wild happenings in singapore: July 2008

31 Jul (Thu): Green Drinks

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.

This month, we are encouraging community effort! You can bring for recycling purposes:

Clean, unwanted take out containers to Food #03 for their Food Not Bombs initiative, or
Clean used A4 paper for the garung guni man
Fruit and Veg skin or rotten fruit and veg for composting

In addition, if you like reading books on the environment, bring a book that you have finished, and we can do a book swap!

Come down for a chat, we'd like to get to know you better!

Hope to see ya there!

Time: 8-10pm
Location: Food #03 109 Rowell Road
Getting there: by bus - 21,23,64,65,66,67,,131,139,147,857,NR6.
MRT - Farrer Park (NE8). By car - if you must drive, there is street parking, and a multi storey carpark nearby.
Website: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=20472373309
Contact: olivia@greendrinks.sg , wilson@greendrinks.sg

21-27 Jul: Highlights of the week ahead

For the family and kids

Singapore Garden Festival an annual event to celebrate gardens.
Explore the Chek Jawa boardwalk with the Naked Hermit Crabs.
PrawnWatch a hands-on demonstration of traditional prawn farming at Sungei Buloh.

In our gardens

Guided walk at HortPark
Guided walk at the Evolution Garden of the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Heritage and nature walk at Fort Canning Park.

Explore our shores and reefs!

Dive Pulau Hantu with the Hantu Bloggers.
Explore the Chek Jawa boardwalk with the Naked Hermit Crabs.
Mangrove walks at Sungei Buloh on Saturday and Sunday.

Talks this week

"The Great Ideas of Biology" by Nobel Laureate Sir Paul Nurse.

Other special events this week

Painting with Pui San a special introduction to nature appreciation through art at Sungei Buloh.
SYINConnect Youth Conference, a one-day youth conference that connects participants to urgent social issues, and what people are doing about them in Singapore.
Stargazing at the Singapore Science Centre.

Registration now open!

22 Aug (Fri): Endangered Animal Parade at NIE
13 Aug (Wed) and 17 Aug (Sun): MAD lesson on butterflies and moths a new activity for kids.
3 Aug (Sun): Kusu Island Reefwalk with the Blue Water Volunteers

Visit the wildsingapore happenings blog for a full listing of upcoming events for the next three weeks and to search for events by your area of interest.

Photo of the week: Another possible new record!

Jeff shares this photo and these comments "The Bumphead bannerfish (Heniochus varias). When I first saw this fish, I couldn't believe my eyes! First time I have seen this in Singapore, and possibly a new record too! Pardon the blur shot, but sedimented waters are not exactly conducive for shooting fast moving fish."

20080719_0337_Jeff_adj, originally uploaded by cat64fish.

27 Jul (Sun): Dive Pulau Hantu with the Hantu Bloggers

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!

Pre-registration is required.

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

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

Website: http://www.pulauhantu.org/
Contact: hantublog@gmail.com

27 Jul (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.

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.

What happened at the event on 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

27 Jul (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

27 Jul (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

26 Jul (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

26 Jul (Sat): Guided tour at 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

26 Jul (Sat): Guided 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

26 Jul (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

26 Jul (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. (morning walk 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

26 Jul (Sat): SYINConnect youth conference

Want to meet like-minded people who are passionate about making a difference?

Want to learn from respected and experienced community leaders and social entrepreneurs?

SYINConnect is a one-day youth conference that connects participants to urgent social issues, and what people are doing about them in Singapore. Participants will get the opportunity to meet the community leaders making change in our society today, and build the skills, networks and confidence to be effective agents of change.

Speakers include

Howard Shaw, Singapore Environment Council
Louis Ng, ACRES

For more information and registration, visit http://www.syinc.org/syinconnect

Time: 8:00am - 6:30pm
Venue: Republic Polytechnic
Cost: $12 per participant (to cover lunch and conference materials)
Contact: sc.rego@syinc.org

25 Jul - 1 Aug: Singapore Garden Festival

The Singapore Garden Festival, the first garden show in the tropics to bring together and showcase creations from the world’s top award-winning garden and floral designers under one roof, returns!

