Deputy Director: Biodiversity Planning, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Originally a town planner, Wilma wants to build monuments of conservation for descendants by preserving South Africa’s biodiversity. ‘I want my grandchildren to see animals and plants in the wild, not in a book. We have a chance to make a difference but we must do it now,” she says.
Wilma’s work includes the development of biodiversity legislation, policy and strategy at national level, plus the implementation of both the international Convention on Biological Diversity, to which South Africa is a signatory, and the new Biodiversity Act.
Right now, she’s developing complex national and regional biodiversity action plans. She’s involved in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and was previously responsible for the implementation of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. ‘Greed is the biggest threat we face in preserving what we have. People must realise how important conservation is,” she says.
Wilma’s career started at a time when women did not have many career opportunities. ‘In the past, the role of women in conservation was neglected, but women are finally claiming their rightful place. We have a big responsibility to make women aware of the role they can play in conservation.”