30 May (Wed): Storytime with Sara at Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden

Join us for a fun-filled storytelling session, specially designed for little ones. Children will explore Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden with Sara the Botanicosaurus and her squirrel friends, Fluff-tail and Twitchy. To conclude the programme, children will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with plants that are featured in the story, and even have the chance to rock the Suspension Bridge and play hide-and-seek in the Maze.

Suitable for children in N1 – N2 levels.

For enquiry and registration, please contact the Education at 64719961 or through email: nparks_sbg_edu@nparks.gov.sg. Online registration is available on www.sbg.org.sg (under "Education").

Time: 10-11am
Cost: $6 per child and $6 per accompanying adult.
Venue: Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, Bukit Timah Core of the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/

21-27 May: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family, don't miss this once-a-year, one-stop mega event for biodiversity!

26-27 May: Festival of Biodiversity Be bedazzled by butterflies and birds, awed by trees and seagrasses, tickle your curiousity with crabs and colugos. Singapore is wilder that you might imagine. Find out more about our biodiversity and what you can do to make a difference!
Have fun learning our biodiversity!

One of the highlights is a massive Marine Exhibition, featuring all our major marine ecosystems from mangroves to seagrasses, sandy shores to reefs and everything in between. With hands on stations to feel and find out more about our marine life, as well as marine games and fun for children and the young-at-heart. And meet these cute marine mascots!

Walks! Join the Rainforest Tour and discover the enchantment of our tropical rainforest with our volunteer guides! Meet at the Visitor Centre 15 minutes before the start of the tour. Walks are limited to 20 persons per tour.
  • 26 May (Sat): 10am to 11am, 11am to noon
  • 27 May (sun): 9am to 10am, 4pm to 5pm
Story-telling sessions!
Be enchanted by the stories of "The Giving Tree", "The Lorax" and more! Brought to you by the Bukit Merah Regional Library, these sessions will encourage your child to start appreciating nature that is all around us! At Ridley Hall, limited to 20 persons per session.
26 May (Sat): 11am to 11.45am, 3pm to 3.45pm

Free film screening!
26 May (Sat): "Hardy Driftwood in A Wetlands Adventure" an animated movie for kids.
27 May (Sun): "The Return of the King" about the return of the Oriental Pied Hornbill to Singapore.

Talks!
26 May (Sat)
27 May (Sun)
Mini Biodiversity Symposium ”Conserving Our Biodiversity”
On 26 May 2012 (Sat) 9am-12noon, several speakers will share about community efforts on biodiversity for lively discussion. More details

The long awaited “Caterpillars of Singapore’s Butterflies” book will be launched! There will also be a display of the winning photos of the BiodiverCity photo competition,  latest research done by Honours students at NUS and sales of nature books.

More wild events for the week!

27 May (Sun): Free screening of "The Return of the King"

This documentary reveals how the Oriental Pied Hornbills, once thought to be extinct from Singapore, returned to our urban landscape.
These large birds are re-establishing healthy colonies here, with about 50 hornbills now found on Pulau Ubin, a small island off Singapore, and spreading out to other areas in mainland Singapore. This is a documentary about the return of the Oriental Pied Hornbills to our urban landscape.

This documentary screening is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!

Time: 10am and 3pm
Venue: Function Room, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

27 May (Sun): Talk on "Going home!"

John Muir, a famous naturalist and writer once remarked, "Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over civilised people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life."

Many may not consider a trip to the nature a homecoming journey but surprisingly more and more research is finding that spending time out in nature is beneficial to our mental health and well being. This speaker, Chong Jun Hien, will share more about some of the key findings in this research and fun activities one can do when out in nature.

About the speaker: Chong Jun Hien is an avid outdoor person and has worked in various outdoor industries either doing scientific research in the field or conducting outdoor activities to share with young people about nature. He is a firm believer that nature needs us as much as we need nature.

This talk is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!  

Time: 3-3.45pm
Venue: Function Hall, Singapore Botanic Gardens location map
Website and contact: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/programme/concurrent-events/talks/

27 May (Sun): Talk on "Development History of the past 200 years and its effect on Habitat Loss"

The development of Singapore began in the late 1700s with the arrival of Teo Chew gambier planters from the Riau Islands. Their shifting cultivation practices and lack of management by the colonial authorities almost resulted in a total loss of the lowland Dipterocarp forests by the mid 1800s. During the early 1900s, an ever increasing population and demand for food resulted in the loss of Freshwater Swamp Forest as the fertile alluvial soils of the stream valleys were sought after for market gardening. Mangrove areas had always been logged for charcoal production and building materials however the habitat more or less remained in place until the 1970s when land reclamation for industrial and residential purpose took its toll. This presentation will include historical maps and archived aerial photos to track the land use changes over time. These will be contrasted with modern satellite images to illustrate the extent of change that the island has undergone.

About the speaker: Tony O' Dempsey has been working in the Geographic Information System (GIS) Industry in Singapore for the past 18 years and has taken a keen interest in both cultural and natural history of the region. He is particularly interested in the flora and conservation of Freshwater Swamp Forest habitat. Tony is the author of www.florasingapura.com and is currently the chairman of the Vertebrate Study Group of the Nature Society (Singapore).

This talk is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!  


Time: 2-2.45pm
Venue: Function Hall, Singapore Botanic Gardens location map
Website and contact: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/programme/concurrent-events/talks/

27 May (Sun): Talk on "Macro world of Singapore"

Through macro photography, a new world is opened for nature lovers to rediscover the hidden beauty and treasures inside our nature reserves, nature areas, parks and gardens. This talk will provide an introduction to nature macro photography, including basic techniques. The diversity of macro subjects in Singapore will be highlighted and common macro sites available for Singapore shooters will also be shared. Another area that will be covered during this talk is about how photographers can care for nature while shooting in the field.