Festival highlights include

Landscape Gardens
Fantasy Gardens
Floral Windows to the World
Garden Fiesta
Singapore Orchid Show

Clarins Garden of Love celebrates our love for nature. One of the highlights of the Singapore Garden Festival 2008 will be the Clarins Learning Garden. Here, children can learn through play to love and respect Nature by keeping count of their carbon footprint.

Time: 10am - 10pm daily
Venue: Suntec Convention Centre Level 4
Cost: Adults S$6 weekday/$12 weekend; Concession(Child, Student, Senior Citizen) S$3weekday/S$6 weekend; Family Ticket (2 Adults and 3 Children) S$18 weekday/$$36 weekend.
Website: http://www.singaporegardenfestival.com/
Contact: 6471 7141 or singaporegardenfestival@nparks.gov.sg

25 Jul (Fri): Free stargazing at the Singapore Science Centre

The Science Centre Observatory is one of the few observatories in the world located next to the Equator. Its unique position allows constellations in both the northern and southern celestial hemispheres to be observed and thus opens up more vistas in the sky for observers.

View the night sky at our free stargazing sessions every Friday night, 7:50pm - 10pm.

Please note that all observations are weather permitting. In the event of cloudy skies, haze or rain observations may not be possible.

More details on the Singapore Science Centre website

Time: 7.50-10pm
Venue: The Science Centre Observatory, near the Omni-Theatre
Website: http://www.science.edu.sg/
Contact: General enquiry 64252 500 or enquiry@science.edu.sg

22 Jul (Tue): Talk on "The Great Ideas of Biology" by Nobel Laureate Sir Paul Nurse

Three of the ideas of biology are the gene theory, the theory of evolution by natural selection, and the proposal that the cell is the fundamental unit of all life. When considering the question of what is life these ideas come together, because the special way cells reproduce provides the conditions by which natural selection takes place allowing living organisms to evolve. A
fourth idea is that the organization of chemistry within the cell provides explanations for life's phenomena. A new idea is the nature of biological self organization on which living cells and organisms process information and acquire specific forms.

First posted on the eco-tax mailing list

Date: 22 July 2008
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Venue: Eden Hall, 28 Nassim Road, Singapore, parking available along Nassim Road. Entry from 5:45pm.
Dress code: Office attire
RSVP: Wee Cheng yeo.weecheng@fco.gov.uk

14-19 Jul: Highlights of the week ahead

For the family and kids

"The Amazing World of Seeds" a talk for kids at HortPark
Bridging Hearts: Harmony in Nature a family carnival

Special events this weekend include

Pasir Panjang Heritage trail a nature and social history tour
RSC Block Party a music festival aiming to raise environmental awareness

In the mangroves, there are guided walks at

Sungei Buloh on Saturday and Sunday
Pasir Ris Park mangroves

In the gardens, there's a guided walk at the National Orchid Garden.

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Nature Ramble from Rifle Range to Zhenghua Park
Nature walk at Pasir Ris mangroves

Other events include

N. Sivasothi's talk at Reel Revolution's Learning Talks
Sports Fishing at Pulau Semakau
Free star gazing at the Singapore Science Centre

Registration now open

27 Jul (Sun): Dive Pulau Hantu with the Hantu Bloggers
26 Jul (Sat): SYINConnect youth conference

Visit the wildsingapore happenings blog for a full listing of upcoming events for the next three weeks and to search for events by your area of interest.

A possible first record in Singapore! ChimCK shares on his flickr: "This Variegated sundial (Heliacus variegatus) was laying an egg mass in the aquarium three weeks after being collected from Cyrene Reef. The operculum of this marine snail is conical, which is uncommon in gastropods. I wonder if the shape of the operculum is an adaptation for the diet of this zoanthid-feeding animal."

Variegated Sundial (Heliacus variegatus), originally uploaded by chimck.

