Satish Cheney Channel NewsAsia 22 May 10;
SINGAPORE : Singapore joins other countries in marking the International Day for Biological Diversity on Saturday.
It is an occasion designated by the United Nations to enhance global understanding of biodiversity issues.
To celebrate the event, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan launched the 'BiodiverCity' photography exhibition at the Mandarin Gallery.
The exhibition features interesting plants and animals found within Singapore through the camera lens.
More than 700 participants submitted about 2,200 entries for the 'BiodiverCity' photography competition.
Next month, the exhibition will be moved to the World Cities Summit venue at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, before travelling to different parks all over Singapore. - CNA /ls
Launch of 'BiodiverCity' Photo Exhibition - First major showcase of Singapore's rich flora and fauna along Orchard Road
NParks media release 22 May 10;
22 May 2010, Singapore - From today until 20 June, shoppers in Orchard Road can look forward to be enchanted by an unusual display of photographs showcasing the city's rich biodiversity. Located outside Mandarin Gallery and covering over 360 square metres in area, it is the one of the largest nature photo exhibition organised in downtown Orchard. Singapore is often known as a dynamic bustling city-state for commerce and trade. Through this photo exhibition and through the lenses of nature photograhers, NParks hopes to show that Singapore is also a haven for biodiversity.
Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan officiated the launch of the exhibition today, which is also International Day for Biological Diversity. The photo exhibition - themed 'BiodiverCity' to celebrate the rich variety of animals and plants found in our Garden City - features a collection of 55 print photographs and a slide show of another 100 photographs. They were selected from 2,200 entries from public and students who submitted them for a competition organised by the National Parks Board (NParks) and The Photographic Society of Singapore in January 2010.
At the launch, Mr Mah said, "The high quality of the entries testifies to the perseverance of these photographers, and their passion for nature and the biodiversity in Singapore. Such photographs are also a testimony to our rich biodiversity. Flora and fauna have been able to flourish in Singapore as a result of our careful planning and painstaking efforts to balance biodiversity protection with economic development."
The slide show will be featured in a specially constructed darkroom, where public can view mammals, insects, marine life and birds amidst nature sounds, right in the heart of Singapore's busiest shopping street. Members of the public can also view the photos on NParks' website at www.nparks.gov.sg/IYB2010 and to vote for their favourite picture online.
The exhibition is on display from 7.00am to 10.00pm daily for four weeks, till 20 June 2010. It will subsequently rove to the World Cities Summit at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre (28 June to 1 July) as well as to parks in Singapore.
Submissions show a wide variety of Singapore's biodiversity
Launched on 8 January 2010[1], the photo competition attracted a total of 2,200 entries from 725 participants. Of this, 341 people participated in the open category and 384 in the student category, where budding photographers as young as seven years old, submitted photos of interesting animals, plants and natural landscapes in Singapore.
Mr Steven Tor bagged the top prize with his shot of a jumping otter reaching out to catch a crab at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. He won $6,000 cash and a four-day-three-night stay at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru in the Maldives, as well as an opportunity to participate in one of Banyan Tree�s many Marine Lab initiatives such as coral reef projects and surveys, shark and stingray research and the well-known Turtle Head Start effort. The top prize for the student category went to 20-year-old Pan Ken Nie from Lasalle College of the Arts for his winning picture of a Long-tailed Shrike. He won $3,000 in cash. Ten other winners received the Merit Prizes for their impressive entries. (Please see Annex A for more information on the photo competition, winners and other prizes).
Mr David P C Tay, President of The Photographic Society of Singapore, said, "Response has exceeded our expectation. Quality of the images is good and there is no shortage of variety in subject matter. It reflects the popularity of nature photography among Singaporean photographers. I hope that the Competition can continue on a regular basis, and the prize-winning and selected entries be compiled and published to increase the awareness of Singapore's biodiversity."
Corporate partners' support for the photo exhibition
The photo exhibition is made possible with the contributions of main partners, Banyan Tree Holdings and PICO Art, as well as supporting partners, Mandarin Gallery, Sharp Electronics and the Singapore Tourism Board.
In line with the theme of conservation, the photo exhibition is designed and installed by PICO Art using environmental friendly materials. Portions of the carpentry work were re-used from past events, such as the International Furniture Fair and Singapore Air Show.
Ms Jean Chia, Managing Director, Pico Art International Pte Ltd, said, "PICO has always been relentless in implementing the '3R' principles, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, which we have wholly embraced on a company-wide level. In our bid to support this year's International Year of Biodiversity, we are happy to be partnering National Parks Board and The Photographic Society of Singapore on this meaningful event."
On Banyan Tree's long-standing partnership with NParks, Ms Claire Chiang, Chairperson, Banyan Tree Global Foundation said, "As part of our intrinsic belief that businesses must create value for communities while creating value for shareholders, Banyan Tree is delighted to lend our support to NParks in promoting and celebrating biodiversity in Singapore. We hope this will help to not only raise awareness for the conservation of Singapore's rich natural heritage, but also to inspire others to do the same so that our natural environment will be preserved for the education and enjoyment of future generations."
In celebration of International Year of Biodiversity 2010
The photo exhibition is another key event in celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity. In 2006, the United Nations declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity to raise global awareness on the vital role of biodiversity in sustaining life on Earth.
NParks has lined up a series of activities throughout the year to raise public awareness of the rich biodiversity in Singapore. Key events held so far include the launch of Forest of Giants[2] on Earth Day (22 April) and the Singing Forest[3] on 5 May 2010. 91 schools in Singapore also took part in simultaneous tree-planting yesterday and today as part of the global Green Wave movement.
Upcoming activities this year include:
* 'Community in Bloom' Arts Exhibition (24 May 2010) - It features paintings, sculptures and animation pieces submitted by students on gardening and nature appreciation.
* Biodiversity Race (29 May 2010) - Teams will have a hand at identifying birds, butterflies, dragonflies and plants along the Western Adventure Park Connector Network. The team with the most number of correct entries wins.
* Sungei Buloh Master Plan Public Exhibition - This exhibition outlines the future plans to transform the wetland reserve into a regional centre for wetland education and recreation, while strengthening the conservation of its biodiversity. It will launched in June.
* 'Plant-A-Tree' opportunities - More tree-planting opportunities will be provided on special dates and months such as 5 June (World Environment Day) for individuals and organisations to do their part for nature through planting of trees at designated parks and nature reserves.
* Monthly talks on interesting species of Singapore organised by the National Biodiversity Centre;
* Guided walks at various parks and nature reserves around Singapore.
[1] This photo exhibition was launched on 8 January 2010 in conjunction with the official launch of the start of the "International Year of Biodiversity 2010" in Curitiba, Brazil.
[2] The Sembcorp Forest of Giants comprises over 600 trees that originally dominated our regional landscape before the advent of urbanisation. Also known as emergents - large trees that grow above the forest canopy - some of the 55 species selected for the collection can attain heights of over 80m in the wild.
[3] The Singing Forest is a collection of regional native trees which aims to attract birds. When the forest is established, park visitors will be able to enjoy a chorus of birds singing at dawn.
Related links on the BiodiverCity exhibition
Singapore marks International Day for Biological Diversity
From Straits Times 23 May 10
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