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Surfers for Wetlands

Help Protect Our Wetlands

Surfers for Wetlands is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to protecting and preserving our wetlands, so they can naturally purify contaminated water that enters the storm drains before reaching our beaches.

Over 50% of the world's wetlands have been destroyed due to commercial development. In California, over 91% (not a typo) of its wetlands have been destroyed.

An oil spill has reached the shores of a pristine Persian Gulf island in Iran surrounded by clear turquoise waters that provide refuge for endangered sea turtles and dolphins, according to videos circulating on social media.

The tiny, uninhabited island of Shidvar is one of Iran’s most important protected nature reserves. It is home to large coral reefs and a breeding ground for more than 80,000 birds.

The videos, verified by The New York Times, show large dark ribbons of oil snaking along the island’s pristine white sand beaches. Birds, turtles and crabs can be seen trapped inside mounds of tar.

“It is known as the Maldives of Iran — a beautiful place,” said Kaveh Madani, director of the U.N. University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health.

An oil spill has reached the shores of a pristine Persian Gulf island in Iran surrounded by clear turquoise waters that provide refuge for endangered sea turtles and dolphins, according to videos circulating on social media.

The tiny, uninhabited island of Shidvar is one of Iran’s most important protected nature reserves. It is home to large coral reefs and a breeding ground for more than 80,000 birds.

The videos, verified by The New York Times, show large dark ribbons of oil snaking along the island’s pristine white sand beaches. Birds, turtles and crabs can be seen trapped inside mounds of tar.

“It is known as the Maldives of Iran — a beautiful place,” said Kaveh Madani, director of the U.N. University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health.

The Gardena Willows Wetlands Preserve is full of huge willow trees, ponds teeming with chorus frogs, and immersive walking trails. When walking through this lush oasis, it’s easy to forget that it is in the middle of a developed neighborhood, and the 91 freeway is just a block away.

Stormwater runoff from the surrounding neighborhood passes through the Gardena Willows Wetlands before flowing into the Dominguez Channel and out to San Pedro Bay. Pollutants and nutrients in the runoff are naturally filtered by native plants and living soils within the wetlands before flowing downstream, supporting clean water at the coast.

Surfrider volunteers and students from Environmental Charter Middle School Gardena planted 121 California native plants that will provide food for pollinators, habitat for wildlife, and support healthy soil that is ready to soak up the rain. Healthy, hydrated landscapes upstream protect clean water at the coast while providing shade and green space for communities to enjoy. Living, spongey soil and plant roots help soak up rain during storms, preventing local flooding and reducing the amount of runoff pollution entering the ocean.

Link in bio.

The Gardena Willows Wetlands Preserve is full of huge willow trees, ponds teeming with chorus frogs, and immersive walking trails. When walking through this lush oasis, it’s easy to forget that it is in the middle of a developed neighborhood, and the 91 freeway is just a block away.

Stormwater runoff from the surrounding neighborhood passes through the Gardena Willows Wetlands before flowing into the Dominguez Channel and out to San Pedro Bay. Pollutants and nutrients in the runoff are naturally filtered by native plants and living soils within the wetlands before flowing downstream, supporting clean water at the coast.

Surfrider volunteers and students from Environmental Charter Middle School Gardena planted 121 California native plants that will provide food for pollinators, habitat for wildlife, and support healthy soil that is ready to soak up the rain. Healthy, hydrated landscapes upstream protect clean water at the coast while providing shade and green space for communities to enjoy. Living, spongey soil and plant roots help soak up rain during storms, preventing local flooding and reducing the amount of runoff pollution entering the ocean.

Link in bio.

Real talk 😬

Real talk 😬

With some of the best surf spots in the world…Come on Bali, we have to do better 🙏🏾

With some of the best surf spots in the world…Come on Bali, we have to do better 🙏🏾

Reoccurring theme…San Diego County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality has closed the San Diego River area where it meets Dog Beach in Ocean Beach due to a sewage spill. Approximately 18,000 gallons of sewage were discharged, with around 9,000 gallons reaching the river. The closure will remain until the water is deemed safe. Other areas like the Tijuana Slough and Imperial Beach are also closed for similar reasons, impacting beachgoers and local residents.

