What if I told you zombies are real? And no, not the ones you see on movie screens. I’m talking about nature’s zombies, real organisms hijacked and controlled by other living things. This phenomenon, often referred to as parasite manipulation, is found in most ecosystems throughout the world. Parasite manipulation can take shape in many forms, from subtle behavioral changes to dramatic transformations that make the host look and act like something out of a horror film.  

In these strange relationships, the “zombie” isn’t dead, at least not yet, but it’s no longer in full control of its own body. Tiny fungi, bacteria, and worms can essentially rewrite the host’s brain, forcing it to behave in ways that benefit the parasite rather than the animal itself. A caterpillar might climb to the tip of a plant, paralyzed by a fungus, only to be consumed from within as the fungus spreads its spores. Crickets can be compelled to jump to their grave, where they are then eaten alive by microscopic puppeteers.  

Parasites often produce chemicals that mimic or interfere with their host’s natural hormones and neurotransmitters. The result is a perfectly choreographed takeover. The host becomes a tool, unknowingly carrying out the parasite’s reproductive or survival agenda. Unlike fictional zombies, these manipulations are highly specific. Each parasite knows exactly how to influence its host to maximize its own chance of survival, whether that means altering movement or feeding behavior. 

But what does this look like in practice? How does a fungus convince an ant to march to its death, or a parasitic worm drive a cricket to take its own life? Scientists still don’t fully understand how these parasites control their hosts, but their mysteries open the door to the strange world of nature’s real-life zombies. 

For instance, the fungus Ophiocordyceps, often dubbed the “zombie-ant fungus”, may appear to be just another harmless organism, but its relationship with ants is nothing short of terrifying. The fungus attaches to the body of an ant, secreting enzymes that dissolve the ant’s tough exoskeleton, allowing the fungus to penetrate and begin the infection. Once an ant is infected, the fungus slowly takes over its central nervous system, manipulating it to leave the safety of its colony and aimlessly climb vegetation. Once high enough, the ant clamps down on a leaf or twig in what scientists call a “death grip,” where it ultimately dies as the fungus eats through its body, releasing spores to infect the next unlucky ant.  

Another unsettling example comes from Nematomorph hairworm parasites that live inside grasshoppers and crickets. The worm begins its life in water, hatching as a tiny larva that is ingested by small aquatic organisms like aquatic isopods and amphipods. When a cricket or grasshopper ingests one of these small organisms, the worm enters its body and begins a slow-growing invasion. Over the next few months, the long, thin worm grows inside the insect, preparing for reproduction. When the worm reaches maturity, it releases chemicals that literally rewire the cricket’s brain. The cricket suddenly feels an irresistible urge to jump into water. Once the cricket drowns, the hairworm emerges from the cricket’s body and enters the water to continue its life cycle, leaving the cricket’s body as an empty shell.  

The green-banded broodsac flatworm uses an interesting strategy to complete its life cycle. It begins by infecting a snail, its first host, where it eventually moves into the snail’s eye stalks. There, the parasite causes the stalks to swell and pulse with bright green and yellow bands that resemble small caterpillars, an appetizing target for birds. The infection also changes the snail’s behavior. Instead of hiding in the shade, the snail becomes unusually active and crawls into the open during the day, making itself more visible to predators. When a bird eats the infected snail, the flatworm reaches its final host and reproduces inside the bird’s digestive system. In this way, the parasitic flatworm uses the snail as both transportation and bait to attract its intended target. 

Unlike the green-banded broodsac, the Glyptapanteles takes on a more direct approach. This parasitic wasp is found on every continent except Antarctica and takes manipulation to an entirely new level. It lays its eggs inside the caterpillar of the geometrid moth, where the larvae feed on the host from within. When they are ready to pupate, the larvae consume the host from within and emerge to spin cocoons on surrounding vegetation. Remarkably, the caterpillar doesn’t immediately die. Instead, it undergoes a dramatic behavioral transformation, standing guard over the newly formed pupae. The caterpillar stops moving and feeding, positioning itself close to the pupae, and when threatened, violently swinging its head to deter potential predators. This self-sacrificial behavior significantly reduces predation on the pupae, increasing their survival rates. However, the caterpillar’s fate is sealed; it dies shortly after the wasp larvae emerge as adults, having unwittingly served as a bodyguard. 

