Photo: Plinio Bordin
Guarda do Embaú is considered one of Brazil’s best waves. Now it’s about to join an exclusive list of surf spots around the globe, as the Save the Waves Coalition approved it as the ninth World Surfing Reserve. Malibu, California; Ericeira, Portugal; Manly Beach, Australia; Santa Cruz, California; Huanchaco, Peru; Bahia Todos Santos, Baja California, Mexico; Punta de Lobos, Chile; and the Gold Coast, Australia are the eight surf spots in the network of waves in STW’s program.
In 2009, Save the Waves partnered with National Surfing Reserves Australia and the International Surfing Association to create the program. Identifying a WSR happens through a five step process that ultimately leads to preservation efforts of the wave itself and surrounding areas by “recognizing and protecting the key environmental, cultural, economic and community attributes of surfing areas.”
“It was clear that this was a community with a deep commitment to their surfing legacy, a strong connection to their environment, and the capacity to utilize the WSR designation for the long term protection of their coastal resources,” says Save the Waves’ Executive Director, Nik Strong- Cvetich.
Specific to Guarda do Embaú, the World Surfing Reserve designation will address water quality issues and potential coastal developments in the area. Marcos Aurélio Gungel is the Director of Communications for the Association of Surfing and Preservation of Guarda do Embaú, and was responsible for organizing the WSR application. About the approval, Marcos says,“The World Surfing Reserve approval represents the possibility to trace the history, the culture, and the environmental characteristics of Guarda do Embaú. We seek to create a management plan to preserve and protect our coastline in response to the environmental issues that might threaten our waves and local tradition.”
