Protected areas
We protect surf ecosystems by creating well-managed protected areas in high priority coastal zones that overlap with high quality surf.
Save The Waves achieves long-term conservation goals and creates impact from the ground up through our two global programs: World Surfing Reserves (WSRs) and Surf Protected Area Networks (SPANs).
WORLD SURFING RESERVES
SURF PROTECTED AREA NETWORKS
recent news in Protected areas
North Devon: The Quintessential UK Surf Ecosystem
As surfers, we value places with good waves, but there are other factors that keep us enchanted and hooked to our favorite coastal zones. Selected as the next World Surfing Reserve North Devon embodies the definition of a surf ecosystem.
North Devon announced as 12th World Surfing Reserve
Breaking News: North Devon has been selected at the 12th World Surfing Reserve! This international designation recognises the area’s outstanding quality surfing beaches, and brings together the local community to celebrate and protect their coastal heritage.
World Surf League to support Surf Conservation Partnership efforts in Costa Rica and beyond
Today, we are excited to announce a new collaboration with the World Surf League and Conservation International through the Surf Conservation Partnership to protect world-class waves and coastal ecosystems.
What We Do: Protect
At Save The Waves, we strive to do more than react to immediate threats to surf breaks: we work hard to proactively conserve surf ecosystems and create surf protected areas.
How do we create protected areas?
We use a combination of voluntary conservation agreements, economic incentives, coalition-building and regulatory frameworks to achieve this goal by creating individual Reserves (WSRS) and Networks (SPANS).