31 Mar-1 Apr: Code Blue features our reefs, at NUS

The term Code Blue is commonly used to signify life-threatening emergencies. The colour blue is also associated with Earth's oceans. Hence, CODE BLUE calls for attention and action to conserve local marine life.

Timed to coincide with the International Year of the Reefs 2008, CODE BLUE will join the worldwide marine conservation campaign on March 31 with a two-day special event featuring recruitment for marine conservation volunteers, a marine photo exhibition and a one-of-a-kind environmental display at the NUS Central Forum.

The 2-day special event will feature the following highlights:

• Marine photo exhibition;
• One-of-a-kind environmental exhibition;
• Marine conservation exhibition;
• Pledge booth for participants to sign pledge cards in support of marine conservation; and
• Recruitment drive for a variety of marine conservation activities and also for Roots & Shoots Youth United youth leaders

CODE BLUE is a communications campaign aimed at advocating local marine conservation efforts among NUS students. The campaign was initiated by pioneer members of Roots & Shoots Youth United, the NUS chapter of the international Roots & Shoots organisation that spearheads youth-driven community and environmental projects.

Time: 10am-6pm
Venue: Central Forum, the National University of Singapore
Website: http://www.rsyu.org/codeblue
Contact: Belmont Lay belmontlay@gmail.com

24-30 Mar: Highlights of the week ahead

Pulau Ubin update Pulau Ubin bumboat charges will be $2.50 up from $2 as of 15 Apr. More details on the pulau ubin stories blog.

For kids and the family, join the Chek Jawa Boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs, or the Bounce-Go Out! programme at the National Library.

In the gardens, there's a guided tour of HortPark and a Nature and Heritage walk at Fort Canning Park.

Get active! Join PowerWalk at Sun Plaza Park or at Bishan Park.

In the mangroves, join Pui San for his end-of-the-month Painting at Sungei Buloh. Or go for the guided walk at Sungei Buloh on Saturday and Sunday.

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only, there's a nature walk at Upper Seletar Reservoir.

Want to meet the green community in Singapore? Come for Green Drinks and find out more about Earth Hour Singapore, the International Year of the Reef and Minus Plastic, a programme to reduce the use of plastic.

Lots of exciting talks too this week, including

• "Butterflies of the Neo-Tropics and the Orient" at NSS
• "Climate Change: Feeling the Tropical Heat" at NUS and
• "The Joys of Marine Life: Taste, Smell, Pheromones and SEX" at NUS

This week's photo is shared by chimck: a praying mantis which he saw at St. John's Island. It seems to say "oops!"

Praying Mantis @ St. John's Island, originally uploaded by chimck.

30 Mar (Sun): Free Chek Jawa Boardwalk tour

The Naked Hermit Crabs introduce you to Chek Jawa without getting your feet wet. Enjoy the great view and find out more about rare coastal plants, cute fiddler crabs, aggressive mudskippers, sturdy mangrove trees, interesting bugs and more!

The free walk will be held every the last Sunday of the month. You don’t even have to sign up. On each public walk day, a few of the volunteer guides will be stationed at the Chek Jawa Info Kiosk in front of House No. 1 at Chek Jawa. The Crabs will trial this format for 4 months and then review it after that.

Group size? Come in small friends and family groups of around 6 people or fewer. We expect to have a few guides volunteering each time, but cannot guarantee that we will have a lot of guides. Please …. don’t organize a huge company group and show up at our free walk-in tours. We will be overwhelmed and you will go away very disappointed.

For more of what happened during the walk, see the adventures with the naked hermit crabs blog.

Time: 3 pm meet at the Chek Jawa Info Kiosk
Duration: Two hours
Cost: no charge for now, but donations accepted.
Website: http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.com/
Contact: nakedhermitcrabs@gmail.com

30 Mar (Sun): Nature walk at Upper Seletar Reservoir Park

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

Join Goh Si Guim for this walk at Upper Seletar Reservoir Park. Situated at the edge
of the Central Catchment Forest, the park promises to be rich in flora and fauna. The park is also a great place for a picnic, sans monkeys!

Time: 8.30am. Meet at the Viewing Tower overlooking the reservoir. (off Mandai Road, carpark accessible via Track 7).
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

30 Mar (Sun): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

Free guided nature walk along the Mangrove boardwalk under shady mangrove trees. Spot mudskippers, crabs and other marine life, learn about our mangroves, enjoy views of the Johor straits.

Suitable for young children.

Registration is not required for small walk-in groups. But each walk is limited to 15 persons per guide and is on a first-come -first-served basis. The walks are weather permitting and may merge with other activities at the Reserve. Those coming with large groups are advised to pre-register.

More about the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on the wildsingapore website and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and is held every Sunday morning, subject to availability of guides.

Time: 9.30 am (subject to availability of guides) for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre.
Tour duration: One to one-and-a-half hours. Suitable for young children.
Entry charges: While the walk is free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401

30 Mar (Sun): PowerWalk at Sun Plaza Park

Want to keep fit and enjoy nature at the same time? Join the PowerWalk sessions every weekend morning at selected parks. PowerWalk is a brisk-walking activity led by fitness instructors at parks, park connectors and nature reserves. Apart from gaining many potential health benefits from brisk-walking such as reducing your risk of heart disease and strengthening bones, you can also enjoy the fresh morning breeze and make new friends in the park.

