Melody Zaccheus The Straits Times AsiaOne 29 Apr 14;
SINGAPORE - Trees that go up to 20 storeys and an unblocked bird's-eye view of the forest floor.
Visitors will get to take in these sights from an elevated boardwalk at the Singapore Botanic Gardens' upcoming Tyersall Learning Forest when it is ready in 2016.
Two Sepetir trees were planted yesterday at the boardwalk's proposed site to mark the start of the development of the $2.4 million walkway and the 9.8ha learning forest.
The planting was done by Dr Lee Boon Yang, chairman of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) - the boardwalk's co-sponsor - and representatives of the National Parks Board (NParks) which is leading the project. The Sepetir tree, which is native to Singapore, can grow up to a height of 50m.
SPH chief executive Alan Chan also attended the event.
SPH has donated $1.2 million to the boardwalk, which will take visitors up to a height of 8m. The donation is part of a series of activities scheduled in conjunction with the organisation's 30th anniversary this year.
The other half of the boardwalk's cost will be paid for by NParks.
The Gardens will increase by a sixth in size to about 74ha when the new Tyersall extension is ready.
It will house rare fruit and nut trees such as wild durian, persimmon and chestnut trees.
