Tengah Nature Way park connector to be launched next year

Saifulbahri Ismail Channel NewsAsia 30 Nov 13;

SINGAPORE: Singapore's latest green initiative -- the Tengah Nature Way -- will be launched next year.

It will be Singapore's fifth and longest park connector, spanning 13 kilometres.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made the announcement at the opening of the Botanic Gardens Heritage Museum on Saturday.

Tengah Nature Way will run along Bukit Batok estate. It will pass through Bukit Batok West Ave 2, 3 and 5, until Old Jurong Road.

Mr Lee said: “Tengah Nature Way will connect the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Reserves with the SAFTI live-firing area so that animals can go across and people can walk along the route too.

“We will choose plants to specially complement the natural forests on both sides and we will make a special effort to attract birds, butterflies and other animals so that we can all enjoy nature at our doorsteps."

Mr Lee assured that despite development, people can always be in touch with nature, and the park connector network is a popular way to make Singapore greener.

There are already nature ways at Admiralty, Kheam Hock, Tampines and Yishun.

In addition, plans for the Tengah Nature Way will involve the community. It will be a joint effort between NParks and South West Community Development Council, and will involve grassroots organisations, schools and residents.

NParks said as the nature ways may pass through residential estates, cooperation of residents is needed to plant suitable plants and trees.

NParks aims to create over 60 kilometres of nature ways by 2015.

Mr Lee said Singapore may not have large parks island-wide, nor can it preserve every single green area, but it is determined to keep its green lungs and natural spaces as the city develops.

Poon Hong Yuen, CEO of NParks, said: "One of the major challenges of realising the City in a Garden vision is space. Space is limited in Singapore, so we have to be very innovative about how we go about things. For example, park connectors make use of greater space to give an illusion of space.

“We do have to think out of the box to see how we can green Singapore, and conserve nature in the best possible way."

At the opening of the Botanic Gardens Heritage Museum, Mr Lee planted the final tree in a year-long series of activities to commemorate 50 years of greening Singapore.

He said it is important to preserve the gardens as part of the country's heritage.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens Heritage Museum features interactive exhibits and panels. Visitors can learn more about the rich history of the 154-year-old gardens and Singapore's greening journey over the past five decades.

Nature volunteers were also given recognition for their commitment.

Tan Teck Chye, an NParks volunteer who received a 10-year service award, said: "I lead a small group of people on nature walks, for example at Sungei Buloh, Chek Jawa, even Botanic Gardens. Along the walks I will introduce to them the animals and the plants that we come across, share with them about the balance of nature, and the importance of nature."

NParks said it has seen a growing interest in nature volunteerism.

To date, there are more than 1,000 active volunteers, 25 per cent more than last year.

- CNA/fa/xq

New attractions at Singapore Botanic Gardens from Saturday
Melissa Chong Channel NewsAsia 30 Nov 13;

SINGAPORE: Visitors to the Singapore Botanic Gardens can expect two brand new attractions on Saturday.

The first is a Heritage Museum, which explores the rich history of the 154-year-old gardens.

Visitors will see old lab equipment and field notes, and learn about early methods for rubber tapping which were pioneered by the Botanic Gardens. The Herring-bone method was a major breakthrough for the rubber industry. It allowed for higher yields while limiting the impact on the tree.

There is also an interactive map, which marks the gardens' expansion since 1859 to future developments until 2014.

Just next door, the CDL (City Developments Limited) Green Gallery celebrates Singapore's greening journey over the last 50 years.

It presents visuals of the future of the country's Destination Parks, scheduled for opening from 2015. These include upcoming slides at Admiralty Park which will be carved out of slopes, and new boardwalk connectors at Jurong Lake Park.

Three parks - Admiralty Park, Jurong Lake Park and East Coast Park - were identified earlier to be redeveloped thematically to attract Singaporeans from all over the island. They are estimated to be completed by 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively.

The CDL Green Gallery is also the nation's first zero-energy gallery - powered entirely by solar panels.

It is also the first building in Singapore to be built with 'hempcrete', a material which can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The vertical green walls on the building are also expected to be a haven for butterflies.

Poon Hong Yuen, chief executive officer of the National Parks Board, said: "The UNESCO bid part of it talks about the importance of people, the community owning the bid, and the community actually feeling that the heritage status of the gardens is very important.

"So this museum will go a long way in inculcating the feeling among the community for the gardens."

The cost of both the Heritage Museum and Green Gallery was over S$2 million, supported by City Developments Limited.

- CNA/ms

NParks sees more active volunteers in 2013
AsiaOne 30 Nov 13;

SINGAPORE - The National Parks Board (NParks) saw a 25 per cent increase in the number of active volunteers in the past year, signifying a growing interest in volunteering for biodiversity conservation.

Today, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong presented 10-year service awards to NParks' volunteers in recognition of their long-term commitment.

According to a statement released by NParks today, 1,000 volunteers serve on a regular basis. More than half of the new volunteers were involved in the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey (CMBS), a national initiative to take stock of Singapore's marine life.

PM Lee also highlighted plans to involve the community in making Singapore greener and richer in biodiversity, including the launch of public planting for Tengah Nature Way in the first quarter of next year.

The launch will be a joint effort between NParks and South West Community Development Council, involving grassroots organisations, NGOs, schools, and residents.

PM Lee was also the Guest-of-Honour at the opening of the Singapore Botanic Gardens Heritage Museum and Living in a Garden exhibition.

Apart from giving out awards, he also planted the 1963rd tree in the 1963 Commemorative Tree Planting initiative. The event marked the end of a year-long series of activities and events held to commemorate 50 Years of Greening Singapore.

Mr Poon Hong Yuen, NParks' Chief Executive Officer, said, " As we commemorate 50 Years of Greening Singapore and look to the future, we encourage more people to join us in creating a greener and more endearing City in a Garden."