Surfrider Chapter Leaders Protect Beach

 

Richard Busch and John Wadsworth Onboard

 

Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

The Surfrider Foundation's North Orange County chapter, representing Huntington/Seal Beach and Newport Beach (homes to "Surf City" and the Wedge surf break), is lucky to have leaders Richard Busch and John Wadsworth onboard.  

 

With a shared commitment to protecting the beach environment, chapter chair Busch and former co-chair Wadsworth have guided and motivated volunteers to accomplish a long list of objectives to keep the beach safe and accessible to all while promoting the sport of surfing. 

Busch, with a B.A. in history from CSU Fullerton, puts his knowledge of human behavior to work interacting with members, organizations and surf industry leaders to coordinate beach cleanups and events.

 

Add in a background as a mortgage loan advisor and financial educator, and Busch is well prepared to put the chapter's resources to good use in achieving objectives.

Busch has "no memory of the beaches of my youth being dirty." But while riding his bike one day, he “saw all the trash being collected at a Surfrider beach cleanup and from then I started showing up to all cleanups and chapter meetings." Soon he was named beach cleanup coordinator and began learning about environmental issues and sharing his knowledge with others.  

USC grad Wadsworth, who is now the chapter's channel cleanup coordinator, has a commercial real estate background and knows how important it is to safeguard the Earth's natural resources. 

 

Looking beyond the coastline, Wadsworth would like the chapter "to get to the inland communities and raise awareness there" about protecting the beach. It was his idea for Surfrider to adopt part of the Santa Ana River channel to clean before the water drains into the ocean, bringing pollutants and debris.

Wadsworth is also active in Newport Beach's Water Quality/Coastal Tidelands Committee, advising the City Council on ways to protect water quality and habitat in the bay and ocean.

 

Avid surfers, who love nothing better than riding the waves, Busch and Wadsworth are giving up time in the lineup to ensure that the world's oceans, waves and beaches are protected for everyone to enjoy. 

SurfWriter Girls

Surf’n Beach Scene Magazine

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