"My journey in marine ecology has been driven by my fascination with what E.O Wilson called “the little things that run the world” (invertebrates). Most of my work is underpinned by seeking to understand how marine habitats and the “little things” are affected by human activities, if and how they should be managed and why. "
Heidi is an applied marine scientist working with the PML Sea and Society group and PML Applications. Heidi has over 20 years’ experience in marine environmental research and consultancy with a long track record of managing and delivering projects. Her main interests are benthic ecology, natural capital and ecosystem services and marine management. She began her career as a consultant archaeologist and still undertakes projects from time to time that involve marine archaeology and the historic environment.
She has undertaken a wide range of projects relevant to marine management supported by her substantial knowledge of marine and coastal ecology. Her expertise includes the management of Marine Protected Areas and the assessment of human impacts on marine habitats to pressures such as fishing, aggregate dredging, and recreation.
Her work has been instrumental in shaping management strategies within MPAs by identifying areas most susceptible to human activities and providing science-backed recommendations for habitat protection and restoration. These insights are vital to preserving the quality of marine systems while supporting sustainable use and feed into Biodiversity Net Gain strategies, among other initiatives.
Heidi has authored numerous publications and regularly engages with stakeholders from various sectors to translate complex scientific findings into actionable recommendations for policy and conservation efforts.
MarLIN (Marine Life Information Network)