20 Jul (Sun): "The Amazing World of Seeds" a talk for kids at HortPark

How are seeds produced and dispersed? How does germination occur? Which are the largest and smallest seeds in the plant kingdom? Explore the world of seeds in this interactive talk. Participants will also get to bring home seeds, which they can germinate and observe.

Suitable for kids (11– 12 years old).

Conducted by Izzul Haq (NParks).

Time: 11am – 12pm
Cost: $5/participant
Venue: HortPark – Multi-purpose Hall

20 Jul (Sun): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

20 Jul (Sun): Rifle Range to Zhenghua Park Ramble

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

Rifle Range to Zhenghua Park Ramble with the Nature Ramblers led by Rehan Yusoff. He will take you through kampong trails where you can see durians in season and other local fruit trees like the rambai, chempedak, jackfruit and mango growing wild. If you are lucky, you’ll get to taste some of these fruits. In the second part of this ramble, walk through the countryside to Zhenghua Park. Bring along your binoculars to spot interesting birds and a camera to capture photos of wild flowers. Meet at 7.30 am at Bukit Timah Visitor Centre car park. This 8km/4hr ramble ends at Zhenghua HDB Estate. Booking is not required. Not suitable for children below 12 years old.

Time: 7.30-11.30am. Meet at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Visitor Centre car park
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

20 Jul (Sun): Sports Fishing at Semakau with the Sport Fishing Association of Singapore

From January to September 2008, SFAS Semakau sport fishing trip will be an on going fishing league, based on a point system, there will be total of nine trips to compete for the League Champion and a final shoot out in October 2008. Those who do not wish to take part in the league can also come for the trips during this time.

The SFAS practice catch and release and among the rules are that anglers must demonstrate proper conduct and practice good fishing ethics and etiquette, and anglers are to use artificial lures or flies for sport fishing and not to use any organic baits (dead or alive) in all fishing activities.

Registration opens 16 Jun and closes 14 Jul. More details.

Time: 7.30am-2pm
Website: http://www.sfas.net/
Contact: info@sfas.net

19 Jul (Sat): Bridging Hearts - Harmony in Nature

Celebrate Racial Harmony Day with us in this fun-filled carnival in the park! A perfect way to spend some fun times with your family and friends, as you will be entertained with ames, attractions, and entertainment in the luscious green setting in Pasir Ris Park! There will also be a car boot sales featuring items made from recycled materials.

The Bridging Hearts Programme is truly a community effort to work together towards a meaningful goal. This year's theme is to focus on our environment and how our various races can work together to make Pasir Ris a safer, cleaner and environmentally friendly place to live in. There will be showcases of talents from our local schools as well as educational booths on environmental issues and crime prevention. The main attraction will be a carnival full of games other attractions and entertainment which includes a Hip Hop Competition with a Racial Harmony theme.

Time: 1 - 9pm
Venue: Interpretative Centre, Pasir Ris Park
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg

19 Jul (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: 9.30am 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

19 Jul (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

19 Jul (Sat): Nature walk at Pasir Ris Mangrove Forest

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

Pasir Ris New Town was developed with a mangrove incorporated into a large park. The mangrove has since matured and Nparks has expanded the boardwalk network. Join Goh Si Guim to discover what abounds in that small but rich habitat.

Time: 8.30am. Meet at Pasir Ris MRT Station.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

19 Jul (Sat): Reel Revolution Learning Talks

The Learning Talks are part of Reel Revolution: Our Environment, a youth film mentorship programme that pairs teams of youths with established filmmakers and challenges youths to produce video essays on social issues.

Be exposed to fresh insights and refreshing perspectives at talks conducted by various changemakers from civil society. The talks are ideal for networking and the sharing of ideas and resources amongst the various groups.

Speakers:

NMP Siew Kum Hong
Daniel Tung from Action for Aids
N. Sivasothi from the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research
John Gee from Transient Workers Count Too
Saleemah Ismail from UNIFEM Singapore

The talks are free and open to the public.

More details about Reel Revolution.

