Balance with nature

Human health is inextricably linked with the health of our planet. Our teams are developing net-zero carbon, nature-based solutions to manage resources, restore ecosystems, preserve biodiversity and enhance habitats – for wildlife and for people.

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New Zealand

Kaituna River Re-diversion and Maketu Estuary Enhancement Project

After a 60-year absence, significant volumes of freshwater is again flowing through the Te Awa o Ngātoroirangi / Maketu Estuary on the Bay of Plenty Coast bringing new marine and bird life.

WSP’s planners have been the nerve center of this award-winning NZ＄16.6M project to reverse damage caused when the Kaituna River was diverted from the estuary in 1956.

Working with iwi, the community and public bodies, we sought to restore the estuary’s health to benefit nature and enrich people’s lives.

Navigating the project through planning, we also managed the construction phase and continue to monitor and evaluate the estuary’s nature-led recovery.

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Sweden

Green infrastructure and ecological impact mapping in Stockholm

One key challenge facing Stockholm, which aims to build 140,000 new homes by 2030, is how to enable urban development while preserving valuable habitat and green spaces.

WSP supported the city’s efforts to better understand the ecological impacts of new development by creating maps of local green infrastructure to serve as strategic tools during the planning process. We created maps by studying habitats, species and ecological connectivity of wetlands, coniferous and deciduous forests in south suburban Stockholm.

The maps were effective in communicating the ecological impact of new development to planners and developers. Demonstrating where green infrastructure and recreational assets could be strengthened also helped support city decision-making. Stockholm’s environmental department is now looking to develop similar maps for other areas of the city.

United Kingdom

Habitat mapping and biodiversity toolkits for Transport for London estates

Transport for London (TfL) has committed to protecting and enhancing its natural assets and has a key target of delivering biodiversity net gain across its estate of highway, rail and underground assets. WSP assessed all habitats within TfL’s estate across Greater London and surrounding areas to provide an up-to-date biodiversity baseline dataset. To identify remaining habitats and gaps in coverage from previous surveys, WSP ran a high-resolution remote sensing assessment using LiDAR aerial photography and, satellite data.

Biodiversity toolkits were developed to help enable TfL to monitor biodiversity gains and losses at a network level as well as individual development projects. WSP also produced guidance documents in consultant with TfL, the Greater London Authority and others, as well as developed and ran training for TfL staff and external ecologists contracted on development projects.

This approach has allowed TfL to track progress against its biodiversity targets and objectives for the first time, as well as providing the basis of ensuring they meet the Mayor of London’s strategic environmental and transport objectives. This approach is now being used on projects across the UK including HS2. The project was shortlisted for a TfL contractor award for ‘best environment project’.

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Browse featured projects

Los Angeles, California, USA

Ramona Gardens Anti-Pollution Green Buffer

WSP USA implemented a nature-based solution for improving air quality at freeway-adjacent public housing in Los Angeles.

The Parklands Project first served as the Athletes’ Village for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Now it is being transformed into a mixed-use residential community with seven hectares of parkl...

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Creating a Vibrant and Sustainable Mixed-Use Community for the Gold Coast

The Parklands project provided a purpose-built development to be used initially for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, with a long-term vision as a place for the Gold Coast community to live, work and play.

Sydney - New South Wales, Australia

Zero Emission Transition Plan

The ACT Government has committed to progressively reducing emission to zero emissions by 2045 with Government setting a target of 2040 for its own emissions.

Reducing emissions from the transport sector and in particular the Government run bus fleet, is a key component to achieving the ACT Government’s emissions targets and to achieving a sustainable future for the city through a clean, healthy and attractive public transport service.

Transport Canberra engaged WSP to deliver a Zero-Emission Transition Plan to allow government to make funding, fleet and depot planning decisions to commence the transition of Transport Canberra’s bus fleet to zero-emission vehicles.

Sydhavnen, Denmark

Karens Minde Aksen

The area around Karens Minde in Copenhagen's old South Harbour district is to be urbanized and climate-adapted as part of a single project.

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Espoo, Finland

Calculation of the carbon balance of Sipoo's community structure

We prepared a report for Sipoo municipality on the emissions and carbon sinks of the community structure, as part of the general plan’s climate impact assessment. Based on the survey, a carbon balance calculation was carried out, which can also be used as a tool moving forward.

Projects

Tuusula's climate program and greenhouse gas calculation

In a development project financed with the support of the Ministry of the Environment in Finland, WSP prepared a greenhouse gas emission calculation for Tuusula. Together with the municipality's experts, WSP worked on a climate program that meets the obligations of the revised Climate Act.

Helsinki, Finland

The BAU scenario of Helsinki's emissions by 2050

WSP prepared an emissions scenario for the city of Helsinki to support climate management. The calculation model produces an overall estimate of the different emission measurement categories and enables region-based comparisons.

Discover our latest insights

Making space for nature in cities

Can we afford to make space for nature in our ever more crowded cities? Faced with overheating, flooding, pollution and the threat of total ecosystem collapse, can we afford not to?

Transitioning to Zero Emission technology

A guide to ensuring a smooth transition towards future-ready vehicles

Nature as the path to prosperity

A report on the economics of biodiversity highlights the need to rethink how we define and measure value, explains Jenny Merriman, Associate Director and Natural Capital lead for WSP UK’s Ecology team