In observing nature’s zombies, we understand the reality of a world where autonomy is fragile. They’re reminders that in nature, control is an illusion, and every creature, including us, dances to the rhythm of unseen forces.  

In the stories of the celebrated Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez, the boundaries between the real and the magical dissolve. Time stretches and loops. Spirits linger. The past speaks into the present. His style of magical realism reminds us that there is often more to the world than what we choose to see.

In the corporate world, it is practical to rely on the visible, the measurable, and the rational – to track progress, reduce uncertainty, and report to stakeholders. But what about the elements that are quietly shaping our reality?

Nature is one of those elements. It is present in every supply chain, every product lifecycle, and every community a company engages in. It sustains, supports, and connects practically all life on Earth, yet it is still not always considered material to core business operations. What if nature was not the scenery, but the strategy?

This shift in thinking—from nature as a passive context to nature as an active framework for innovation, resilience, and value creation—is where real transformation begins. And what companies need to explore with urgency, intention, and a long-term view.

Making the Invisible Visible

Nature’s contributions to business often go unnoticed until they’re gone. Soil fertility, pollination, water cycles, healthy ecosystems—none of these show up on financial statements, but their absence can bring operations to a halt. This is why we need a new kind of realism in business, one that acknowledges complexity, interdependence, and the full value of nature.

Most corporate strategies still view nature through two narrow lenses: as a risk to be managed or a resource to be used. While terms like “natural capital,” “ecosystem services,” and “offsets” help translate nature into business language, they can also oversimplify its complexity and mask the true depth of corporate dependency on healthy, functioning ecosystems.

When ecosystems stop delivering the services companies rely on, it’s not just a reputational issue or a moral failure; it’s a systems failure that ripples across supply chains, financial markets, labor forces, and even geopolitical stability.

From the Site to the C-Suite

Truly integrating nature into business means moving beyond isolated projects and stand-alone, short-term commitments. It requires embedding nature into every part of a company’s operations—from site-based engagement to corporate planning, supply chain decisions, and innovation portfolios. This is not simply a sustainability task; it’s an organizational transformation.

Convincing the C-suite to lead this shift is a necessary step, but it’s only the beginning. Change management must extend throughout the company. Embracing a new relationship with nature involves shifting mindsets, rewiring incentives, and building internal capacity. It means evolving the way teams operate, collaborate, and define success.

Metrics and scientific tools are essential, but so is culture. The real challenge lies in questioning long-held assumptions that have kept nature at the margins of strategic thinking. Leadership must move from asking “What is nature costing us?” to also asking, “What is nature teaching us?” and “How can our success be aligned with ecological health?”

Towards a New Corporate Imagination

Repositioning nature as strategy requires more than new frameworks. Initiatives like the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) help companies assess, prioritize, and disclose nature-related impacts. But the more fundamental shift is one of mindset: Can profit and nature conservation truly coexist?

Answering that question demands a new kind of corporate imagination—one where nature-based systems replace outdated linear models, where value is co-created with ecosystems and communities, and where transparency is not just a matter of compliance but a commitment to accountability. It also means recognizing that small steps and local actions matter, and that lasting change comes through integration, not isolation.

This is not idealism. It is the emerging reality for companies to understand that ecological intelligence is business intelligence and that nature is good business after all. Those who embed nature into their corporate strategy today will be the ones who thrive tomorrow—not only in market share but also in resilience, trust, and long-term relevance.

At Tandem Global, we work with forward-thinking companies that are making this shift. For example, some of our members are aligning their strategies with global frameworks like SBTN and TNFD, integrating nature-positive approaches across their operations, and developing innovative solutions to reduce their ecological footprint, all while enhancing biodiversity through pollinator programs, restoring critical habitats, and improving supply chain resilience. We help them navigate this complexity, moving from stand-alone projects to integrated strategies that connect site-level actions with corporate goals. We guide them in building internal capacity and creating the cultural change needed to truly make nature a strategic partner.

Contact me to learn more.

For many corporate conservationists, attracting wildlife to a site is a major goal of their project. By offering adequate food and water sources and meeting habitat needs, corporate sites can become a haven for target local species, from white-tailed deer to bluebirds, painted turtles to monarch butterflies.