Time: 7.30-10.30pm
Venue:The Glass Hall, Singapore Art Museum
Website: http://revolution.youth.sg/
Contact: Beng Kheng 6337 7535 or bengkheng@substation.org

19 Jul (Sat): Mangrove walk at Pasir Ris Park

What exactly is a mudskipper? And who is Fiddler crab or Sesamine crab? Does a dog-faced water snake look more like a dog or a snake? Join the team and discover answers to the questions above and more. And if we’re lucky, we may be able to see some of the seashore animals at the river mouth (depending on the tide conditions).

Suitable for kids.

Registration closes one day before the walk date.

This walk is held every third Saturday. More details on the Pasir Ris Park website.

Time: 9-10am
Venue: Pasir Ris Park, Pasir Ris Green (Carpark C)
Cost: $4/person
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: chong_wei_teng@nparks.gov.sg

19 Jul (Sat): RSC Block Party

RSC Block Party is a landmark eco-solutions festival, a free entry for all, local rock concert to raise awareness on how to live an environmentally sustainable lifestyle. To use music and the arts to raise awareness for environmental issues, covering animal rights, oceanic reef and global disaster issues as a result of environmental problems, by means of starting a trend and building up a habit of being eco-conscious.

Time: 11am-10pm
Venue: Old School, 11 Mount Sophia Road
Contact: Mike Chew mike@halidepictures.com

19 Jul (Sat): Pasir Panjang Heritage Trail

Heritage Fest 2008 asks "Who's your hero?" So the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (NUS) and Reflections at Bukit Chandu (NAS) have decided to invite you on a 4-hour walk with the Raffles Museum Toddycats.

They have plenty of stories to share with you about their heroic candidates - wildlife, residents and famous battle heroes.

Two walk will be conducted, on Saturday 19th July 2008 at 8am and 9am. The walks last about four hours and will include visits to Raffles Museum's Public Gallery, Kent Ridge Park and Reflections at Bukit Chandu.

At the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research in NUS, learn about our very own wildlife. Some have succumbed to the historical and ongoing loss of habitats but some have surprisingly defied the catastrophe of disappearing forests, shores and reefs.

Our guides will share stories of both hope and loss. Some animals will be familiar, being prominent in our folklore and a few misunderstood species will be defended!

For registration and more details, please see http://heritagefest.rafflesmuseum.net/

Time: 8am and 9am
Meeting Point: Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research location details.

18 Jul (Fri): Free Stargazing at the Singapore Science Centre

7-13 Jul: Highlights of the week ahead

For the kids and the family!

Nature walk at Seletar Camp a fast disappearing location with lots of natural and social heritage.
Young Mathematician of the Garden a guided tour at the Botanic Gardens

In the forest, join the guided walk at MacRitchie Prunus trail and at the Botanic Gardens Rainforest Trail.

In the mangroves, join the guided walks at Sungei Buloh on Saturday and Sunday.

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only, birdwatching at Tagore Lane.

Talks this week include a talk about Cyrene Reef and our shores by Ria Tan at the Reel Revolution Learning Talks event.

Other activities include star-gazing at the Singapore Science Centre.

Registration now open

26 Jul (Sat): SYINConnect youth conference
19 Jul (Sat): Pasir Panjang Heritage Trail

Visit the wildsingapore happenings blog for a full listing of upcoming events for the next three weeks and to search for events by your area of interest.

This week's photo of the week is a marvellous Moray eel! Spotted by Joseph Lai and photographed by Marcus Ng. Our shores are very much alive!

IMG_6082, originally uploaded by budak.

13 Jul (Sun): Nature walk at MacRitchie Prunus Trail

Free guided nature walk along boardwalks hugging the MacRitchie Reservoir. Learn about this mature secondary, spot forest and aquatic wildlife, enjoy panaromic views of waters surrounded by luxuriant forest.

Suitable for young children.

Pre-registration required.

More about the MacRitchie Prunus Trail on the wildsingapore website and NParks website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks Central Nature Reserve and is held every second Sunday of the month.

