Turning Northcliff Ridge Eco Park into a sanctuary for flora and fauna
A passionate advocate for nature, Monica Cserei-Wiese is rallying the community to help preserve the beauty and biodiversity of Northcliff Ridge Eco Park.
Monica Cserei-Wiese, an environmental advocate, is dedicated to preserving the biodiversity of Northcliff Ridge Eco Park. Inspired by the park’s natural beauty, she created the eco park conservation and preservation initiative, aiming to raise awareness and encourage responsible environmental practices among residents and visitors.
Cserei-Wiese’s love for the park grew after seeing its vibrant flowers, trees, insects, birds, and a curious rock hyrax. While many visit for the views, she seeks to highlight the park’s ecological significance, and the importance of its preservation.
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The initiative’s primary goal is to document and protect the park’s flora and fauna. She is compiling a database of species, their lifecycles, and vulnerabilities. “I encourage visitors to share photos of plants and animals they encounter with the Northcliff Eco Park Flora and Fauna group on social media. We are also mapping species using Google Earth to aid ongoing research.”
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Additionally, Cserei-Wiese aims to cultivate awareness of conservation by encouraging visitors to treat the park like a botanical garden, and to avoid littering and graffiti.
Collaboration is key to the initiative’s success. Cserei-Wiese works with the Northcliff Rotary Club, Jozi Trails, and Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo. Together, they’ve improved the park’s cleanliness and safety. However, she highlighted the importance of community involvement. “Everyone – residents, visitors, and volunteers – plays a vital role in maintaining the park’s environment.”
Despite visible bins, trash is left behind, harming the ecosystem. Cserei-Wiese plans to increase security and organise cleanup events, as well as raise awareness through the Northcliff Eco Park Flora and Fauna social media group.
“We encourage residents to plant indigenous plants, which support pollinators like bees. We are also offering germinated seeds from the park to help preserve local flora,” she added.
She concluded that it takes a community to make a difference, stating that together they can preserve Northcliff Ridge Eco Park for future generations.
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