The Melville Koppies, a nature reserve and Johannesburg heritage site, has been awarded a prestigious Golden Shield award by the National Heritage Council (NHC).

The council acknowledges heritage activists and practitioners annually, for preserving national treasures.

The nature reserve, run by Friends of Melville Koppies and headed by Wendy Carstens, entered the awards’ ‘Preferred Destination’ category in which they came out tops.

“Yippee we won and are all absolutely delighted,” says Carstens, who attended the 10^th Golden Shield Awards in Cape Town recently.

“Thank you, NHC for encouraging and rewarding SA’s wonderful heritage.”

According to the council, the Golden Shield Heritage Awards is an annual event that creates a platform for the public to celebrate and cherish their heritage while being recognised for excellence.

This is the only premium gesture of rewarding heritage activists, practitioners, and citizens for their relentless dedication to protect, promote, and preserve the heritage of the people of South Africa, the NHC says.

A R30 000 prize was awarded, which will be used for the conservation team’s wages.

“The Melville Koppies is the last conserved remnant of Johannesburg’s ridges as they were before the discovery of gold in 1886. Its geology goes back three billion years,” says Carstens.

“The vegetation of the Koppies is entirely indigenous and is a remarkable example of the richness of highveld grasses, flowers, and trees so close to a city centre. These ridges have looked like this for hundreds of years,” she adds.