The FEC webinar Surf Culture: Collectively Supporting Coastal Futures, held on 28 September 2025, brought together researchers, and coastal advocates to explore how the global surfing community contributes to conservation, cultural resilience, and sustainable futures.
Dr. Tom Wegener, internationally recognized surfboard designer, environmental advocate, and Noosa Shire Councillor, delivered a keynote highlighting surfing as a cultural movement rooted in coastal and ocean stewardship. Drawing on his PhD research and decades of experience, he showcased the resilience of surf culture—from ancient Hawaiian Alaya boards to local surfboard-making traditions—and the role of surfers as frontline witnesses to coastal pollution and advocates for change. Examples from Hainan, China, illustrated community-led beach clean-ups, recycled surf products, and the preservation of cultural heritage through board-making.
The session also explored surfing’s link to governance and policy, including integrating surf breaks into coastal legislation, balancing tourism with environmental protection, and using surfing reserves for conservation and sustainable development. Global case studies—from Papua New Guinea to the Maldives and West Africa—demonstrated how surfing initiatives can advance equity, cultural preservation, and environmental justice, highlighting the sport’s wider impact on society and ecosystems.
The Q&A session, moderated by Professor Josef Gregory Mahoney of East China Normal University, opened up a rich discussion on the broader implications of surf culture. Participants raised questions on how surf breaks could be safeguarded as cultural and ecological heritage within coastal governance, and how surfing reserves might balance environmental protection with tourism-driven economies. Issues of equity and inclusion were also highlighted, with examples such as Papua New Guinea’s women-led surfing initiatives sparking dialogue on how similar models could empower communities elsewhere. Dr. Wegener emphasized that connecting grassroots surf activism with policy instruments and global sustainability agendas is essential, while Professor Mahoney drew attention to the need for bridging local knowledge, academic research, and decision-making processes.
This event underscored how surf culture—through shared identity, community engagement, and advocacy—offers powerful pathways to protect coasts and oceans while empowering local communities in the face of climate change and global uncertainty.
This webinar is part of the Future Earth-funded cross-cutting initiative “Building Future Leadership: A Coastal Sustainability Value Chain”—an effort dedicated to empowering Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs). We are actively expanding our network, and you are welcome to apply to participate in our workshops and training programs, or to partner with us to co-host events, provide resources, or contribute research expertise. To get involved, please visit our website or contact [email protected].