This event is held every Sunday from 30 Mar - 18 May at Sun Plaza Park

Time: 8-10am
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: 6296 0163 info@i-active.com.sg to register or simply turn up at the venue

30 Mar (Sun): Painting with Pui San at Sungei Buloh

Free art-and-nature appreciation at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Pui San welcomes artists of all ages or anyone who wants to learn. His objective is to encourage creativity while enjoying nature at the same time. Bring along your favourite drawing or painting supplies.

More in the art in the wetlands blog.

Time: Meet 8.30am at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve ticketing counter (Visitor Centre). Session usually lasts until about 11am.
Admission charges: While the art session is free, usual admission charges to Reserve apply. $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://artinwetlands.wordpress.com/
Contact: Tham Pui Sam at thampuisan@hotmail.com or the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve at sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401

29 Mar (Sat): Bounce Go Out! at the National Library

Bored of the same 4 classroom walls? Let us bring you out for a fun time among the trees, the flowers and nature herself!

Our very first BOUNCE GOES OUT brings kids out to the wild…ok, its not the wilderness but exploring the garden would do any children good.

For the parents the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden is designed to provide unique discovery and learning experiences in a garden setting. By playing and exploring the first garden of its kind in Asia, children will learn about the importance of plants and conservation. Experiences in the garden will stimulate a sense of wonder for the plant world and provide happy memories you.

But the day doesn’t end there. After the visit to the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden we will learn to how to make you own craft at the library! Now, isn’t that a fine time to spend your day!!

Admission is free and limited to 40 children aged 7 to 12. Register with us now at Chris_KOH@nlb.gov.sg

Programme
9.00 am Reporting Time
9.30 am To Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden
0.00 am Tour
11.00 am End of Tour / Break
11.30 am Back to the Library
12.00 pm Art & Craft Workshop
1.00 pm END!!

Time: 9am-1pm
Venue: Central Lending Library - Multi-Purpose Room
Website: http://www.nlb.gov.sg/

29 Mar (Sat): Guided Tour @ HortPark

This free tour of HortPark features HortGardens, a collection of 20 theme gardens and the GardenPatch, a patchwork of display plots showcasing garden designs, concepts and products by local gardening-related companies. See nurserymen at work, propagating plants for our garden city.

This tour is conducted every last Saturday of the month.

Please register 15 minutes before the tour. Registration is on a first-come-first served basis.

Time: 10-11.30 am
Venue: Register at Visitor Information Counter @ HortPark
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: 64715601 or NPARKS_HortPark@nparks.gov.sg

29 Mar (Sat): PowerWalk at Bishan Park

Want to keep fit and enjoy nature at the same time? Join the PowerWalk sessions every weekend morning at selected parks. PowerWalk is a brisk-walking activity led by fitness instructors at parks, park connectors and nature reserves. Apart from gaining many potential health benefits from brisk-walking such as reducing your risk of heart disease and strengthening bones, you can also enjoy the fresh morning breeze and make new friends in the park.

This event is held every Saturday from 15 Mar to 3 May at Bishan Park

Time: 8-10am
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: 6296 0163 info@i-active.com.sg to register or simply turn up at the venue

29 Mar (Sat): Heritage and Nature Walk at Fort Canning Park

Free guided walk to discover the most historic part of Singapore. Malay & Chinese historical records point to this hill as the centre of a kingdom that arose around 1300AD. Previously a "Forbidden Hill", Fort Canning Park once housed some ancient Malay rulers as well as Sir Stamford Raffles who had his house built in 1823 during his 3rd and last visit to Singapore.

This walk is conducted by volunteer guides every last Saturday of the month.

Time: 4-5.30pm
Venue: Meet at Cox Terrace, in front of Fort Canning Centre, Fort Canning Park
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: Lili at 63321302 or Goh_lili@nparks.gov.sg

29 Mar (Sat): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

Free guided nature walk along the Mangrove boardwalk under shady mangrove trees. Spot mudskippers, crabs and other marine life, learn about our mangroves, enjoy views of the Johor straits.

Suitable for young children.

Registration is not required for small walk-in groups. But each walk is limited to 15 persons per guide and is on a first-come -first-served basis. The walks are weather permitting and may merge with other activities at the Reserve. Those coming with large groups are advised to pre-register.

More about the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on the wildsingapore website and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and is held every Saturday.

Time: 9.30 am and 3.30pm for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre.
Tour duration: One to one-and-a-half hours. Suitable for young children.
Entry charges: While the walk is free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401

29 Mar (Sat): Green Drinks meeting

Green Drinks are holding this month's meeting in conjunction with Earth Hour Singapore Celebration, the grassroots initiative. Also Hardboiled Magazine will be launching its Second Online Magazine themed on the Environment as well.

Expect pledges to be done during entry on reducing plastics and also a petition for saving our coral reefs.

Green Drinks is a platform for environmentalists to discuss sustainable living and its related issues in an informal networking session over any form of drinks.

More details and RSVP on the Green Drinks Facebook

Time: 7-10pm
Venue: HardBoiled Magazine Office, 326 River Valley Road
Contact: olivia@greendrinks.sg

28 Mar (Fri): Talk on "Butterflies of the Neo-Tropics and the Orient"

This talk by Preston Murphy will focus on butterfly families of both the Neo-Tropics and the Orient and highlight the similarities and differences of butterflies in these continents. Come enjoy the beauty of our winged friends.

All are welcome.

Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Nature Society (Singapore), 510 Geylang Road, The Sunflower #02-05 Junction of Geylang Road and Lorong 28 Closest MRT is Aljunied.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

28 Mar (Fri): "Climate Change: Feeling the Tropical Heat" at NUS

We have so far had less than one degree of recent global warming, yet it is already affecting the lives of millions of people and thousands of species. Professor Brook will review the most recent observations of climate change impacts and describe the latest scientific projections for the near future.

Barry W. Brook, Sir Hubert Wilkins Chair of Climate Change, Professor and Director, Research Institute for Climate Change and Sustainability, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Aldelaide.

Time: 4pm
Venue: LT 20, Department of Biological Sciences, the National University of Singapore
Contact: Sally Soh Siew Eng dbssohse@nus.edu.sg

24 Mar (Mon): "The Joys of Marine Life: Taste, Smell, Pheromones and SEX" at NUS

Prof Dan Rittschof (affectionately known as Dr Dan to the shore volunteers) will be giving a talk about "The Joys of Marine Life: Taste, Smell, Pheromones and SEX".

More about Dr Dan and his trip to Singapore on the wildfilms blog.

More details will be posted on the habitatnews blog

Date: 24 Mar (Mon)
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Venue: Conference Room, Block S3, Level 5, Department of Biological Sciences
National University of Singapore

A review of this talk is on the wildfilms blog.

17-23 Mar: Highlights of the week ahead

It's the long weekend ahead! And there's lots to get wild about.

For the kids, join the Kid's Fun with Wetland Birds at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. There are also two recycling workshops at Seletar, one for kids and one for adults.

For the more energetic, go for PowerWalk at Bishan Park.

In the gardens, learn more about ancient plant ancestors on the Evolution Garden tour at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

In the mangroves, go for the guided walks at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Saturday and Sunday.

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only, there is a Plant Walk at Pearl's Hill Park and the Annual Bird Census is also on.

Talks this week include one on Wayside Trees and Palms and Evaluating Forest Conservation in the Tropics.

The Hantu Anniversary Dive is full, but bookings are open for the next dive on 27 Apr (Sun)

Have a wild week ahead!

I thought I'd share a wild photo a week. This week linyangchen shared this lovely photo entitled Fragility of life.

Fragility of life, originally uploaded by linyangchen.

He says "This mushroom was ephemerally enlightened in the rays of the sun that sporadically penetrated to the dark and humid forest floor."

23 Mar (Sun): Kids' Fun with Wetland Birds at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Join the Education Group for this fun activity. Want to learn to spot wetland birds? Join us as we help you recognize the interesting birds that call our wetlands home. We will start at 3.30pm Dress cool with lightweight cotton clothing, bring water and a snack and use good walking shoes. Bring along some herbal insect repellent to keep the mozzies away. Useful to have binoculars.

To register, email Vilma at vilma.drozario@nie.edu.sg by March 15th.

Suitable for kids aged 5 to 9 years old.
Nature Society (Singapore) members $5, Non-members $10.

Time: 3.30pm. Meet at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Visitor Centre.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

23 Mar (Sun): 23rd Annual Bird Census

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

The First Annual Bird Census was started by the NSS Bird Group on 20th April 1986 and recorded nearly 6,000 birds of 129 species. In 2007, we recorded 7,667 birds of 145 species. Are the wild birds in Singapore doing well? In the last ten years, we have detected the presence of 220 species, which is 60% of the known avifauna of Singapore. Based on total counts in the last decade, 42% of the 220 species detected
are on the increase, 28% on the decline, 5% showed no changes while a further 25% could not be assessed due to lack of data. The Bird Group is keen to publish and distribute data on these findings to all interested parties in the near future. So birders, do our feathered friends a favour and participate in this year's census.
We are looking for a good response to cover the key birding areas. All we need is your ability to see and count!

For more information, please email denislim@starhub.net.sg before 20 March 2008.

Time: 7.30am.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

23 Mar (Sun): Mangrove Walk at Sungei Buloh

Free guided nature walk along the Mangrove boardwalk under shady mangrove trees. Spot mudskippers, crabs and other marine life, learn about our mangroves, enjoy views of the Johor straits.

Suitable for young children.

Registration is not required for small walk-in groups. But each walk is limited to 15 persons per guide and is on a first-come -first-served basis. The walks are weather permitting and may merge with other activities at the Reserve. Those coming with large groups are advised to pre-register.

More about the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on the wildsingapore website and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and is held every Sunday morning, subject to availability of guides.

Time: 9.30 am (subject to availability of guides) for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre.
Tour duration: One to one-and-a-half hours. Suitable for young children.
Entry charges: While the walk is free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401

23 Mar (Sun): Hantu Blog Anniversary Dive at Pulau Hantu

The Hantu Blog celebrates its fourth birthday! To commemorate four years of great diving, we'll be doing 4 dives for our next trip, which includes a night dive. As such, you'll require at least Advanced Open Water Certification (or its equivalent).

A unique and educational dive experience in our local waters. Discover what is truly, uniquely Singapore! Your support helps us monitor and document Hantu's reef on a regular basis! Let's see what's waiting for us out there this time!

Organised by the Hantu Bloggers, check out their blog for more details of the trip and past exciting encounters.

Here's a slideshow of sightings on the last Annniversary Dive.

Join the The Hantu Bloggers Yahoo Group to read the trip itinerary, and to be informed of future dives.

Pre-registration is required. More details on the Hantu Blog

Cost: S$95.00 (excl gear rental)
Time: 0900-2100hrs, departure venue to be confirmed
Website: http://www.pulauhantu.org/
Contact: hantublog@gmail.com

22 Mar (Sat): Plant Walk at Pearl's Hill Park

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

Pearl's Hill Park with Shawn Lum and the Plant Group Pearl's Hill Park is a lovely park that is one of the downtown area's best-kept secrets. Meet many majestic trees, some of which have been conferred Heritage Tree status, and see delightful nooks
and crannies within the park. This visit will complement the recent walks we've made at Singapore's higher altitudes and will allow us to consider the value of parks towards raising nature awareness.

Time: 3.30pm. Meet at the entrance to the park along Chin Swee Rd (behind Landmark Tower).
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

22 Mar (Sat): Recycling at Seletar Part II for kids: making toys

A workshop about giving your old stuff a new twist. Bring along old cloth (i.e. old clothes, bedsheets…), as well as other small objects such as buttons, beads, thread, broken zips, you name it!.

In this second workshop, open to older children too (from 12 years old), make a soft toy from all that recycled material, a truely one-of-a-kind, pre-loved one.
The artist-in-residence, Isabelle, provides tools including a sewing machine, additional material and (some) expertise to help you put together your own new object.

Drop in to see what everyone is doing and getting ideas for your old stuff at home, or register to get a seat and help to creat your own object.

Time: 10am-12pm.
Fees: $30. Limited to 5 participants. Play along, bring your own material, RECYCLED ONLY.
Venue: Isadora’s Workshop, 5 Hay Market, Seletar Camp.
Website: http://postcardsfromseletar.com/
Contact and registration: at Postcards from Seletar Events page or by phone: 9273 4991, at least one week in advance.

22 Mar (Sat): Talk on "Wayside Trees and Palms"

Curious about the trees and palms you see along our local roads? Then join us in this talk where you will learn how to identify common roadside and heritage trees.

Time: 1-2pm
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: 64715601 or NPARKS_HortPark@nparks.gov.sg

22 Mar (Sat): PowerWalk at Bishan Park

Want to keep fit and enjoy nature at the same time? Join the PowerWalk sessions every weekend morning at selected parks. PowerWalk is a brisk-walking activity led by fitness instructors at parks, park connectors and nature reserves. Apart from gaining many potential health benefits from brisk-walking such as reducing your risk of heart disease and strengthening bones, you can also enjoy the fresh morning breeze and make new friends in the park.

This event is held every Saturday from 15 Mar to 3 May at Bishan Park

Time: 8-10am
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: 6296 0163 info@i-active.com.sg to register or simply turn up at the venue

22 Mar (Sat): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

Free guided nature walk along the Mangrove boardwalk under shady mangrove trees. Spot mudskippers, crabs and other marine life, learn about our mangroves, enjoy views of the Johor straits.

Suitable for young children.

Registration is not required for small walk-in groups. But each walk is limited to 15 persons per guide and is on a first-come -first-served basis. The walks are weather permitting and may merge with other activities at the Reserve. Those coming with large groups are advised to pre-register.

More about the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on the wildsingapore website and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and is held every Saturday.

Time: 9.30 am and 3.30pm for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre.
Tour duration: One to one-and-a-half hours. Suitable for young children.
Entry charges: While the walk is free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401

22 Mar (Sat): Walk at Evolution Garden

A free guided walk of this unique garden in the Botanic Gardens, that tells the story of how our plants came to be. An easy stroll on paved paths among strange plants.

Suitable for kids.

The 4pm tour is conducted in mandarin.

This walk is held every fourth Saturday of the month.

Time: 9am (English tour) 4pm (Mandarin tour)
Venue: Register at Visitor Centre before the tour starts.
Contact: Visitor Services 6471 7361

21 Mar (Fri): Recycling at Seletar Part I: making toys

A workshop about giving your old stuff a new twist. Bring along old tins (e.g. Milo tins), CDs and bottle caps (e.g. from jam jars). You can also bring along other small objects such as old screws, buttons… that can be used for decorating our one-of a kind objects.

In this first of a new series, we will be making toys (good enough to be locked up in a grown-up’s cabinet). You may also bring more challenging material, and we’ll see what we can do!

The way the workshop works is that participants have to bring their own junk to recycle. The artist-in-residence (Isabelle) provides tools, additional material and (some) expertise to help you put together your own new object. Drop in to see what everyone is doing and getting ideas for your old stuff at home, or register to get a seat and help to create your own object.

Time: 2-4pm.
Fees: $40. Limited to 5 participants. Adults only. Play along, bring your own material, RECYCLED ONLY.
Venue: Isadora’s Workshop, 5 Hay Market, Seletar Camp.
Website: http://postcardsfromseletar.com/
Contact and registration: at Postcards from Seletar Events page or by phone: 9273 4991, at least one week in advance.

20 Mar (Thu): Talk by TRAFFIC on "Singapore and the Regional Wildlife Trade"

Mr Chris Shepherd (Senior Programme Officer for TRAFFIC) shares with his experiences working at TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.

