Scaling nature-based solutions for climate resilient infrastructure

Project: FAO, UN HABITAT and City of Joahnnesbyrg African Urban Forests Forum Scientific Committee
Role: Intern for the Second African Urban Forests Forum
Affiliation: Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo
Orcid ID: 0000-0002-7279-7974
Email: sibulelemtshengu@jhbcityparks.com or sibulelemtshengu@gmail.com

Sibulele Mtshengu is a botanist serving as an intern with Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo and working under the supervision of Dr Jessica Thorn and Mrs Ayanda Joyi. She focuses on urban biodiversity management and conservation. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in ethnobotany, examining traditional medicinal plant knowledge of Eastern Pondoland, a region rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage. This work holds personal significance as she was inspired by her grandmother, a traditional healer.

At Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, Sibulele leads a project managing Lemna minor (duckweed) populations across urban water bodies, developing strategies to assess, control, and mitigate this invasive species. This role has deepened her commitment to combining scientific research with practical conservation efforts tailored to the urban environment.

She has presented her work at several notable conferences, including the South African Association of Botanists conference, the Biological Invasion Symposium, and the Indigenous Plant Use Forum, where she discussed the role of traditional plant knowledge and invasive species management in conservation. Sibulele also actively promotes environmental awareness, contributing to education on plant preservation and herbaria’s role in conserving biodiversity. Her dedication to understanding the intersection of botany, urban ecology, and community engagement is central to her contributions to sustainable environmental efforts in Africa.