Time: 9.25am. Meet at entrance of the trail, about 50m after the canoe kiosk on the eastern side of MacRitchie Reservoir Park.
Tour duration: About one hour.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: vanessa_chang@nparks.gov.sg or call 6554 5127.

13 Jul (Sun): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

13 Jul (Sun): Birdwatching at Tagore Lane

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

Join Siew Kwang for a revisit to this ex-kampong patch. Rambutan and Durian trees abound, not to mention the lively bird life here. Besides getting to admire Sunbirds, Flowerpeckers, Bulbuls, White-eyes, Woodpeckers and Parakeets, we hope that we would be in time to savour the ‘wild’ durians growing here.

Time: 7.30am. Meet at Junction of Tagore Rd & Upper Thomson Rd. We will carpool and drive to the end of Tagore Lane to start our walk. There is no free parking in this area. Parking coupons are required.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

12 Jul (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: 9.30am 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

12 Jul (Sat): Forest walk at the Botanic Gardens Rainforest Trail

A free guided nature walk through a rainforest right in the heart of the city! Along paved trails, under the shade of giant trees, learn about our rainforests, spot forest creatures and strange plants.

Suitable for young children.

More about the Botanic Gardens Rainforest Trail on the wildsingapore website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NPark's Singapore Botanic Gardens and is held every second Saturday of the month.

A special Mandarin version of this tour is at 4pm.

Time: 9am, 10am, 11am, 4pm; Register 15 minutes before the tour at the Visitor Centre.
Tour duration: One hour.
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/
Contact: Visitor Services, 64717361 or NPARKS_SBG_Visitor_Services@NPARKS.GOV.SG

12 Jul (Sat): Reel Revolution Learning Talks

Mr. Brown from mrbrown.com
Alex Au from yawningbread.org
Ria Tan from wildsingapore.com
Gerald Giam from The Online Citizen
Prof. Suzaina Kadir

The talks are free and open to the public.

More details about Reel Revolution.

Time: 7.30-10.30pm
Venue: The Substation Theatre
Website: http://revolution.youth.sg/
Contact: Beng Kheng 6337 7535 or bengkheng@substation.org

12 Jul (Sat): Pulau Ubin Volunteer Orientation

This session introduces you to the volunteer programme, the island's attractions, volunteering opportunities and many more! Wear comfortable closes and good walking shoes, bring a cap, drinking water and insect repellent.

More about Pulau Ubin and how to get there, and the volunteer programme on the NParks website. See also the Ubin Volunteers blog. There's also more about Pulau Ubin on the wildsingapore website.

To join, email Adelle Wang adelle_wang@yahoo.com with your name and contact number.

Time: 9.30am - 3pm
Venue: Meet at the Pulau Ubin Information Kiosk (at the Ubin Jetty).
Contact: Adelle Wang adelle_wang@yahoo.com

12 Jul (Sat): Young Mathematician of the Garden - a guided tour

How many petals are there on a flower? Count the number of leaflets on a leaf. Get introduced to addition, subtraction, and many more mathematic skills that you can apply to learning about plants. Be a young Mathematician of the Garden in this guided tour and have fun learning about Maths and Plants.

Suitable for children in P3 - P6 levels

More details on the Singapore Botanic Gardens workshop page.

Time: 10-11am
Venue: Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, Bukit Timah Core of the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Cost: $6 per child and $6 per accompanying parent
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/
Contact: 6471 9961 or nparks_sbg_edu@nparks.gov.sg

12 Jul (Sat): Nature walk at Seletar Camp

Tree felling at the former gold course has created a wave of birds migrating to the residential areas, at least for the next six months before this area is also flattened to create a longer runway and adjacent hangars.

Join one of the guided tours by residents and enjoy these exceptional creatures and their antics.

Register with Sue at 91057778

More details on the postcards from seletar blog

Time: 4-5.30 pm
Website: http://postcardsfromseletar.com/

11 Jul (Fri): Free Stargazing at the Singapore Science Centre

30 Jun-6 Jul: Highlights of the week ahead

For the family!

