Bryanston residents unite to breathe new life into Krom Wetland

A community-led effort to restore Krom Wetland in Bryanston is giving the natural area a fresh start while highlighting the importance of protecting Johannesburg’s remaining urban wetlands.

Better Bryanston carried out a clean-up operation at Krom Park on September 8, following residents’ concerns about overgrown vegetation, invasive plants and litter in the popular dog-walking area.

Read more: Bryanston dump site struggles to cope with surge in garden waste

The non-profit organisation’s team worked alongside residents to clear dense vegetation, including invasive bug weed, while removing litter from the park.

For Ward 102 environmentalist and resident Pauline Dickson, however, the work is about more than improving the appearance of the park. “This is Krom Wetland. It is a natural wetland, and it’s been classified as a wetland park by City Parks,” said Dickson.

She added that maintaining the wetland is important because of its role in naturally managing water moving through the area.

“We are really putting a lot of effort into trying to try and get it into a state where it can be a useful wetland, and for it to do what it does naturally, and that is to take the flow of water right the way through.”

According to Dickson, residents have spent years trying to address the growth of alien vegetation in parts of the wetland. While City Parks conducts some cutting in the area, certain sections have continued to deteriorate.

Also read: Sandton CPF Mandela Day clean-up initiative leaves Sandton Police Station spotless

“After many years of trying to get the alien growth removed, we’ve now engaged with Better Bryanston because we decided that we didn’t want to reinvent the wheel. We need this thoroughfare to be cleaned regularly.”

Better Bryanston chairperson Joyce Tshabalala said the organisation became involved after residents approached it about the condition of the park.

The team first surveyed the area the previous week before returning to tackle the most problematic sections.

“This park is known as a dog-walking park. Dog lovers are mostly found here with their four-legged friends, but unfortunately, it has become an eyesore,” Tshabalala said.

She said the overgrown vegetation and litter had affected the condition of the space, making the clean-up a priority for residents who use the park regularly.

Also read: Better Bryanston celebrates first anniversary with a clean-up drive

A major focus of the operation was removing bug weed, an invasive plant that had spread through parts of the area.

“We are here to remove a lot of the bug weed, which is an invasive plant that we will cut down and spray on the hillside so that it doesn’t grow back again, while also collecting the litter,” Tshabalala said.

She added that the initiative also reflects Better Bryanston’s approach of working directly with residents to identify and address problem areas.

“If there is an area that is bothersome to you, let us know. We will tell you how much funding is required to clean up the area and make it look better than it is. We look forward to more of these kinds of collaborations.”

For residents, the restoration of Krom Wetland could mean more than a cleaner space for walking dogs. Maintaining the wetland’s vegetation and water pathways could help preserve an important natural feature within the suburb.

Dickson said the community’s involvement was therefore an important step towards getting the wetland back into a useful place and ensuring that water continues to flow right through it.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates