Channel NewsAsia 30 May 15;
SINGAPORE: Another 14 hectares has been designated as a Nature Area at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, announced the National Parks Board (NParks) on Saturday (May 30).
The 14 hectares of the Learning Forest comprises a 10-hectare fragment of secondary forest adjacent to the Gardens. The new area brings the entire Nature Area within the Gardens to 20 hectares, NParks added.
"The additional 14 hectares will enhance the forest habitat in the Gardens as it forms a contiguous swathe of forest through the heart of the Gardens. This will create more opportunities for the pollination and seed dispersal of native forest trees.
"It will help in the re-generation of the Rain Forest, strengthen ex situ conservation of plants native to the region and create additional habitats for native wildlife," the agency said.
The new Nature Area is situated within the Buffer Zone of the proposed World Heritage Site boundary. This area will be managed for conservation and education, activities that are complementary to the proposed World Heritage Site.
Measures to conserve and enhance the Rain Forest and its surroundings fall under the Biodiversity Conservation Plan, and include planting native tree saplings, maintenance of leaf litter to improve moisture levels and regular monitoring activities.
Grassroots leaders from the Holland-Bukit Timah area, along with Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, worked with residents and community gardeners to plant 100 forest trees within the new Nature Area on Saturday.
Among other things, these trees create additional habitats for native wildlife. Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee said: "These trees will grow up with us, will grow up with our grandchildren, and will be the pride and joy of our green legacy.
"And as these saplings that we have just planted grow and mature, they will support a habitat to support the rich biodiversity that we want to keep, and enhance in the Singapore Botanic Gardens."
There are currently 24 Nature Areas in Singapore, including the four Nature Reserves and 20 other areas which are retained for as long as development is not needed.
The last Nature Areas were designated in 2013 were Beting Bronok and Pulau Unum in Pulau Tekong, as well as Jalan Gemala located near the Kranji Reservoir. Many of the other Nature Areas are situated within parks, such as Bukit Batok Nature Park and Admiralty Park, the agency said.
- CNA/kk
New Nature Area designated at the Singapore Botanic Gardens
AsiaOne 30 May 15;
SINGAPORE - An additional 14 hectares of forest area have been designated as a Nature Area in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the National Parks Board (NParks) announced in a statement on Saturday.
The 14 hectares comprise a 10-hectare fragment of secondary forest adjacent to the Botanic Gardens in the Tyersall area, which is known as the Learning Forest, as well as surrounding forest areas.
A green space is designated as a Nature Area if it is one with ecological significance, and there are currently 24 such Nature Areas in Singapore, including Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve, Labrador Nature Reserve and the Pulau Ubin Nature Area.
Including the existing 6 hectare Rain Forest, this brings the entire Nature Area within the Botanic Gardens to 20 hectares.
NParks said that the additional 14 hectares will enhance the forst habitat in the Gardens as it forms a contiguous swathe of forest through the heart of the Gardens.
"It will help in the regeneration of the Rain Forest, strengthen ex situ conservation of plants native to the region and create additional habitats for native wildlife."
Many of the species found in the new Nature Area are also native and part of Singapore's natural heritage, and are an important reference for ongoing research work.
The new Nature Area is situated within the Buffer Zone that was demarcated in the Site Management Plan submitted by the Gardens to UNESCO for its nomination as a World Heritage Site.
The expansion of the Nature Area is also part of the Gardens' Biodiversity Conservation Plan, which outlines measures to conserve and enhance the Rain Forest and its surroundings.
Botanic Gardens nature area to expand
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 31 May 15;
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is about to get greener, even as it awaits the results of its Unesco World Heritage Site bid.
The National Parks Board (NParks) yesterday announced that a nature area within the Gardens will be more than tripled in size to 20ha, about the size of 30 football fields.
Nature areas are green spaces with ecological significance and will be preserved as long as development is not needed. There are 24 such areas across Singapore, including the nature reserves.
The Gardens' existing 6ha nature area is one of Singapore's few remaining patches of primary rainforest and has been preserved since 1859. The expansion includes a 10ha fragment of secondary forest next to the Gardens known as the Learning Forest, and surrounding forest areas.
NParks said the ecology in these areas complements the primary rainforest. More trees, including exceptionally tall and rare ones, will be planted in them, and an existing freshwater swamp will be restored and enhanced as part of the nature area expansion.
"The additional 14ha will enhance the forest habitat in the Gardens as it forms a contiguous swathe of forest through the heart of the Gardens," NParks said.
It added that this will create more opportunities for pollination and seed dispersal of native forest trees, help the rainforest regenerate, aid in the conservation of plants native to the region and create additional habitats for native wildlife such as the Red-legged Crake bird.
The new nature area could also take some pressure off the rainforest, by spreading visitors more evenly across the larger space. The expansion is in line with the Gardens' site management plan for its Unesco bid.
The new trees to be planted include the Tualang and Kempas species, which have some of the tallest trees in South-east Asia.
These forest giants can grow up to 60m or even taller. Many rare species like the Damar Hitam Gajar and the Giam will also be planted to safeguard them from extinction here, and for research.
The freshwater swamp, which will be completed next year, will have boardwalks and viewing decks to bring visitors closer to the flora and fauna.
Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee launched the new nature area yesterday at the Gardens.
He helped to plant 100 trees, together with MPs for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Ms Sim Ann, Minister of State for Education, and Communications and Information, and Mr Christopher De Souza, as well as about 130 residents and community gardeners.
Mr Lee said: "The rainforest has been largely untouched for hundreds of years... and holds some rare and unique species that can only be found here and nowhere else.
"All these upcoming developments will truly enhance our Botanic Gardens."