Family walk at Sentosa with the Naked Hermit Crabs.
Fun with horseshoe crabs (for Nature Society Singapore members only).
Fun with maths and plants at the Botanic Gardens.

In the forests

Rainforest walk at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
Nature walk at Lower Pierce Boardwalk.

In our gardens

Edible and medicinal plants tour at the Botanic Gardens.
Green vibes, a vegetable garden tour at Bishan Park.

On the shores

Family walk at Sentosa with the Naked Hermit Crabs.
Reefwalk at Kusu Island with the Blue Water Volunteers.
Horseshoe crab research and rescue (for Nature Society Singapore members only).
Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Saturday and Sunday.
Intertidal walk at Pulau Semakau with the Raffles Museum Saturday and Sunday.

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Other activities include star-gazing at the Singapore Science Centre.

Here's our Photo of the Week: A spoilt brat indeed! Observing our common wildlife will reveal that we have lots in common with them!

Spoilt brat., originally uploaded by biodiversity711.

6 Jul (Sun): NSS Kids’ Fun with Horseshoe Crabs

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

Find out why horseshoe crabs (HSC) are regarded as living fossils, and how their bluish blood is useful in medicine. You’ll get to slosh about on the mudflats of Kranji hunting for live HSC, and you might even help rescue HSC trapped in disused nets. Please register your kids with Gloria Seow at gloria_seow@yahoo.com. A registration fee of $5 per child applies. Proper attire includes shoes/booties/wellies (strictly no sandals), hat, water, sun block, insect repellent and a change of clothes. This NSS Kids’ session will be held in conjunction with the regular HSC Rescue & Research mission from 8.30 am to 11.00 am. More details will be emailed to those who sign up.

There is also an international drawing and poem competition "Horseshoe Crabs & the Arts". Kids are encouraged to participate. Bring your own art materials along if interested. See www.horseshoecrab.org/act/contest for details.

Pre-registration required, email gloria_seow@yahoo.com

Time: 8.30-11am
Venue: Mandai mudflats
Registration fee: $5/child
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

6 Jul (Sun): Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

For this monthly mission to rescue and study the Mangrove Horseshoe Crab (HSC). We have also started a HSC Training & Accreditation Programme (see article in Nature News) for anyone keen to be a Qualified HSC R&Rer. We recommend that you bring cap/hat, shoes/booties, sun block, insect repellant, cutter and camera. Washing facilities available.

Pre-registration required, email horseshoecrabrr@hotmail.com by 29 Jun (Sun) stating

your name,
if you are a NSS member or not,
affiliations (eg. school/company),
experience (if any) and
contact details

Time: 8.30am. Meet at the extension of Kranji Road at the junction with Kranji Loop. Take bus 925 from Kranji MRT, alight at the Chinese temple along Kranji Loop, cross the road and look for the nameless track that starts beside Leong Soon Pte Ltd (251 Kranji Road).
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

6 Jul (Sun): Rainforest walk at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Free guided nature walk along natural winding hillside trails under tall rainforest trees. Learn about our only substantial patch of primary rainforest, spot forest creatures and strange forest plants.

Suitable for children aged 9 and above. The trail is not accessible to prams and wheelchairs.

Pre-registration is required.

More about the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve on the wildsingapore website and NParks website. This walk is conducted by the volunteer guides of NParks' Central Nature Reserve and is held every first Sunday of the month.

Time: 3.55pm. Meet at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Visitor Centre, gather at the ranger counter.
Tour duration: About one hour.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: vanessa_chang@nparks.gov.sg or Tel:6554 5127

6 Jul (Sun): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

6 Jul (Sun): Family Walk at Sentosa shore with the Naked Hermit Crabs

5 June is World Environment Day! Join the Naked Hermit Crabs in their mission to showcase the diverse marine life and natural beauty on our shores. They will bring you on a mini adventure to a beautiful natural shore tucked away in a corner of Sentosa. There will be lots to see. Just read their previous blog entries on trips to Sentosa.