He will talk about the regional trade in wildlife, from a conservation of biodiversity perspective. Chris will emphasize Singapore’s role, and how the wildlife trade facilitates the proliferation of invasive species into Singapore’s parks and nature reserves.

There will be a chance to ask Chris questions about the trade in endangered species in the region, and about his sometimes dangerous work as an undercover agent.

The talk is free. All are welcome.

Missed the talk? Here's a brief on what happened on the ashira blog

More about TRAFFIC

Time: 4-6pm
Venue: Gardens Briefing Room, Singapore Botanic Gardens

19 Mar (Wed): Intertidal walk on Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin

An easy stroll along seagrass meadows to view rich marine life. Large sea anemones, sea stars, strange crabs and more! Also learn more about the other rare marine habitats on one of our last vast natural shores. You will get your feet wet, and must wear covered footwear for your safety.

Suitable for young children 5 years and above.

Pre-registration required. See the Ubin NParks website for booking instructions.

As of 1 Jan 08, the intertidal tour will be charged at $60 per group of a maximum 15 participants.

More about Chek Jawa on the wildsingapore website and NParks website. The intertidal walks at Chek Jawa are conducted by the volunteers of Ubin NParks.

Time: 3pm
Venue: Meet at the Chek Jawa Information Kiosk.
Cost: $60 per group of a maximum 15 participants
Contact: Ubin NParks at 6542-4108

18 Mar (Tue): Talk on "Evaluating Forest Conservation in the Tropics"

A talk at NUS by Matthew Linkie, Consultant, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (University of Kent)

Summary of abstract: Many of the large, donor-funded community-based conservation projects that seek to reduce biodiversity loss in the tropics have been unsuccessful. There is, therefore, a need for empirical evaluations to identify the driving factors and to provide evidence that supports the development of context-specific conservation projects.

More details on the Raffles Museum news blog

Time: 9.15am
Venue: Department of Biological Sciences Conference Room, National University of Singapore.

10-16 Mar: Highlights of the week ahead

It's the school holidays! And there's loads of wild stuff for the kids.

At the Botanic Gardens, there's a workshop on Plants & Their Uses on Wednesday and Saturday and the Birthday Party at the Children's Garden on Tuesday and Thursday.

Special events for the whole family include the Raffles Museum Open House, learn more about Singapore's very own natural history! And the PrawnWatch demonstration of traditional prawn farming at Sungei Buloh.

Or go for the Native Plant Hunt at Hindhede Nature Park (next to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve).

In the gardens go for the National Orchid Garden tour, join NSS for a butterfly walk at Alexandra Hospital

In the mangroves come for the guided mangrove walks at Pasir Ris Park and at Sungei Buloh on Saturday and Sunday.

For the energetic, there's a brand new event in the parks called PowerWalk this week at Bishan Park. Or join the NSS Ramblers for a Ramble from Pasir Ris to Lorong Halus.

Weekday talks include "Is Mass Tourism destroying Southeast Asia's best destinations and is Ecotourism the answer?" and "Cementing Relationahips: Pheromones and Signals in Crustaceans and Mollucks"; and a seminar on "Overview of the Clean Energy Industry in Singapore and Asia".

Have a wild week ahead!

16 Mar (Sun): Butterfly Walk at Alexandra Hospital Butterfly Trail

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

Join this Butterfly Walk at Alexandra Hospital Butterfly Trail with Simon Chan. We are going to `road test' the new NSS Butterfly Field Guide at our favourite Alexandra
Hospital Butterfly Trail. Come join us and see how many butterfly species you can identify with the help of the guide. Tell us what you like about the guide and how we
can make the guide better! The NSS Butterfly Guide will be available for sale before the walk. The walk will last about three hours.

Time: 9.30am. Meet at Carpark in front of Alexandra Hospital cafeteria.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

16 Mar (Sun): Pasir Ris to Lorong Halus Ramble

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

Join the Nature Ramblers led by Rehan Yusoff for a morning stroll along the newly completed boardwalk at the mangrove swamp and enjoy the cool and quiet ambience of the park. We will walk along some quiet roads and try to spot some migratory birds along the canal leading to Lorong Halus. When we reach there, we may be rewarded with the sighting of the rare Little Grebe - a beautiful duck-like bird - swimming and diving in the big pond. Bring hat/cap, sunglasses and a water bottle.

No booking is required.

Time: 7.30am. Meet at Car-Park C Pasir Ris Park (accessible from Pasir Green near the MRT station).
This 8km/4hr ramble will end at Pasir Ris Drive 12.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

16 Mar (Sun): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

Free guided nature walk along the Mangrove boardwalk under shady mangrove trees. Spot mudskippers, crabs and other marine life, learn about our mangroves, enjoy views of the Johor straits.

Suitable for young children.

Registration is not required for small walk-in groups. But each walk is limited to 15 persons per guide and is on a first-come -first-served basis. The walks are weather permitting and may merge with other activities at the Reserve. Those coming with large groups are advised to pre-register.

More about the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on the wildsingapore website and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and is held every Sunday morning, subject to availability of guides.

Time: 9.30 am (subject to availability of guides) for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre.
Tour duration: One to one-and-a-half hours. Suitable for young children.
Entry charges: While the walk is free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401

15-16 Mar (Sat-Sun): Raffles Museum Open House

The Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research at NUS is having its weekend open house in March!

