Ukukhulele eSiphingo Beach, uCJ noma u ‘Roddy’ Cecil Ward njengoba ayedume kanjalo, lwakhula uthando lwemvelo kuye kusukela esemncane. Kodwa-ke, i-ccology yayingaziwa nangegama ingasaphathwa eyisihloko sayo lapho iqala eNyuvesi ngo-1946.
Kamuva e-University of Durban Westville, uRoddy waba yisibonelo salokho i-lecturer okufanele ibe yikho – ubuhlakani, isineke, umusa kanye nokuzimisela ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuhlanganyela isikhathi nobungoti bakhe nabafundi. Eminyakeni engu-50 eyalandela, waba nomthelela omkhulu ezinkulungwaneni zabafundi nozakwabo asebeke bahlala ezinkulumweni zakhe futhi bamjoyina emkhakheni. Eminyakeni yakhe engu-25 edlule eyi-ecologist , wagxila ezimileni zasogwini lwaKwaZulu-Natali kanye nokunye okuhambisana nezemvelo.
Ubuye wasebenza maphakathi nezwe nase-Namibia, Nigeria nase-Swazini. UCecil Ward wayesebhaliswe nenqwaba yezinhlaka eziqeqeshiwe futhi wayenolwazi oluningi lokuthwebula izithombe zasemoyeni nokuhumusha izithombe. Ukushicilela okuhlanganisa i-Plant Ecology yase-Isipingo Beach Area, wanikezwa indondo ye-Captain Scott Memorial, kanye namaphepha amaningi emaphephabhukwini esayensi.
Ngokuzithoba, uCecil uqhubeke nokuphenya, ukubika nokweluleka ngokushintsha kwendawo esikuyo, ngethemba lokuthi kuzogqugquzela nabanye ukuthi balandele ezinyathelweni zakhe ngokungandi emlonyeni kodwa kubonakale izenzo.UWard ube ngowokuqala ukuthola i-John Medley Wood Award evela kwi-Durban Botanic Gardens Trust. UCecil udlule emhlabeni ngo-2015 eneminyaka engu-88.