Suitable for kids in K1 and K2. A great outing for the family!

Registration is required. Walk-in are NOT accepted.

There used to be a $5 per person charge for the Sentosa walks. But this year, the Sentosa walks are sponsored by Transitions Optical. So the Sentosa walks are FREE this time round!

More details on the adventures with the naked hermit crabs blog

Time and meeting place: those who register will be informed.
Website: http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.com/
Contact: nakedhermitcrabs@gmail.com

6 Jul (Sun): Intertidal walk at Pulau Semakau

This half-day guided walk will take you through the operations of the landfill and the pristine intertidal area of Pulau Semakau. Guided by Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research Semakau volunteer guides, participants will explore the richness of the seagrass meadows and coral reefs without having to dive in our waters.

Booking required. Reservations not accepted. Booking is on a first-come-first-serve basis.

50 places available. Please register early: email Luan Keng dbswlk@nus.edu.sg your name, organisation (if any), number of participants. To confirm your booking, a non-refundable pre-payment is required.

More about the walks on the RMBR website. More about Pulau Semaku on the wildsingapore website.

Time: 5-11am
Departure point: participants will be advised
Cost: $53.50/adult, $40.60/child (age 7-18); all cost is inclusive of 7% GST, boat rides (return), guiding fees, guidesheets and coordinating fees.
Website: RMBR website
Contact: Luan Keng dbswlk@nus.edu.sg

6 Jul (Sun): Nature walk at Seletar Camp

5 Jul (Sat): Workshop for International Coastal Cleanup 2008

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only.

Singapore’s Coastal Cleanup is part of the world's largest volunteer effort for the marine environment. In 2007, NSS contributed a 70-strong contingent to help cleanup the Chek Jawa Wetlands. Islandwide, more than 3,000 volunteers collected and categorised from Singapore’s beaches some 110,000 items of marine debris weighing almost 10 tonnes. This year, the Cleanup falls on 20 September 2008. NSS will again be leading a contingent of members, collaborating organisations, corporate sponsors and friends of nature at the Cleanup. Volunteers need to attend this workshop for organisers and team leaders, which will be held in NUS. Please register early with Dr Hsu Chia Chi at hsu_chia_chi@hotmail.com and he will provide details.

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

5-6 Jul (Sat-Sun): Nature Society (Singapore) Mid-Year Bird Census

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Happily, we are into the ninth year of this census of Singapore’s wild bird population. Unlike the other censuses which are all held on a single day, this census has been extended to two days to allow birdwatchers to cover their backyards, neighbourhood parks or home patches. The ever-changing landscape and deterioration and clearance of bird habitats are all cause for concern. Such censuses have assisted in formulating conservation proposals by providing hard data to substantiate them. Helpers are needed for site counts which will be led by an experienced birdwatcher. Please let us know which day you are available, all the better if you can make it for both days. If you can help, please email coordinator Lim Kim Seng at denislim@starhub.net.sg before 1 July 2008.

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

5 Jul (Sat): Reefwalk at Kusu Island with the Blue Water Volunteers

Our wild and wonderful coral reefs are just too exciting to be enjoyed by divers only! Non-swimmers are most welcome, as we only visit the reefs during low tide, so you only expect to get wet around your ankles at most.

Trained and enthusiastic volunteer guides will introduce you to the marine life found on Kusu Island and share reef stories.

Suitable for children.

Pre-registration is required.

Time: 5am-9am
Venue: Marina South Pier (subject to change)
Cost: $15/person
Website: http://www.bluewatervolunteers.org
Contact: reefwalk@bluewatervolunteers.org

5 Jul (Sat): Edible and Medicinal Plants tour at the Botanic Gardens

Join this free tour by our volunteer guides and spice up your knowledge of Edible and Medicinal Plants.

Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis at the Visitor Centre, 15 minutes before the tour starts.

More information on the Singapore Botanic Gardens website.

Time: 9am and 10am, register 15 minutes before the tour at Singapore Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/
Contact: Visitor Services (6471 7361)

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