Photo: William Henry

Mission
World Surfing Reserves proactively identifies, designates and preserves outstanding waves, surf zones and their surrounding environments around the world. The program serves as a global model for preserving wave breaks and their surrounding areas by recognizing the positive environmental, cultural, economic and community benefits of surfing areas.

Background
Save The Waves Coalition, along with key partners National Surfing Reserves (NSR) Australia and the International Surfing Association (ISA), launched World Surfing Reserves in 2009. The initiative creates a global network of Surfing Reserves designed to educate the world about the tremendous universal value of these special places and provide tools to help local communities better protect cherished surf breaks.

How World Surfing Reserves Works
The program is broken down into four main phases: the nomination/application process, the selection process, dedications/enshrinements, and ongoing monitoring and management. After applying and being selected, each WSR location creates a Local Stewardship Council to implement and manage that reserve. For more on the WSR Process click here.

Program Management
World Surfing Reserves is governed by a global five-member Executive Committee with the assistance of a Vision Council. Save The Waves Coalition, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, serves as fiscal administrator of the initiative. Reserves are implemented through a partnership between WSR and local communities.

WSR Executive Committee
Dean LaTourrette – Executive Director, Save The Waves Coalition (USA)
Brad Farmer – Co-founder & Chair, National Surfing Reserves Australia; Founder, Surfrider Foundation Australia (Australia)
Professor Andrew Short OAM – Co-founder, National Surfing Reserves Australia (Australia)
Will Henry – Board President, Save The Waves Coalition (USA)
Drew Kampion – Writer and Editor, Author, Environmentalist (USA)

WSR Vision Council
Fernando Aguerre (USA/Argentina), Jim Moriarity (USA), Len Materman (USA), Paul Shanks (New Zealand), Tony Butt (Spain/UK), Terry Gibson (USA), Steve Hawk (USA), Chad Nelsen (USA), Wallace J. Nichols (USA), Chris LaFrankie (USA), Mark Massara (USA), Neil Lazarow (Australia), Miles Walsh (USA), João De Macedo (USA/Portugal), Stéphane Latxague (France), Michael Blum (USA).

Honorary Vision Council Members
Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew AM (Australia), Professor Ben Finney (Hawaii), Manolo Lozano (Ecuador), Juca de Barros (Brazil), Tiago Pires (Portugal), Greg Long (USA), Holly Beck (USA).