Once wildlife arrives on-site, it’s imperative to monitor populations and ensure the habitat continues to meet their needs — and of course, local animals are always fun to watch and learn from. But did you know wildlife can serve more than just an observational or educational purpose?

The wildlife species visiting a site do not have to be just an outcome of a project — they can also become “partners” in conservation efforts. This blog post will explore how the wildlife attracted to a thriving site further support the health of the environment by providing ecosystem services.

What are ecosystem services?

When wildlife naturally creates a benefit to the surrounding ecosystem or the people nearby, those benefits are called ecosystem services. There are four types of ecosystem services: provisioning, supporting, regulating and cultural.

Provisioning services are the tangible outputs of the environment, like fruits, water, timber and so on. Supporting services, such as nutrient cycling, uphold the health and function of the broader environment, serving as a foundation for all other ecosystem services. Regulating services, like carbon sequestration or erosion control, help to moderate natural processes in the environment, while cultural services provide non-tangible benefits to people like mental health improvements, educational opportunities or social cohesion.

Offering clues into the ecosystem’s health

One of the foundational ways that wildlife support greater conservation efforts is by indicating the health of the ecosystem. Certain species’ characteristics make them particularly helpful in this regard, and they are referred to as bioindicators.

Birds, for example, are very visible and thus easy to detect. They also have strict habitat requirements, and if an environment has changed in a way that no longer supports their needs, birds will leave — their absence serving as an indication that a detrimental environmental change has occurred. Reptiles and amphibians are also excellent bioindicators, as they are highly sensitive to pollution. Monitoring herptile populations through non-invasive methods like coverboard surveys provides insights into the enhancements needed for a thriving habitat.

Taking out invasive species

Invasive species are a serious threat to biodiversity. These non-native flora and fauna proliferate due to a lack of natural predators, outcompeting beneficial native species for resources. The introduction of natural predators to a site plagued by invasive species helps to restore balance. In fact, the use of predators to control invasives is called biological control and is considered a valid method of invasive species management.

Take purple loosestrife, for example. This invasive flora was unintentionally introduced to North America from Eurasia in the 1800s and has since spread to almost every Canadian province and nearly all U.S. states. The galerucella beetle feeds on purple loosestrife and has been used throughout the U.S. since 1992 to effectively control loosestrife infestations. These beetles are just one example of wildlife contributing to a more balanced, healthy ecosystem.

Of course, the introduction of one non-native species to combat another is a delicate operation, and it must be conducted only after extensive testing has determined that the introduced predator is safe to release. But when done effectively, biological control manages a troublesome invasive species while reducing the need for chemical herbicides or insecticides that have adverse effects on the rest of the ecosystem.

No need for a degree to be nature’s engineers

Some animals are adept at constructing habitat structures. Known as ecosystem engineers, these species will modify the environment to create a habitat for themselves, which in turn is sometimes used by other species as well. For example, chipmunks build tunnels, called burrows, to house their nests and stores of food. When chipmunks discontinue use of these burrows, snakes then use them for shelter.

While constructing their own habitats, ecosystem engineers often provide ecosystem services that benefit the rest of the ecosystem. Beavers are a prime example of beneficial ecosystem engineers, as their dams not only provide habitat, but they also support water quality and even help mitigate climate change impacts.

Sometimes, interference from beaver dams can cause issues, especially if it blocks important water flow. Non-lethal methods for coexisting with beavers include beaver deceivers and flow devices that restore the flow of the water body without harming or removing beavers.

Spreading the love (and the seeds)

Each season, a garden or forest habitat may need additional plantings to fill in gaps or replace plants. This task is where the ever-useful seed dispersers of the ecosystem can shine. Have you ever watched a squirrel bury an acorn and forget where they left it, resulting in an oak seeding? That’s animal seed dispersal in action.

From bison to bats, tons of animals disperse seeds, either by dropping them or by discarding fruit seeds after the digestion process. While seeds are naturally carried to other locations through means like gravity and wind, animal dispersion is an important method by which native plants proliferate.