Reoccurring theme…San Diego County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality has closed the San Diego River area where it meets Dog Beach in Ocean Beach due to a sewage spill. Approximately 18,000 gallons of sewage were discharged, with around 9,000 gallons reaching the river. The closure will remain until the water is deemed safe. Other areas like the Tijuana Slough and Imperial Beach are also closed for similar reasons, impacting beachgoers and local residents.

Just a reminder that without wetlands, everything goes into the storm drains and washes directly onto our beaches. That includes dog poop, oil, brake dust, fertilizer…you name it and it washes directly to our beaches.

Just a reminder that without wetlands, everything goes into the storm drains and washes directly onto our beaches. That includes dog poop, oil, brake dust, fertilizer…you name it and it washes directly to our beaches.

Just another day in So Cal. After rain hit Southern California early Wednesday, officials are asking the public to avoid all Los Angeles County beaches due to high levels of bacteria.

People who enter the ocean water during this period could become ill, especially children, the elderly, or those who are immunocompromised, officials said.

Just another day in So Cal. After rain hit Southern California early Wednesday, officials are asking the public to avoid all Los Angeles County beaches due to high levels of bacteria.

People who enter the ocean water during this period could become ill, especially children, the elderly, or those who are immunocompromised, officials said.

Surf trip to Bali, Indonesia? 🚮

Surf trip to Bali, Indonesia? 🚮

Oil buried in Gulf Coast sand. Toxic sediment in Louisiana wetlands. Dolphins struggling to reproduce. Fisheries that still haven’t bounced back.

We’re still seeing the impacts of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster more than 15 years later. Louisiana’s oyster harvests collapsed to a small fraction of historical levels after 2010, with extensive reductions coinciding with the spill and response efforts. Some populations have never fully recovered.

Bottlenose dolphin populations in heavily oiled areas like Barataria Bay suffered a 51% population loss, with NOAA scientists estimating 39 years for recovery even with active restoration efforts. Some offshore cetacean populations won’t recover for over 100 years, if ever.

Toxic oil compounds still persist in sediments, fundamentally altering coastal marsh ecosystems which are critical nurseries for Gulf fisheries. This has left the entire marine ecosystem struggling.

An oil spill can change ecosystems forever, and it’s proof that “lessons learned” can’t undo irreversible harm.

Allowing more offshore drilling inevitably invites the next long-term catastrophe — another generation-defining disaster that will still be making headlines in 2040.

The Surfrider Foundation is fighting to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself. Your donation today can help prevent the next oil spill disaster. Link in bio.

Oil buried in Gulf Coast sand. Toxic sediment in Louisiana wetlands. Dolphins struggling to reproduce. Fisheries that still haven’t bounced back.

We’re still seeing the impacts of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster more than 15 years later. Louisiana’s oyster harvests collapsed to a small fraction of historical levels after 2010, with extensive reductions coinciding with the spill and response efforts. Some populations have never fully recovered.

Bottlenose dolphin populations in heavily oiled areas like Barataria Bay suffered a 51% population loss, with NOAA scientists estimating 39 years for recovery even with active restoration efforts. Some offshore cetacean populations won’t recover for over 100 years, if ever.

Toxic oil compounds still persist in sediments, fundamentally altering coastal marsh ecosystems which are critical nurseries for Gulf fisheries. This has left the entire marine ecosystem struggling.

An oil spill can change ecosystems forever, and it’s proof that “lessons learned” can’t undo irreversible harm.

Allowing more offshore drilling inevitably invites the next long-term catastrophe — another generation-defining disaster that will still be making headlines in 2040.

The Surfrider Foundation is fighting to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself. Your donation today can help prevent the next oil spill disaster. Link in bio.

Izu-numa is one of the wetlands in Miyagi Prefecture of Japan, designated as a Ramsar Site. It’s located north of the prefectural capital of Sendai, which received some international fame during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands of people and led to a partial meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The lake, although shallow — 1.6 meters at its deepest point — is very rich in biodiversity. There are 40 fish species that have been identified in the lake. That is many more than in most freshwater lakes or ponds. Several of these fishes belong to the family of carps. The lake and the surrounding wetland is one of the most important wintering locations for birds, such as whooper swans, in Japan. It is estimated that 90 percent of the greater white-fronted geese traversing Japan stop at the lake. All of 236 bird species have been identified in the area. The wetland is also well-known for its insect life, especially that of dragonflies.