Gather your family and friends and come for this rare opportunity to view Singapore's natural history. Find out more about the past and current biodiversity of Singapore. Some of the sections include:

Curious as to why the Museum is named so, and what does it do? Wondering what is Biodiversity, and why the need to study it?

A showcase of Surprising Singapore: Despite Singapore being a small island and highly urbanised, she plays host to many spectacular animals, including dugongs, turtles, pangolins and more. Even tigers once roamed her land.

Ranging from the Frigate Bird of Christmas Island to the Babirusa of Sulawesi to the Proboscis Monkeys of Borneo, this small section displays some of the animals found in Southeast Asia.

Things people eat: Feel like having some delicacies? Traditional Chinese Medicine? Health boosters? This section shows various types of food that we consume, which comes from interesting sources.

Conservation Issues: Our rich biodiversity of fauna and flora is constantly in struggle for survival, very much due to the acts of humans. Pollution, habitat destruction, over-exploitation and wildlife trade and collection are some examples. If we do not stop this trend, perhaps a 7th mass extinction could be underway and we are the cause of it. This section highlights the importance of conservation.

Raffles the Naturalist: Other than being the founder of Modern Singapore, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles is also known as an avid naturalist. This section reveals some of his work in the early days, when he described the fauna and flora of Southeast Asia during his stinct in the region.

Time: 9am-6pm
Venue: National University of Singapore,
Science Faculty, Block S6, Level 3
Directions on how to get there on the RMBR website
with link to map
Website: http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/public_gallery/public_gallery.html
Contact: 6516-5082 or greasi@nus.edu.sg

15 Mar (Sat): Plants & Their Uses! - a workshop for kids

Discover the importance of plants in our daily life. Plants are useful to us – the food we have everyday, the medicine we take when we are unwell, and even the pencils we use for writing, and many more. Hear interesting stories about plants and their uses in a guided tour. Create your own attractive plant artpiece in this full filled workshop.

Suitable for P3 - P6 levels. Pre-payment and registration required, here's more details.

Time: 10am-1pm
Cost: $40 per child includes materials
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/education/workshopchi.asp
Contact: Singapore Botanic Gardens 6471 9961

15 Mar (Sat): Native Plant Hunt at Hindhede Nature Park

A free fun activity among the tall shady trees of Hindhede Nature Park, overlooking scenic quarry views. Form a team of three to five members, pick up your clues at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Visitor Centre, and you're on your way to learn more about at least eight native plant species! You have one hour to complete your hunt.

More about the activity on the NParks website.

Time: 10 -11am. Start at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Visitor Centre.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg
Contact: vanessa_chang@nparks.gov.sg or 6554 5127.

15 Mar (Sat): PrawnWatch at Sungei Buloh

Free guided introduction to traditional prawn farming. It begins with a guided walk to learn about the history of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve as prawn and fish farms. And the importance of mangroves as a spawning place and nursery for prawns and other life.

The highlight is a real hands-on demonstration of a prawn harvest. The kids will be thrilled to check out what comes up with the net, see real live prawns and learn more about our seafood and the tides.

The walk is approximately 5km on wide earthen trails. Suitable for older children who are reasonably fit.

Registration is not required for small walk-in groups.

More about PrawnWatch on the Sungei Buloh website. More about the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on the wildsingapore website and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website.

Time: Meet at 9am at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Information Counter, so that the walk to the Prawn Pond can begin at 9.30am.
Tour duration: One to one-and-a-half hours. Suitable for older children.
Entry charges: While the walk is free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401

15 Mar (Sat): Walk at the National Orchid Garden

A leisurely stroll through a garden of orchids and other special plants.

This walk is conducted by the volunteers of the Singapore Botanic Gardens and is held every third Saturday of the month.

Time: 9am, 10am, 11am and 4pm, register at Visitor Centre 15 minutes before the tour starts. Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis.
Tour duration: One hour.
Cost: While the tour is free, admission charges to the Orchid Garden applies: $5/adult, $1/student, $1/senior citizens (above 60 years) , Child below 12 years - Free
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/
Contact: Visitor Services 6471 7361

15 Mar (Sat): PowerWalk at Bishan Park

Want to keep fit and enjoy nature at the same time? Join the PowerWalk sessions every weekend morning at selected parks. PowerWalk is a brisk-walking activity led by fitness instructors at parks, park connectors and nature reserves. Apart from gaining many potential health benefits from brisk-walking such as reducing your risk of heart disease and strengthening bones, you can also enjoy the fresh morning breeze and make new friends in the park.

This event is held every Saturday from 15 Mar to 3 May at Bishan Park

Time: 8-10am
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: 6296 0163 info@i-active.com.sg to register or simply turn up at the venue

15 Mar (Sat): Mangrove Walk at Pasir Ris Park

A free guided walk through this precious pocket of mangrove around Sungei Tampines which was preserved when Pasir Ris Park was created. A boardwalk weaves through this important ecosystem, bringing visitors closer to its plants and animals.

More about the walks on the NParks website.
The guided walks are conducted every third Saturday of the month. A fee of $3 per person is applicable March onwards.

Time: 9am
Venue: Pasir Ris Park
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: Wei Teng chong_wei_teng@nparks.gov.sg

15 Mar (Sat): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

Free guided nature walk along the Mangrove boardwalk under shady mangrove trees. Spot mudskippers, crabs and other marine life, learn about our mangroves, enjoy views of the Johor straits.