Not only does seed dispersal allow for continued colonization by plant species, but it also ensures that the new seedlings have enough resources to survive without crowding or competing with others. When animals like birds, rodents or even insects carry and drop seeds in new locations, they are helping to support the area’s biodiversity — and corporate conservationists don’t need to do a thing!

Your weeds are their feeds

Keeping a grassland free of noxious weeds can be a full-time job. Not only are they consistent and time-consuming tasks, but weeding and mowing also utilize energy, emit greenhouse gases, incur high costs, create noise and disturb grass-dwelling wildlife. With all these downsides, a more sustainable alternative is welcome to many corporate conservation professionals.

Luckily, wildlife can once again be a valued partner in vegetation management efforts. Many species will feast on the weeds, grass and woody vegetation on a site, cutting down on the human-facilitated maintenance needed.

Grazing animals like cattle and sheep eat grass and low vegetation, while browsing species such as deer and giraffes feed on woody plants and leaves. Not only does allowing for grazing and browsing offer numerous benefits for corporate landowners, but it also provides an abundant supply of food for local wildlife. Depending on their diet, grazers and browsers can also target those pesky invasive species, and a lack of dry brush reduces fuel for potential wildfires.

Wildlife is an incredible asset to a conservation site — from invasive species control to engineering to seed dispersal, the ecosystem services they provide make animals powerful partners in conserving and supporting biodiversity.

For more than 30 years, WHC (Wildlife Habitat Council) has been convening professionals working at the intersection of business and biodiversity. As the only international non-profit enabling private sector action for nature, WHC recognizes the importance of partnership and collaboration to facilitate effective conservation efforts worldwide.

The annual WHC Conservation Conference provides the opportunity for corporate professionals and partners working in the nature space  to make valuable connections, learn from each other and celebrate the successes of the past year. Previously hosted in Baltimore, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, the 2024 WHC Conservation Conference was held for the first time in New Orleans, Louisiana — a city rich with culture as well as groundbreaking conservation efforts to support climate change mitigation, green infrastructure integration and community involvement in sustainability efforts.

Keynote speakers inspiring action

Matthew Cappucci, stormchaser, meteorologist and author of Looking Up: The True Adventures of a Storm-Chasing Weather Nerd, treated attendees to a captivating multimedia presentation in which he traced his career journey from his interest in weather at an early age to becoming his high school’s de facto weatherman to unexpectedly forging a college program.

True to his fame as a stormchaser, Cappucci shared videos from his experiences that practically put the audience into the middle of extreme storms. His discussion of his educational experience reinforced the critical nature of accessible STEM education, with corporate audience members taking home the message that today’s students are tomorrow’s trailblazers in science and sustainability.

To illustrate the vast nature of conservation work happening in the New Orleans area, Chuck Morse, Executive Director of Thrive New Orleans, opened the conference with a keynote presentation expounding on the social, environmental and economic impacts of on-the-ground conservation work, as exemplified in New Orleans. Thrive was developed post-Hurricane Katrina to restore neighborhoods for community members returning to the city in the wake of the storm. Morse shared how workforce development is key for Thrive’s environmental efforts, by empowering community members to access career paths in sustainability. “Progress moves at the speed of trust,” Morse explained, emphasizing the importance of engaging with community wisdom when developing wide-reaching conservation plans.

Adding to the conference’s slate of expert speakers was WHC President Margaret O’Gorman, who presented her annual State of Corporate Conservation address reflecting on the value of time when it comes to conservation efforts. In her address, O’Gorman recounted memorable conservation stories from members over the past year, such as Ontario Power Generation’s innovative use of drone imagery to monitor invasive species and the discovery of the New Guinea singing dog at a Freeport-McMoRan site in Indonesia. She also recognized the long-standing tenure of WHC members Covia, Vulcan Materials and WM, all marking 35 years of membership.

Galvanizing corporate and community support to meet Louisiana-specific needs

Continuing to make the most of this year’s host location, a panel comprised of representatives from several Louisiana organizations convened to discuss how collaborative partnerships are benefitting the region’s specific needs. Traci Birch, Associate Director of the LSU Coastal Ecosystem Design Studio, facilitated the discussion, which touched on exacerbated climate change impacts and the sheer amount of port-based commerce happening in the state. Two major themes reiterated by members of the panel were the need to build resilient infrastructure and the crucial involvement of community partners to make a positive impact.

