting the area because of its surfing resources. (5) Until recently, surfers were virtually helpless in combating negative impacts to these resources, but as the number of surfers has grown, groups like the Surfrider Foundation and Save the Waves Coalition have formed, organizing people and mobilizing resources for the preservation of surfing resources. (6) This progress, however, is just a first step towards creating a coastal management policy that prioritizes preserving quality surf breaks. This paper advocates for the preservation of surfing resources. First, section II explores the definition of a surfing resource. Next, section III explains why surfing resources are valuable to surfers and non-surfers alike. Section IV then covers what sorts of threats face the world's surfing resources and provides some brief examples of resources that have been lost. Finally, section V explores and evaluates different methods that advocates may employ to preserve the surfing resources still in existence. While the discussion of methods for preserving surfing resources includes international examples, its primary focus is on methods that could be effective in the United States, and California in particular. II. What Is A Surfing Resource? One central aspect of surfing that is often misunderstood by non-surfers is that not every beach or coastal area is suitable for surfing, let alone ideal. (7) Breaking waves vary greatly in their shape, speed, and intensity, and only certain combinations of these factors create waves that are surfable. (8) Most of what determines these characteristics is the local bathymetry, or underwater topography, of the area. (9) Other ingredients necessary to create surfing waves include swell height and period, wind speed and direction, and tide levels. …