Wild Coast Wisdom: Strategies for Rewilding Iconic Coastal Ecosystems with Serge Dedina

Serge Dedina leads the international team at WILDCOAST, the non-profit that he co-founded in 2000. A former California State Parks Ocean Lifeguard, Serge was elected to two terms as Mayor of Imperial Beach, California from 2014-2022. His innovative coastal and ocean conservation work has been reported on by the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, NBC News, Washington Post, BBC, NPR, Wall Street Journal, and 60 Minutes among others. He’s also the author of three books, including Saving the Gray Whale, Wild Sea, and Surfing the Border. Being a surfer and ocean lover my whole life, it’s an absolute honor to have Serge on the show. His wonder, curiosity, and energy for the wild is contagious. I love the work Serge and his team at Wildcoast do to protect iconic coastal ecosystems with nature based solutions. And I also love how they go about it. As you’ll hear Serge describe, they work with people to protect nature. And that’s really their secret sauce. The ability to genuinely connect with people in communities, and roll up sleeves together to create a positive impact.  In this episode Serge and I talked about the founding of Wildcoast/Costasalvaje, their mission, their key programs (like protecting sea turtle nesting beaches in Mexico, mangroves, gray whale habitat, and coral reefs), barriers to conservation, the importance of blue mind, opportunities for nature based, blue carbon solutions for climate change, and the ups and downs of protecting wild places. Serge is a master storyteller and this conversation left me with both inspiration and hope for what’s possible. Enjoy the ride,JeffEpisode LinksWildcoast/CostasalvajeSaving the Gray Whale by Serge DedinaWild Sea by Serge DedinaSurfing the Border by Serge DedinaBlue Mind by Wallace J. NicholsConnect with Nature JunkieIf anything in this episode was helpful or stoked you out, please hit the share button and tell a friend, leave an awesome review, or comment so we can bend the algorithms toward nature. Thanks!Instagram: @naturejunkieradioWebsite: www.naturejunkielife.comNewsletter: Sign Up HereEmail: [email protected] CreditsPodcast cover art by Ahab NimryOutro music by Tyler JohnsonEditing by Aashish M.