Izu-numa is one of the wetlands in Miyagi Prefecture of Japan, designated as a Ramsar Site. It’s located north of the prefectural capital of Sendai, which received some international fame during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands of people and led to a partial meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The lake, although shallow — 1.6 meters at its deepest point — is very rich in biodiversity. There are 40 fish species that have been identified in the lake. That is many more than in most freshwater lakes or ponds. Several of these fishes belong to the family of carps. The lake and the surrounding wetland is one of the most important wintering locations for birds, such as whooper swans, in Japan. It is estimated that 90 percent of the greater white-fronted geese traversing Japan stop at the lake. All of 236 bird species have been identified in the area. The wetland is also well-known for its insect life, especially that of dragonflies.

When you’ve lost 91% of California’s wetlands, all the stormwater has no intermediate holding place and goes directly into the ocean. No fun surfing in that water 😰

When you’ve lost 91% of California’s wetlands, all the stormwater has no intermediate holding place and goes directly into the ocean. No fun surfing in that water 😰

A draft environmental assessment filed with the state Office of Planning and Sustainable Development in September advances Kau wetland restoration that has been almost 20 years in the making.

The Honu‘apo Estuary Wetland Restoration Project is an effort by the Department of Land and Natural Resources to restore about eight acres of estuary and wetland habitat along the island’s southeast coast in the Honu‘apo ahupa‘a near Whittington Beach Park.

By replacing invasive vegetation with native plants, deepening water areas, and installing a predator-proof fence and pedestrian walkways, representatives from DLNR’s Department of Forestry and Wildlife and other conservation groups seek to help the estuary’s ecosystem while preserving the area’s cultural history.

A draft environmental assessment filed with the state Office of Planning and Sustainable Development in September advances Kau wetland restoration that has been almost 20 years in the making.

The Honu‘apo Estuary Wetland Restoration Project is an effort by the Department of Land and Natural Resources to restore about eight acres of estuary and wetland habitat along the island’s southeast coast in the Honu‘apo ahupa‘a near Whittington Beach Park.

By replacing invasive vegetation with native plants, deepening water areas, and installing a predator-proof fence and pedestrian walkways, representatives from DLNR’s Department of Forestry and Wildlife and other conservation groups seek to help the estuary’s ecosystem while preserving the area’s cultural history.

The proposal from the Trump administration, should it be finalized in the coming months, would deliver a victory to businesses and industries that want to scale back the Clean Water Act of 1972, which Congress passed to protect all “waters of the United States.” The proposal could affect up to 55 million acres of wetlands — roughly the area of Utah.

The beneficiaries could be real estate developers eager to build on shorelines, farmers with fields that run along waterways and manufacturers who make petrochemicals in vast factories set on tidal marshes.

Wetlands are sort of the unsung heroes of the planet because they store carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. They also provide food, shelter and breeding grounds for a variety of species, including endangered species like the Florida panther and the whooping crane. They not only provide drinking water, but they also protect against flooding by absorbing tidal surges during storms.

The case was Sackett v. E.P.A. The Sacketts were an Idaho couple who wanted to build a house near what the E.P.A. said were federally protected wetlands. The Supreme Court ruling said the wetlands were not, in fact, federally protected.
And now many more acres of waterways may not be either. The administration’s proposal would help in “reducing regulatory red tape, cutting permitting costs and lowering the cost of doing business in communities across the country.”

The proposal from the Trump administration, should it be finalized in the coming months, would deliver a victory to businesses and industries that want to scale back the Clean Water Act of 1972, which Congress passed to protect all “waters of the United States.” The proposal could affect up to 55 million acres of wetlands — roughly the area of Utah.

The beneficiaries could be real estate developers eager to build on shorelines, farmers with fields that run along waterways and manufacturers who make petrochemicals in vast factories set on tidal marshes.

Wetlands are sort of the unsung heroes of the planet because they store carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. They also provide food, shelter and breeding grounds for a variety of species, including endangered species like the Florida panther and the whooping crane. They not only provide drinking water, but they also protect against flooding by absorbing tidal surges during storms.