Davie Breaux, Deputy Port Director of Port Fourchon, shared examples of green infrastructure and wetlands restoration contributing to the region’s resilience, as well as the value of partnerships for efforts such as emissions monitoring. Susannah Burley, Founder and Executive Director of Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL) traced how the original creation of New Orleans led to massive deforestation. Burley explained that New Orleans’ tree canopy percentage ranks the lowest of eight nearby cities, and since the city’s low-lying coastal location makes it more susceptible to climate change impacts, reforestation is a crucial need. Chuck Morse of Thrive NOLA returned to further discuss the importance of community engagement.

Supporting women working in the corporate conservation space

WHC Conservation Conference 2024 included the inaugural in-person meeting of Elevate, sponsored by CRH, WHC’s professional network for women working in business and nature. Elevate, formed earlier this year, aims to support women in sustainability roles by facilitating open forums of discussion, providing mentorship opportunities and bringing women together to address the challenges and embrace the opportunities of working in the corporate conservation space.

Chris May, SVP, Safety, Health & Environment of CRH Americas and Livonia Mitchell, VP of Engagement and Impact at CRH, participated in a question-and-answer session facilitated by WHC Chief Science and Innovation Officer Anna Willingshofer. The women shared insights into navigating male-dominated fields, finding mentors, dealing with imposter syndrome and more. Following this engaging Q&A, members of Elevate had the chance to network in person for the first time since the group’s formation, forming connections that will only help to strengthen the impact of women working in sustainability.

Recognizing and celebrating conservation successes

Throughout the two days of WHC Conservation Conference, individual corporate conservation projects were honored with the WHC Awards, which recognize stellar examples of conservation — from species protection to landscape restoration to community education and engagement and more. Around the U.S. and around the world, the 2024 WHC Award winners exemplify WHC’s belief that Every act of conservation matters^®.

This year’s Conference closed with the always lively WHC Awards Dinner, at which the event’s sponsors were recognized and the winners of the final WHC Awards were announced. In addition to the presentation of the Corporate Conservation Leadership Award to WM, the Gold Program of the Year Award to WM’s El Sobrante Landfill and Wildlife Preserve, and the Employee Engagement Award to Freeport-McMoRan, the winner of the Ibis Award was also announced. Named for the bird that is often credited as the last to leave before a storm and the first to return, this honor recognizes a conservation program’s resilience in the face of unexpected challenges. This year, Occidental Petroleum Corporation’s Belle site won the Ibis Award. After refocusing employee efforts on legacy clean-up efforts, the Belle team engaged help from the community to support the program’s avian monitoring efforts, allowing them to achieve WHC Certification again after 13 years.

Companies’ pride in their accomplishments is always evident at the WHC Awards Dinner, with attendees bringing festive noisemakers, New Orleans-themed costume pieces and intricate table decorations to show their team spirit — and bid for the WHC Spirit Award. This year, the competition for this award was so fierce that it ended in a tie, with Summit Materials and Freeport-McMoRan bringing home the honor. It was a fitting end to an event focusing on the importance of collective action and celebrating the accomplishments of dedicated corporations — and attendees left New Orleans feeling energized, enlightened and excited to meet again for WHC Conservation Conference 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
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The sun is shining, birds are chirping and new blades of grass are beginning to poke up through the brush. With spring approaching, now is the time to start planning a beautiful, beneficial garden. Native, pollinator-friendly plants serve as food and shelter for wildlife while improving aesthetics, and planting guides are an excellent resource to determine the best plants to include in a garden. 

But once the garden plot has been designated and the plant list has been determined, what about the human-devised enhancements? While it may be fun to paint a butterfly house or install a bird feeder, which of these garden additions are truly practical for native wildlife, and which are just pretty ornamentation? In this blog, we’ll explore common garden enhancements that provide valuable benefits for species as well as alternatives for some less-practical features.  

Flutter by the butterfly house  

Floating along on gusts of temperate wind, butterflies feel like a sure sign of spring. If the native plants in your garden are attracting butterflies, it may be tempting to get them to stay a little longer by constructing a butterfly house. But these slender structures, while pretty, don’t tend to be very popular with the target species. Instead, a butterfly house is often likely to end up a roach motel or a wasp haven. 

