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Creating waves of change in surf conservation

Increasing opportunities for women in surf ecosystem conservation and the Blue Economy

By IW:LEARN

March 21^st, 2025

Women in coastal communities around the world are increasingly becoming powerful advocates and protectors of the waves. The rapid progression of women’s surfing in recent years is evident in the growing number of female surfers, the expansion of women’s equitable pay in major surfing competitions, the widespread development of women-focused surf programs and businesses, and the increasing visibility of women in surf media. This increased recognition and support for women in surfing should be matched with more opportunities for their leadership and participation in areas such as conservation and the sustainable blue economy surrounding surf breaks.

The GEF-sponsored, IW project titled “Expanding blue economy benefits and the conservation of critical biodiversity and ecosystem services by managing surf ecosystems” aims to leverage the passion of surfers to protect waves and their surrounding ecosystems in Costa Rica, Panama, and Peru. The project is implemented by GEF-UNIDO and executed by Conservation International (CI) in alliance with Save The Waves Coalition (STW) and the Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental (SPDA), with the collaboration of national and local governments and environmental authorities, as well as local communities.

One critical pillar of the project is to support gender-inclusive opportunities for community members to engage in the leadership and management of surf ecosystems and blue economy activities. Women play an integral role in coastal communities, yet they are often under-represented in leadership and decision-making processes, where their voices and input are essential for co-creating a sustainable future for our oceans and coastlines. Fostering participatory and inclusive decision-making processes is critical to achieving effective and durable conservation outcomes.

To meet this need, our project is committed to designing gender-responsive interventions that facilitate the inclusion of women in spaces where they have not always had the opportunity to participate. Surfing provides tangible benefits for young women and girls – helping them expand their comfort zone, face new challenges, overcome fears, and grow both physically and mentally stronger. By participating in spaces traditionally dominated by men, they gain confidence in their abilities and the value of their unique contributions. Surfing also enables them to express their creativity and develop a deeper connection to the ocean, which fosters a desire to protect it.

Women + Water program participants in Lobitos, Peru. Photo: Noe Amaya.

Recognizing that these benefits enable women to lead and participate in surf conservation and the blue economy, CI is co-developing a curriculum for youth Surf Conservation Camps and Programs in partnership with various local and international surfing and conservation organizations. In Peru, we are exploring a potential collaboration with local nonprofits, including Coast 2 Coast Movement and WAVES Lobitos, through activities like Women + Water – an 8-week summer program facilitated by Coast 2 Coast with professional windsurfer, Sarah Hauser. The program is designed to engage local girls in Lobitos, Peru, helping them build inner and outer strength through ocean play, artistic expression, and interactive wellness workshops. From January to March this year, Coast 2 Coast and WAVES piloted creatively adapted activities amidst the challenging backdrop of a devastating local oil spill, which restricted ocean access. Through interactive workshops, the girls engaged with holistic topics related to human and environmental well-being, resilience, swimming, surfing, and community advocacy, despite limited ocean interaction.

“In Lobitos, we protect what we love–our community and ocean.”

- Alondras, 9-year-old participant

Creating waves of change in surf conservation

Over the years, programs like this have fostered a new generation of coastal leaders in Lobitos. Several former program participants have left to earn university degrees and returned to take leadership roles in local community-based environmental monitoring and advocacy groups that are tackling the area’s biggest environmental justice challenges – including the recent oil spill. These same young adults now dedicate some of their time to supporting the youth programs that once supported them, inspiring the next wave of coastal leaders.

Looking forward, as part of our GEF-funded project, SPDA is planning to work directly with Coast 2 Coast as one of the local organizations in their coalition for surf conservation. CI is also continuing to develop and pilot a Surf Conservation Camp curriculum and plans to share it widely. We are excited to continue elevating the voices and roles of women in our work to protect surf ecosystems and promote blue economy benefits in Peru and beyond. By empowering women and girls to meaningfully participate and lead in these efforts, we aim to support more inclusive and effective conservation outcomes.

About the project

The project aims to demonstrate the critical role that effective management of the marine and coastal ecosystems surrounding surf breaks can play in protecting biodiversity and ecosystem function, as well as in generating blue economy benefits that will motivate further ecosystem conservation. The project will collaborate with governments and communities to develop the tools and capacity needed to effectively manage surf ecosystems, support blue economy activities linked to surf ecosystem management, and share best-practice guidelines and effective approaches for the protection and management of these ecosystems while building a blue economy. The project is being implemented in Costa Rica, Panama, and Peru.

For more information about the project, please contact Christian Lavoie: clavoie@conservation.org

Footnotes

Words by Marissa Miller. Photo cover: Youth participating in the water program in Lobitos, Peru by Henry Espinoza. Photo waves: Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash.

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FootNotes

Words by Marissa Miller. Photo cover: Youth participating in the water program in Lobitos, Peru by Henry Espinoza. Photo waves: Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash.