WSP Natural Capital & Biodiversity Technical Director, Jenny Merriman, is a chartered environmentalist with a history of working in the conservation sector.
Jenny has specialist skills in biodiversity conservation, natural capital and ecosystem services assessments - and her work focuses on the latest biodiversity trends.
"My ultimate goal is for sustainability to be so integrated into society that the work of environmental professionals is no longer required," suggests Jenny.
Protecting the natural world
"Biodiversity is the web of life," explains Jenny. "It's the combination of all life forms – plants, animals, microorganisms, ecosystems, and humans – that interact with one another and the air, water, and soil around them. Our planet has been shaped by ice ages, fire, and interaction among species. Now it is increasingly being re-shaped by humans. Biodiversity supports ecological resilience – the more diversity, the more resilient the ecosystem can be. By measuring and tracking biodiversity indicators, we can understand how well an ecosystem is working, to be sure it’s healthy and can provide us with the benefits that we get from nature, so that we can be healthy as well."
Jenny believes there is a need to accelerate the call to businesses and government to build their awareness of the biodiversity issues and step up their games in making decisions with nature in mind. She suggests that organizations should be pushed to set new targets and actively look for alternative approaches like nature-based solutions to remediate environmental and social challenges.
"It is imperative we all recognize our role and how we can influence turning this ship – our footprint on the world – around. The timelines required for change are short, and everyone, including the general public, is needed to support the goal of restoring nature globally. What will be crucial is rapid and credible action by businesses, to rebuild ecosystems and their functions to sustain human society into the future. WSP is able to work with organizations to develop effective plans, backed by sound science that provides credibility to the measures taken," comments Jenny.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.