Suitable for young children.

Registration is not required for small walk-in groups. But each walk is limited to 15 persons per guide and is on a first-come -first-served basis. The walks are weather permitting and may merge with other activities at the Reserve. Those coming with large groups are advised to pre-register.

More about the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on the wildsingapore website and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and is held every Saturday.

Time: 3.30pm for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre. (9.30am tour replaced by PrawnWatch)
Tour duration: One to one-and-a-half hours. Suitable for young children.
Entry charges: While the walk is free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401

14 Mar (Fri): Talk on "Is Mass Tourism destroying Southeast Asia's best destinations and is Ecotourism the answer?"

Presented by NSS Member Derek Potter, who has been a student at the Southeast Asian Studies Programme at NUS for the last few years. Derek has led many tours for
NSS members in the early 2000s to Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam He has completed an M.A. and is now working on a Ph.D looking at sustainable tourism
development challenges in Southeast Asia and the role of ecotourism. In this talk, he will present some of the findings of his research and looks forward to comments and feedback on his ideas.

All are welcome.

Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Nature Society (Singapore), 510 Geylang Road, The Sunflower #02-05 Junction of Geylang Road and Lorong 28 Closest MRT is Aljunied.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

14 Mar (Thu): Intertidal walk on Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin

An easy stroll along seagrass meadows to view rich marine life. Large sea anemones, sea stars, strange crabs and more! Also learn more about the other rare marine habitats on one of our last vast natural shores. You will get your feet wet, and must wear covered footwear for your safety.

Suitable for young children 5 years and above.

Pre-registration required. See the Ubin NParks website for booking instructions.

As of 1 Jan 08, the intertidal tour will be charged at $60 per group of a maximum 15 participants.

More about Chek Jawa on the wildsingapore website and NParks website. The intertidal walks at Chek Jawa are conducted by the volunteers of Ubin NParks.

Time: 9am
Venue: Meet at the Chek Jawa Information Kiosk.
Cost: $60 per group of a maximum 15 participants
Contact: Ubin NParks at 6542-4108

13 Mar (Thu): Seminar at NUS "Overview of the Clean Energy Industry in Singapore and Asia"

Clean energy has been touted as the next big industry. The panel gives an overview of clean energy industries in Singapore and Asia and discusses the direction of these industries, the technologies involved, and how students can prepare themselves to enter these fast growing industries.

Panelists:

• Professor SK Chou - Professor in Mechanical Engineering, NUS and Executive Director of the Energy Studies Institute
• Mr Allan Lim - CEO of Alpha Synovate, a company which deals with waste cooking oil recycling into biofuels
• Mr David Young - Managing Director of Azurra Solar
• Profesor Karl Erik Birgersson - Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, NUS, expert on Fuel Cells

To register, pls RSVP http://www.energycarta.org/calendar.html
There are limited seats in the venue, so please hurry!

The event is organised by Energy Carta, a Singapore non-profit organisation by a team of young adults, currently students at NUS, who want to make a positive impact on the world. More at www.energycarta.org

Time: 5-6pm
Venue: LT3, Faculty of Engineering (Map is attached with this email)
Map: http://www.nus.edu.sg/campusmap/ (search for LT3 or Lecture Theatre 3)
Contact: info@energycarta.org

13 Mar (Thu): Talk on "Cementing Relationahips: Pheromones and Signals in Crustaceans and Mollucks"

Prof Dan Rittschof of Duke University gives this talk.

Communication, especially communication that controls behaviour vital to survival has evolved in all animals. Many highly specific communication molecules are peptides that are generated by the most ubiquitous and ancient proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin-like serine Proteases. We will explore some critical behaviours and support the hypothesis that a huge family of communication molecules evolved as byproducts of essential processes like glue polymerization and shell formation.

More details on the rmbr newsblog

Time: 2-3pm
Venue: Department of Biological Sciences Seminar Room 3 (Block S2, Level 2), the National University of Singapore

13 Mar (Thu): The Birthday Party at the Children's Garden

A story-guided tour for kids!

Sara is celebrating her baby brother's birthday party. At the last minute, she realizes she forgot the birthday present! Help Sara search for the perfect gift at the Children's Garden. Along the way, have a fun and memorable experience in this new Garden dedicated to children.

Suitable for K1 - P2 levels. Pre-payment and registration required, here's more details.

Time: 10-11am
Cost: $8.50 per child (includes $2.50 "The Birthday Party, Sara at the Children's Garden" workbook), $6 per accompanying parent
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/education/workshopchi.asp
Contact: Singapore Botanic Gardens 6471 9961

13 Mar (Thu): Intertidal walk on Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin

An easy stroll along seagrass meadows to view rich marine life. Large sea anemones, sea stars, strange crabs and more! Also learn more about the other rare marine habitats on one of our last vast natural shores. You will get your feet wet, and must wear covered footwear for your safety.

Suitable for young children 5 years and above.

Pre-registration required. See the Ubin NParks website for booking instructions.

As of 1 Jan 08, the intertidal tour will be charged at $60 per group of a maximum 15 participants.

More about Chek Jawa on the wildsingapore website and NParks website. The intertidal walks at Chek Jawa are conducted by the volunteers of Ubin NParks.

