North Devon has been named the UK’s first-ever World Surfing Reserve, and second in Europe.
There are 12 World Surfing Reserves worldwide, which include Malibu and Santa Cruz in California, Ericeira in Portugal, the Gold Coast, Manly and Noosa in Australia, Punta de Lobos in Chile, Huanchaco in Peru, Guarda do Embau in Brazil, and Bahia de Todos Santos in Mexico.
World Surfing Reserves serves as a model standard for preserving wave breaks and their surrounding areas by recognising and protecting key environmental, cultural and economic attributes in coastal communities.