The case was Sackett v. E.P.A. The Sacketts were an Idaho couple who wanted to build a house near what the E.P.A. said were federally protected wetlands. The Supreme Court ruling said the wetlands were not, in fact, federally protected.
And now many more acres of waterways may not be either. The administration’s proposal would help in “reducing regulatory red tape, cutting permitting costs and lowering the cost of doing business in communities across the country.”

The Revival of Germany’s Carbon-Sequestering Peatlands:

New initiatives are restoring farmlands to peatlands while creating markets for the native grasses, reeds and sedges they support.

Until recently, Henning Voigt’s 500-hectare farmland along the Peene River, near Germany’s northeastern Baltic Sea coast, was well-drained and used as a cattle pasture. Not anymore. Driven by the urgency of climate action, Voigt made a bold decision: to reverse the course of modern history.

The European Union stands out as a global “drainage hotspot,” as 50 percent of its peatlands have been converted to farmland, according to research published in the journal Diversity. The share is even higher in northern Germany, where Voigt farms, at 92 percent.

As in many other regions, peatlands here are losing one centimeter or more of topsoil annually. “Over the years, you can literally witness the land vanish,” says Voigt, who is in his 30s and took over the farm from his father.

Scientists agree that the only way to halt this process — and the CO2 emissions it produces — is to stop draining the land and allow the water table to rise to about 10 centimeters (about four inches) below the surface.

Across Germany, numerous projects have sprung up to jumpstart this process. In mid-2024, the federal government launched a 10-year program, called “PaludiNet,” to advance wetland agriculture on nine sites across the country. The state of Bavaria has launched a scheme called “PeatFarmers” that stabilizes farmers’ incomes with government grants while they are testing new approaches and has pledged to spend €200 million in one large area, the Donaumoos, or Danube marsh, alone.

In one of the organization’s many pilot projects, Otto Group in late 2024 incorporated up to 10 percent of peatland biomass — from sedges and rushes — into 100,000 of its cardboard boxes. The trial was a success, and the company committed to scaling up production after further testing. WEPA, a large German paper manufacturer operating across Europe, has also started to add peatland plants to its pulp slurry.

The Revival of Germany’s Carbon-Sequestering Peatlands:

New initiatives are restoring farmlands to peatlands while creating markets for the native grasses, reeds and sedges they support.

Until recently, Henning Voigt’s 500-hectare farmland along the Peene River, near Germany’s northeastern Baltic Sea coast, was well-drained and used as a cattle pasture. Not anymore. Driven by the urgency of climate action, Voigt made a bold decision: to reverse the course of modern history.

The European Union stands out as a global “drainage hotspot,” as 50 percent of its peatlands have been converted to farmland, according to research published in the journal Diversity. The share is even higher in northern Germany, where Voigt farms, at 92 percent.

As in many other regions, peatlands here are losing one centimeter or more of topsoil annually. “Over the years, you can literally witness the land vanish,” says Voigt, who is in his 30s and took over the farm from his father.

Scientists agree that the only way to halt this process — and the CO2 emissions it produces — is to stop draining the land and allow the water table to rise to about 10 centimeters (about four inches) below the surface.

Across Germany, numerous projects have sprung up to jumpstart this process. In mid-2024, the federal government launched a 10-year program, called “PaludiNet,” to advance wetland agriculture on nine sites across the country. The state of Bavaria has launched a scheme called “PeatFarmers” that stabilizes farmers’ incomes with government grants while they are testing new approaches and has pledged to spend €200 million in one large area, the Donaumoos, or Danube marsh, alone.

In one of the organization’s many pilot projects, Otto Group in late 2024 incorporated up to 10 percent of peatland biomass — from sedges and rushes — into 100,000 of its cardboard boxes. The trial was a success, and the company committed to scaling up production after further testing. WEPA, a large German paper manufacturer operating across Europe, has also started to add peatland plants to its pulp slurry.