Instead, arrange a selection of flat rocks in an area that receives ample sunlight. Butterflies are ectothermic, which means they need heat from the sun to regulate their body heat, and if their body temperature drops too low, butterflies are unable to fly. Flat, warm rocks provide the perfect place for butterflies to flatten out their wings and warm up — and may be much more inviting than a butterfly house. 

Take a dip in the bird bath 

It is infinitely fun to watch birds splash around in a bird bath, and in addition to their entertainment and aesthetic values, these enhancements serve a very practical purpose for wildlife. The bathing aspect is just a small part of the function of bird baths – more practically, they provide safe drinking water. Especially in the hot summer months, a source of drinking water makes a space much more wildlife friendly. 

Bird bath location is key, as birds will prefer a bird bath where they feel safe. Installing a bird bath near trees or other vegetative cover gives birds a protected place to perch. Cover from trees will also keep the birth bath from getting too hot during the day and prevents algal growth. 

While designing a bird bath, consider adding water features for species beyond birds. Shallow puddles are suitable for bees and butterflies, and they are easy to construct using a large saucer, some sand and several small rocks. A few pieces of fruit or fruit juice can be added to further entice these species to your garden puddle. 

Welcome to the toad abode 

Toads are an unsung garden hero, as they eat common pests like mosquitos and slugs. Attracting toads to help address a pest problem may be a priority, and some gardeners want to give these visitors a permanent home in the form of a toad house. 

It can be a fun project to design and decorate a toad house — and if the house is made from non-toxic materials, it won’t be harmful — but it’s not a necessary step to ensure toads have a suitable habitat. 

Opting to use materials like rocks, sticks or leaf and brush piles can be effective too, as amphibians like toads often seek cover in these natural shelters. A simple piece of plywood or metal can easily become a coverboard, which provides warm conditions as well as cover from predators for a variety of reptiles and amphibians.  

Bird feeding frenzy 

As spring unfolds, so does an increase in bird activity. Migratory species are returning, and avians of all kinds are trying to attract a mate, build a nest and of course — find food. There is debate about the benefits of bird feeders, especially during times of the year when food sources may still be scarce.

There are several risks associated with bird feeders. As they attract a large number of different birds to a relatively small area, feeders can lead to a higher likelihood of birds contracting parasites or pathogens from each other. Also, a bird feeder’s proximity to windows could result in increased bird strikes. In general, introducing bird-safe window fixtures such as decals, tape or screens is a good practice to help protect birds from window collisions. 

Relying on nature rather than humans for food is generally a more sustainable option for wildlife, so including bird-friendly native plants in the garden is great way to help feed the birds. By summertime, when plants are in bloom and insects are plentiful, birds can usually find food without human assistance.

A place to nest, a place to roost 

It is estimated that millions of acres of bird habitat are lost each year. Along with this habitat loss comes a lack of access to nesting resources, which impacts bats as well as cavity-nesting birds. With both bat and bird populations experiencing declines worldwide, providing nest boxes for these species in or near a garden is a beneficial way to help their numbers rebound. 

Ideal nest box specifications depend on the location and the type of bird being targeted, but it is recommended that nest boxes be built from untreated wood and galvanized screws, with a sloped roof and drainage holes to keep the nest dry. Predator guards protect the young inside, and routine nest box monitoring provides data that can be submitted to community science initiatives to provide insight into the health of the population.  

Looking for more tips on constructing a nest box? Watch our on-demand webinar, and then enter your nesting structure in our contest by November 1!

If you’re interested in supporting other winged wildlife, bat boxes are a beneficial way to provide safe roosting places. The ideal location for a bat box is in an area where bats have been observed feeding. Mount a bat box on a building or large structure rather than a pole or tree, as these provide a consistent temperature for the interior of the box. Ensure the bottom of the bat box is at least 10 feet from the ground and 20-30 feet from any trees, and clean or repair the boxes in autumn or winter when they are not occupied. 

Part of the fun of planning a garden is deciding which enhancements will feature in it, and these tips can help ensure any garden additions this spring are both practical and pretty.