What does it mean to actually protect a coastal place? And how do we measure the costs when we fail?
For those of us who surf on the Atlantic coast, these are not abstract questions. They are part of the reality we face as billion dollar industries jockey to develop our beloved ocean environment.
From proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects to private development that encroaches on our beaches, we are facing threats that often put us on our back foot, fighting a whack-a-mole game to protect our coasts. And did I mention the federal government’s proposal to allow oil drilling off the mid-and south Atlantic?
As the saying goes, all environmental victories are temporary while losses are permanent.
But what if there was a different way? A means to protect our coastal gems before they become threatened? Sounds like a pipe dream, you say? Well, ocean management is evolving and the surfing community can play a crucial role.
This spring, filmmaker Chris Hannant spent ten days traveling from Virginia to Maine to document a quiet revolution taking place. Recreation leaders speaking out to shape ocean planning efforts off the Atlantic coast.
The resulting short film, the Next Wave, spotlights a community of ocean users – paddlers, beach goers, surfers, whale watchers – taking ownership of their special places. And in the process, elevating the ocean recreation sector in the eyes of government agencies and those industries that would develop our most prized resources.
In the Art of War, Sun Tzu writes that, “Victorious warriors win first, and then go to war.” In that spirit, the ocean recreation community is starting to organize itself as a political force, and none to soon.
With the growing support of thousands of local businesses and groups, and ocean recreation studies that show our economic impacts dwarf every other marine sector including oil and gas – we are flexing our muscle in ocean planning efforts in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions.
The simple fact is that ocean planning provides the best opportunity in a generation to protect special places off our coast. So let’s get organized before this window of opportunity closes!
The Next Wave from Swell Productions on Vimeo.