False Killer Whale

Pseudorca crassidens

• Endangered since 2012
• Less than 200 worldwide
• Lives about 63 years (females) and 58 years (males)
• Threatened by overfishing, hunting, pollution and small population size (reduced genetic diversity)
• Lives in tropical to subtropical waters below 3,300 feet, found around Hawaii, American Samoa, Pacific remote islands, the Gulf of Mexico, the United States West Coast and the Mariana Archipelago
• Consumes fish (tuna, billfish, wahoo, mahimahi) and squid.

False Killer Whale

Pseudorca crassidens

• Endangered since 2012
• Less than 200 worldwide
• Lives about 63 years (females) and 58 years (males)
• Threatened by overfishing, hunting, pollution and small population size (reduced genetic diversity)
• Lives in tropical to subtropical waters below 3,300 feet, found around Hawaii, American Samoa, Pacific remote islands, the Gulf of Mexico, the United States West Coast and the Mariana Archipelago
• Consumes fish (tuna, billfish, wahoo, mahimahi) and squid.

Hawkbill Sea Turtle

Honu’ea Eretmochelys imbricata

• Critically Endangered since 1970
• Estimated 20,000 to 23,000 nesting females living worldwide, less than 100 living in Hawaii
• Estimated lifespan of 50 years
• Threatened by habitat loss, pollution (fishing gear, plastic materials, oil), climate change, poaching and predation of eggs
• Lives in offshore coral reefs and mangrove estuaries during nesting, algal mats in the open ocean after hatching; found in oceans worldwide
• Consumes sea sponges, corals, algae, small fish, jellyfish, mollusks, crustaceans and sea urchins

Hawkbill Sea Turtle

Honu’ea Eretmochelys imbricata

• Critically Endangered since 1970
• Estimated 20,000 to 23,000 nesting females living worldwide, less than 100 living in Hawaii
• Estimated lifespan of 50 years
• Threatened by habitat loss, pollution (fishing gear, plastic materials, oil), climate change, poaching and predation of eggs
• Lives in offshore coral reefs and mangrove estuaries during nesting, algal mats in the open ocean after hatching; found in oceans worldwide
• Consumes sea sponges, corals, algae, small fish, jellyfish, mollusks, crustaceans and sea urchins

O’ahu Tree Snails

Kāhuli Achatinella

• Critically Endangered since 1981
• Less than 1,000 of A. mustelina living, population of other species unknown
• Lives about 11 years
• Threatened by habitat loss, non-native predators (wild boars, rats, rosy wolfsnails) and low reproductive rates
• Lives in native trees and bushes in Ko‘olau and Waianae on Oahu
• Consumes fungus from the leaves of native plants

O’ahu Tree Snails

Kāhuli Achatinella

• Critically Endangered since 1981
• Less than 1,000 of A. mustelina living, population of other species unknown
• Lives about 11 years
• Threatened by habitat loss, non-native predators (wild boars, rats, rosy wolfsnails) and low reproductive rates
• Lives in native trees and bushes in Ko‘olau and Waianae on Oahu
• Consumes fungus from the leaves of native plants

Ko’oloa’ula

Abutilon menziesii

• Endangered since 1986
• Population of less than 500
• Lives for over 5 years
• Threatened by invasive plant competition, habitat loss, nonnative fungus, wildfires and drought
• Grows in lowland coastal plains and dry forests on Oahu, Maui, Hawai’i and Lanai

Ko’oloa’ula

Abutilon menziesii

• Endangered since 1986
• Population of less than 500
• Lives for over 5 years
• Threatened by invasive plant competition, habitat loss, nonnative fungus, wildfires and drought
• Grows in lowland coastal plains and dry forests on Oahu, Maui, Hawai’i and Lanai

Native Yellow Hibiscus

Ma’o hau hele
Hibiscus brackenridgei

• Endangered since 1994
• Population of about 100-300
• Lives for over 5 years
• Threatened by invasive plant competition, non-native species predation (deer, cattle, Chinese rose beetle, rats) and wildfires
• Grows in lowland damp or dry forests on Oahu

Native Yellow Hibiscus

Ma’o hau hele
Hibiscus brackenridgei

• Endangered since 1994
• Population of about 100-300
• Lives for over 5 years
• Threatened by invasive plant competition, non-native species predation (deer, cattle, Chinese rose beetle, rats) and wildfires
• Grows in lowland damp or dry forests on Oahu

