Channel NewsAsia 6 Jun 08;
SINGAPORE: Singapore Polytechnic and National Parks signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Friday over the conservation of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Pulau Ubin.
This is the first time NParks has entered into a formal MOU with an educational institution.
Under the three-year MOU, close to 600 students are committed to work with NParks.
They will focus on mangrove conservation, coastal clean-ups and outreach programmes at the wetland reserves of Sungei Buloh and Pulau Ubin.
Plans are already underway for monthly outreach programmes to secondary schools. These will be held alternately at each location.
To cement the partnership, polytechnic staff and students and NParks officers held a joint clean-up session at Sungei Buloh after the signing ceremony. - CNA/vm
Swamps cleaned
Straits Times 7 Jun 08;
Students from Singapore Polytechnic (SP) joined forces with the National Parks Board (NParks) to clean up mangrove swamps at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve yesterday.
This marked the start of a three-year collaboration to commemorate World Environment Day which fell on Thursday.
SP students will conduct monthly coastal clean-ups at Sungei Buloh and Pulau Ubin.
NParks will also train them to lead secondary school students in similar projects.
Second-year student Benjamin Kok, who celebrated his 18th birthday amid flora and fauna yesterday, said:
'You give up a free day, but for the sake of the earth, we'll do it.'
