Coastal and Marine Conservation with Zach Plopper of Surfrider Foundation

The Finest City

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, host Jen Whitelaw welcomes Zach Plopper, Senior Environmental Director at the Surfrider Foundation. Zach is a coastal marine conservationist by trade, surfer, and ocean lover at heart. Zach walks us through his career journey in advocacy-driven coastal and marine conservation, including his previous work at WILDCOAST where he helped California significantly strengthen its network of marine protected areas. At C-3, Zach is the Chair of the Coastline & Wetlands Knowledge Action Network, where he combines his experience of working on coastline conservation and interest in urban planning. Zach talks about some of the main sources that contaminate our beaches and what we can do about it, along with how to give our community more access to the beach.

Timestamps:

[4:05] What are the most pressing challenges and opportunities that face our region’s coastlines now?

[6:23] How do we balance the needs of the people of San Diego with the needs and desires of the natural spaces?

[11:01] Zach talks about ways to reduce sewage issues and water quality concerns in San Diego beaches, and how the Tijuana River affects our ability to do that.

[18:43] Paying attention to our coastal wetlands is the best climate change hack.

[22:52] It’s really important that we conserve and restore what surrounds our coastal wetlands as well.

[23:37] The San Diego Audubon Society has strong advocacy work for the rewilding of Mission Bay.

[25:59] Plastic and trash are also big issues that affect our coastlines.

[30:04] We’re not going to be able to wait when it comes to climate change and sea level rise. Coastal areas around the world are scrambling to try to figure it out really quickly.

[36:12] If Zach could go back in time, he would have had our coastal communities built back even a couple of hundred feet from bluff lines and our beaches.

[38:15] Go out and enjoy your coastline. Appreciate it for what it is, remember not to take it for granted, and commit to learning about the past and the amazing ecosystem that surrounds it.

About C-3

In its 60 years of existence, Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 (C-3) has brought together local thought leaders from planning, design, policy, academia, community development, and more to address our region’s distinctive and pressing land use challenges. In founding C-3 almost 60 years ago, architect Lloyd Ruocco’s vision was to bring together our region’s most creative minds from the arts, sciences, academia, and government to share ideas, learn new perspectives, and build fellowship around the idea of creating livable communities.

Opportunities for Advocacy and Engagement:

C3sandiego.org

Surfrider

Zach Plopper

San Diego Audubon Society