Hawaiian Moorhen

‘Alae ‘ula
Himantopus mexicanus knudseni

• Endangered since 1967
• Population of about 450
• Lifespan is unknown but estimated about 10 years • Threatened by habitat loss, avian diseases, pollution, climate change and non-native predators (dogs, cats, rats, small Indian mongoose, cattle egrets, barn owls, and American bullfrogs)
• Lives in lowland wetlands and river valleys on Oahu and Kauai
• Consumes water plants and seeds, grasses, algae, insects and mollusks

Hawaiian Moorhen

‘Alae ‘ula
Himantopus mexicanus knudseni

• Endangered since 1967
• Population of about 450
• Lifespan is unknown but estimated about 10 years • Threatened by habitat loss, avian diseases, pollution, climate change and non-native predators (dogs, cats, rats, small Indian mongoose, cattle egrets, barn owls, and American bullfrogs)
• Lives in lowland wetlands and river valleys on Oahu and Kauai
• Consumes water plants and seeds, grasses, algae, insects and mollusks

Hawaiian Monk Seal

‘Īlio holo i ka uaua
Monachus schauinslandi

• Critically Endangered since 1976
• Population of about 1,600 worldwide
• Lives about 30 years
• Threatened by food limitation, pollution, disease, human-seal interaction (feeding, fishing, disturbance, boat/vehicle strikes, etc.), habitat loss, shark predation and male seal aggression
• Lives in warm, subtropical waters of Hawaii
• Consumes fish, squid, octopuses, shrimp, crabs, lobsters and eels

Hawaiian Monk Seal

‘Īlio holo i ka uaua
Monachus schauinslandi

• Critically Endangered since 1976
• Population of about 1,600 worldwide
• Lives about 30 years
• Threatened by food limitation, pollution, disease, human-seal interaction (feeding, fishing, disturbance, boat/vehicle strikes, etc.), habitat loss, shark predation and male seal aggression
• Lives in warm, subtropical waters of Hawaii
• Consumes fish, squid, octopuses, shrimp, crabs, lobsters and eels

Crested Honeycreeper

‘Akohekohe
Palmeria dolei

• Critically Endangered since 1967
• Population estimated between 3,000 and 4,500
• Unknown lifespan
• Threatened by avian diseases, habitat loss, small population sizes and climate changes
• Lives in wet and damp forests containing ‘ōhi‘a, ‘ōlapa, acacia koa and kāwa‘u
• Consumes insects and nectar from ‘ōhi’a, lehua and other flowers

Crested Honeycreeper

‘Akohekohe
Palmeria dolei

• Critically Endangered since 1967
• Population estimated between 3,000 and 4,500
• Unknown lifespan
• Threatened by avian diseases, habitat loss, small population sizes and climate changes
• Lives in wet and damp forests containing ‘ōhi‘a, ‘ōlapa, acacia koa and kāwa‘u
• Consumes insects and nectar from ‘ōhi’a, lehua and other flowers

Hawaiian Crows

‘Alalā
Corvus hawaiiensis

• Extinct in the wild since 2002
• About 100 living in captivity
• Lifespan of about 20 years
• Threatened by habitat loss, avian diseases, non-native predators (cats, rats and small Indian mongoose) and hunting
• Lives in ‘ōhi‘a and acacia koa forests between 1,000 and 8,200 feet elevation
• Consumes native fruits such as ‘ōlapa, ‘ie‘ie and hō‘awa, nectar, flowers, insects, dead animals, eggs and nestlings of other birds

Hawaiian Crows

‘Alalā
Corvus hawaiiensis

• Extinct in the wild since 2002
• About 100 living in captivity
• Lifespan of about 20 years
• Threatened by habitat loss, avian diseases, non-native predators (cats, rats and small Indian mongoose) and hunting
• Lives in ‘ōhi‘a and acacia koa forests between 1,000 and 8,200 feet elevation
• Consumes native fruits such as ‘ōlapa, ‘ie‘ie and hō‘awa, nectar, flowers, insects, dead animals, eggs and nestlings of other birds

