Simone is an environmental hydrologist, with a Masters degree in hydrology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is currently a senior scientist at the Institute of Natural Resources NPC. She has seven years’ experience in integrated catchment management, environmental planning, monitoring and evaluation and GIS and remote sensing applications. Her research interests are in the fields of mapping and prioritising ecosystems for the implementation of mitigation interventions. She also has a keen interest in developing practical tools for enhancing and sustaining the provision of ecosystem goods and services. She is a well-rounded professional who has successfully contributed to a variety of specialist environmental assessments including wetlands, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and water quality assessments that have required the use of environmental planning approaches and management tools in the form of EIAs, SEAs, EMFs and risk assessments. Simone is a registered water resource scientist with SACNASP and has experience with biomonitoring having used tools such as SASS 5 and hydrological models including ACRU and SWAT.