Time: 8am
Venue: Meet at the Chek Jawa Information Kiosk.
Cost: $60 per group of a maximum 15 participants
Contact: Ubin NParks at 6542-4108

12 Mar (Wed): Plants & Their Uses! - a workshop for kids

Discover the importance of plants in our daily life. Plants are useful to us – the food we have everyday, the medicine we take when we are unwell, and even the pencils we use for writing, and many more. Hear interesting stories about plants and their uses in a guided tour. Create your own attractive plant artpiece in this full filled workshop.

Suitable for P3 - P6 levels. Pre-payment and registration required, here's more details.

Time: 10am-1pm
Cost: $40 per child includes materials
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/education/workshopchi.asp
Contact: Singapore Botanic Gardens 6471 9961

12 Mar (Wed): Plants & Me! - a workshop for kids

Discover the importance of plants in our everyday life. Plants are useful to us – as food, as medicine and building materials. You will have a chance to investigate the uses of selected plants in this workshop. A trail around the Children’s Garden will also be included in this programme.

Suitable for K1 – P2 levels. Pre-payment and registration required, here's more details.

Time: 10am-1pm
Cost: $40 per child includes materials.
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/education/workshopchi.asp
Contact: Singapore Botanic Gardens 6471 9961

11 Mar (Tue): The Birthday Party at the Children's Garden

A story-guided tour for kids!

Sara is celebrating her baby brother's birthday party. At the last minute, she realizes she forgot the birthday present! Help Sara search for the perfect gift at the Children's Garden. Along the way, have a fun and memorable experience in this new Garden dedicated to children.

Suitable for K1 - P2 levels. Pre-payment and registration required, here's more details.

Time: 10-11am
Cost: $8.50 per child (includes $2.50 "The Birthday Party, Sara at the Children's Garden" workbook), $6 per accompanying parent
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/education/workshopchi.asp
Contact: Singapore Botanic Gardens 6471 9961

3-9 Mar: Highlights of the week ahead

Some updates:

• Chek Jawa walks for Apr-Jun are now open for booking.
• Closures at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve due to works: Route 1 should be open from 7 Mar onwards, Route 2 from 15 Mar and Route 3 from 23 Mar.

As the school holidays start this weekend, activities for kids kick off with Plants & Me! a workshop at the Botanic Gardens suitable for K1 – P2 levels, and Planting Rice is Lotsa Fun a workshop at the Asian Civilisations Museum and Fort Canning Park.

For the whole family, come to the SMU Animal Day event with lots of activities to do with pets, as well as animal welfare issues.

Here's a list of upcoming activities for kids.

Also support Acres at Causeway Point a roadshow to highlight wildlife trade and other animal welfare issues.

In the forest, join the guided tour of the MacRitchie Prunus Trail, or the Botanic Gardens Rainforest trail.

In the mangroves, at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve there's a Marine Fish tour and guided Mangrove walks on Saturday and Sunday. Or help out the Nature Society (Singapore) with their horseshoe crab study.

Some indoor activities include making plant pots out of recycled materials at HortPark, and and exhibition of bird photos by Dato Loke Wan Tho, until May.

Talks this week include: "Where are all the frogs?" a talk at the zoo; and "What on earth does an ecologist do at the World Bank?" at NUS

until May: Exhibition of bird photos by Dato Loke Wan Tho

" A Company of Birds" bird photos taken by Dato Loke Want Tho between 1944 to 1958.

The Cathay Gallery invites you to enjoy an exhibition of black and white photographs of birds taken between 1944 and 1958 by the late Dato Loke Wan Tho who was an avid adventurer, photographer and ornithologist. Dato Loke’s photos have won many awards and give a wonderful perspective of birds in our region and beyond. A must-see exhibition for all nature-lovers.

To capture the birds above ground, towers, some more than 130 feet high, were built on which Dato Loke would patiently and quietly perch, covered by a canvas shelter, so as not to alarm the birds, awaiting the right moment to capture them at their most natural.

The 80 photographs featured in this exhibition which will run till the end of May are reproduced from the originals.

More details on the Cathay Gallery website

Time: Open Mondays to Saturdays, 12noon to 8pm. Closed on Sundays & Public Holidays. Admission is Free.
Venue: Cathay Gallery, 2 Handy Road, #02-16 The Cathay
Website: http://www.thecathaygallery.com.sg/
Contact: corporate_services@cathay.com.sg

9 Mar (Sun): Planting Rice is Lotsa Fun!

Rice is a staple food in many Asian cultures. Come find out more about this food in our special school holiday programme. What does nasi lemak mean in Malay? When do Chinese eat ang ku kueh? What goes into a plate of briyani? Explore the answers to these questions and more as we learn about the different uses of rice in Asia through a journey into the museum’s galleries.

Then, join us for a trip to the spice garden in Fort Canning and learn more about the different spices used in Asian rice dishes and about how rice is planted and harvested.

Suitable for children 7–12 years.

Registration is required. For registration and more details see the Asian Civilisations Museum event page or visit the Museum’s front desk during museum opening hours

Time: 3.30 pm - 6.15 pm
Venue: Asian Civilisations Museum, 1 Empress Place and Fort Canning Park
Cost: $20 per child. Price includes entry to galleries and transport to Fort Canning Park for participants only. Enjoy $2 off gallery entry charges for 1 adult with each child registered.
Website: http://www.acm.org.sg/
Contact: 6332 3284 nhb_acm@nhb.gov.sg