Hawaiian Hoary Bat

‘Ōpe’ape’a
Lasiurus semotus
• Endangered since 1970
• Population estimated a few hundred to a few thousand, but overall unknown
• Lifespan of about 2 years
• Threatened by habitat loss, pesticides, structure collision (wind turbines, barbed-wire fences) and predation
• Lives in native and non-native plants such as ‘ōhi’a, pu hala, coconut palms, kukui, kiawe, avocado trees, shower trees and cook pine at low elevations in Hawaii
• Consumes insects such as beetles, moths and flies

Hawaiian Hoary Bat

‘Ōpe’ape’a
Lasiurus semotus
• Endangered since 1970
• Population estimated a few hundred to a few thousand, but overall unknown
• Lifespan of about 2 years
• Threatened by habitat loss, pesticides, structure collision (wind turbines, barbed-wire fences) and predation
• Lives in native and non-native plants such as ‘ōhi’a, pu hala, coconut palms, kukui, kiawe, avocado trees, shower trees and cook pine at low elevations in Hawaii
• Consumes insects such as beetles, moths and flies

Agora Hills 🙌🏾

Agora Hills 🙌🏾

Trump issued an executive order Thursday declaring that U.S. policy includes “creating a robust domestic supply chain for critical minerals derived from seabed resources to support economic growth, reindustrialization, and military preparedness.” He described seabed mining as both an economic and national security imperative necessary to counter China. 😢

Trump issued an executive order Thursday declaring that U.S. policy includes “creating a robust domestic supply chain for critical minerals derived from seabed resources to support economic growth, reindustrialization, and military preparedness.” He described seabed mining as both an economic and national security imperative necessary to counter China. 😢

In Hokkaido, ‘sea of mega solar farms’ threatens protected park:

Motorists driving westward through a wetland region in Kushiro city can quickly spot numerous solar panels on both sides of the Doto Expressway. Some areas are dotted with compact panels. Larger zones, the size of Tokyo Dome, are each covered by more than 10 large and dense solar panel arrays.

Locals call this area a “sea of mega solar farms.”
Environmentalists describe it as an essentially law-less land that threatens to destroy endangered species. Their concern lies in the fact that the Kushiroshitsugen National Park lies just 1 kilometer north of this wetland area. Boasting the largest marsh in Japan, the park became the first Japanese site registered in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, in 1980.

Listing means habitats for precious creatures there must be protected carefully.Although the solar farms lie outside the designated protected areas of the park, the threat to wildlife exists, and the city government is planning tougher restrictions on the installation of the solar farms.

In Hokkaido, ‘sea of mega solar farms’ threatens protected park:

Motorists driving westward through a wetland region in Kushiro city can quickly spot numerous solar panels on both sides of the Doto Expressway. Some areas are dotted with compact panels. Larger zones, the size of Tokyo Dome, are each covered by more than 10 large and dense solar panel arrays.

Locals call this area a “sea of mega solar farms.”
Environmentalists describe it as an essentially law-less land that threatens to destroy endangered species. Their concern lies in the fact that the Kushiroshitsugen National Park lies just 1 kilometer north of this wetland area. Boasting the largest marsh in Japan, the park became the first Japanese site registered in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, in 1980.

Listing means habitats for precious creatures there must be protected carefully.Although the solar farms lie outside the designated protected areas of the park, the threat to wildlife exists, and the city government is planning tougher restrictions on the installation of the solar farms.

The Lake Inba watershed tends to have high nitrogen content due to agricultural runoff. High nitrogen concentrations lead to algal blooms and as they die off they also consume oxygen in the water, suffocating the fish population. Scientists are examining ways to reduce nitrogen concentrations.

In northern Chiba Prefecture, such first order rivers are often called yatsu. These are the headwaters of rivers. A yatsu could potentially function as a natural water purification system for Lake Inba.

To test this hypothesis, scientists at the National Institute for Environmental Studies converted an abandoned rice field into a wetland and monitored the water draining from the area. They found that concentrations of nitrogen dropped to less than half after passing through the tract.

Wetlands promote denitrification, with nitrogen being returned to the atmosphere as a gas, thereby reducing the downstream load. Thus, preserving yatsu to naturally purify Lake Inba is key to reducing nitrogen concentrations.

The Lake Inba watershed tends to have high nitrogen content due to agricultural runoff. High nitrogen concentrations lead to algal blooms and as they die off they also consume oxygen in the water, suffocating the fish population. Scientists are examining ways to reduce nitrogen concentrations.

In northern Chiba Prefecture, such first order rivers are often called yatsu. These are the headwaters of rivers. A yatsu could potentially function as a natural water purification system for Lake Inba.

To test this hypothesis, scientists at the National Institute for Environmental Studies converted an abandoned rice field into a wetland and monitored the water draining from the area. They found that concentrations of nitrogen dropped to less than half after passing through the tract.

Wetlands promote denitrification, with nitrogen being returned to the atmosphere as a gas, thereby reducing the downstream load. Thus, preserving yatsu to naturally purify Lake Inba is key to reducing nitrogen concentrations.

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Our Mission

Our mission is to inform surfers all around the world about the importance of wetlands to having clean water for our beaches, so they can pressure their political leaders to prevent wetlands from being destroyed.

Meet the Board Members

Executive Director

Boons B.

Boons received his undergraduate degree in environmental analysis from the University of California, Irvine and graduate degree in environmental management with an emphasis in wetlands ecology from the University of San Francisco. Boons currently works for the California Air Resources Board, implementing air quality regulations.

Boons volunteers his time for the Surfers for Wetlands organization because he is bringing together his passion for both surfing and wetlands preservation.

Deputy Executive Director

Ruben O.

Ruben received his undergraduate degree in criminology from the University of California, Irvine. Ruben currently works for the Kroger Company.

Ruben volunteers his time for the Surfers for Wetlands organization because he loves surfing his home breaks in Orange County, California and wants to have clean water for Orange County's beaches.

Treasurer

Michael N.

Michael received his undergraduate degree in international business from San Francisco State University. Michael currently works in real estate speculation in Washington.

Michael volunteers his time for the Surfers for Wetlands organization because he loves surfing at the Jetty in Washington and wants to be a part of an organization to make a difference in the world.

Secretary

Jaqueline L.

Jaqueline received her undergraduate degree in business from the FACHA University in Rio de Janeiro. She currently studies in English in Orange County, California.

Jaqueline volunteers her time for the Surfers for Wetlands organization because she wants to have clean water for Arpoador Beach in Rio de Janeiro, where she grew up.

Director of Public Affairs

Pablo RM.

Pablo received his undergraduate degree in business management from the University of La Serena in Chile. Pablo currently owns and manages two restaurants in La Serena.

Pablo volunteers his time for the Surfers for Wetlands organization because he loves surfing in La Serena and cares about having clean water for Chile's long coast line and beaches.

Why are wetlands Important to Surfers?

Wetlands are crucial to prevent one of the huge letdowns for surfers: beach closures. Beach closures are a common occurrence all over the world, as you might have found out for yourself. In California’s Orange County, the Health Department ordered a total of 1,134 days of beach closures over the last 12 years. Do the math and those 1,134 days equals 3 years.

So why all of the closures and how do wetlands tie in? If you are a surfer you should be very concerned, because the reason you can’t surf that day is the same reason marine life is put at risk for high viral and bacterial contamination, hard metal toxicity, and extinction. Wetlands help prevent the causes of these beach closures.

Causes of Beach Closures
1) One primary source of coastal water pollution is urban runoff. Urban runoff is the water that flows from the land through storm drains to the ocean. When it rains, it collects animal waste, oil and rubber residue from cars, asbestos and metals from brake linings, and pesticides. It may have high bacterial counts, viruses, and be the cause of death or injury to marine life.

2) Another source is sewage overflow from sewage-treatment plants, homes and businesses. Untreated sewage from spills and overflows have high levels of disease-causing waterborne pathogens causing infections, typhoid fever, viral and bacterial gastroenteritis, and viral liver disease. No surfer, citizen, or marine animal wants to be exposed to these.

As residents in California, we know that the Environmental Health Department is one of many agencies and other nonprofit organizations that constantly monitor the water quality of our beaches, with desperate attempts to educate the public and how to prevent this pollution. However, we are overlooking a big solution: preserving our wetlands. Wetlands are places where the land is covered by water, either salt, fresh or somewhere in between. Marshes and ponds, the edge of a lake or ocean, the delta at the mouth of a river, low-lying areas that frequently flood—all of these are wetlands.

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