About the Speaker: Lee Yan Leong, an accomplished photographer in nature macro photography, has been awarded prizes from photographic forums and societies from both local and overseas. He is regularly called upon to share his experience and to demonstrate photographic technique in courses and outings. Yan Leong is currently serving the Nature Photographic Society (Singapore) as committee member.

This talk is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!  

Time: 1-1.45pm
Venue: Function Hall, Singapore Botanic Gardens location map
Website and contact: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/programme/concurrent-events/talks/

27 May (Sun): Talk on "Bodies of evidence: A morbid celebration of biodiversity"

Death is an inevitable part of life. Stumbling upon dead animals can be an unpleasant, smelly affair, but we have much to learn from carcasses. In this talk, you will learn how dead animals can tell us a lot about the presence of wildlife in urban Singapore, as well as the impact of human activities on the natural environment.
Monday Morgue showcases our biodiversity in a different light.
About the speaker: Ivan Kwan has been an avid naturalist ever since he could walk. He has never ceased to be fascinated with biodiversity and conservation. Today, he works in freshwater ecology, and in his free time, volunteers with the Naked Hermit Crabs, TeamSeagrass, and the Raffles Museum Toddycats! He is also very active in nature outreach online, using social media resources like blogs, Twitter, and Facebook to educate people about Singapore's natural heritage. Ivan can be reached via his blog The Lazy Lizard's Tales, or via Twitter @VaranusSalvator.

This talk is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!

Time: 2pm
Venue: Function Room, Singapore Botanic Gardens location map
Website and contact: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/programme/concurrent-events/talks/

27 May (Sun): Talk on "Conserving South-east Asia's biodiversity: Mission impossible?"

Learn more about Southeast Asia's rich biodiversity, how Singapore's biodiversity such as the Banded leaf monkeys are an important part, and what we can do to conserve them.
Singapore's Banded leaf monkey
Photo by Chan Kwok Wai
This talk is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks! 

Part I: A Regional Overview
Not only is South-East Asia one of the most biodiverse corners of the Earth, it also supports a long list of highly charismatic species like the giant Rafflesia, the Orangutan and many more species that have yet to be described. Unfortunately, the region is also home to nearly one tenth of humanity which naturally results in the world's most rapidly vanishing forests. This talk explores the biodiversity crisis from a South-east Asian perspective, with a focus on the region's most pressing conservation challenges and what is needed to slow down the Sixth Extinction, one which is consuming the region's species.

Part II: Conservation Lessons from Threatened Primates in South-East Asia
The banded leaf monkeys in Singapore are critically endangered, with an estimated population of 40 individuals. Recent genetic study reveals that this species has the lowest genetic variability among leaf monkeys. The Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys are one of the top 25 most endangered primates in the world. Endemic to northern Vietnam, there are only approximately 200 individuals left in the wild. While it is important to increase the protection of their habitat in Singapore and Vietnam respectively, our two case studies show that it is equally important to engage local people in conservation efforts.

Speakers:
Yong Ding Li (South-east Asian Biodiversity Society) has studied or travelled through most parts of South-east Asia and is very familiar with its biodiversity, as are the conservation challenges faced by its people. He has also written many peer-reviewed papers and contributed to a number of books on biodiversity in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Andie Ang (South-east Asian Biodiversity Society, University of Colorado at Boulder) is currently a PhD student in Biological Anthropology at CU Boulder. Her research interests are in the social behavior and genetic variability of Asian colobine primates. She has worked on the banded leaf monkeys in Singapore and Malaysia, and the white-handed gibbons in Thailand. Currently, she is trying to examine the genetic variability of endangered primates in Vietnam in order to contribute to their conservation.


Time: 4pm
Venue: Function Hall, Singapore Botanic Gardens location map
Website and contact: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/programme/concurrent-events/talks/

27 May (Sun): The Art of Paper Folding at Sungei Buloh

Origami is not only fun, but is also an artistic way of interpreting animals, plants, objects, or basically anything you can think of! The focus of this origami workshop will be on animals that can be found in our nature areas.
For more details see the Purple Mangroves blog.

Time: 11.30am-12.30pm
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, meet at the Information Counter at the Visitor CentreEntry charges: While the event is free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website and contact: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/

27 May (Sun): Paint along with Pui San at Sungei Buloh

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

Tham Pui San, a volunteer of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, is an avid artist who expresses his passion for nature through his art work.

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 and enjoy learning different drawing techniques at Sungei Buloh.

More in the art in the wetlands blog.

Time: 8.30-11.30am, meet at Information Counter, Visitor Centre.
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 info@sbwr.org.sgor call 6794 1401

27 May (Sun): Mandarin guided tour 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.

Pre-register by calling 67941401, minimum 5 participants to start the tour and maximum 15.  The walks are weather permitting and may merge with other activities at the Reserve.

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

Time: 9.30 am, meet at the Information Counter, 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: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

26-27 May: Festival of Biodiversity

Come for this massive Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!

Be bedazzled by butterflies and birds, awed by trees and seagrasses, tickle your curiousity with crabs and colugos. Singapore is wilder that you might imagine. Find out more about our biodiversity and what you can do to make a difference!

Here's some of fun that is planned for the Festival!

Mini Biodiversity Symposium ”Conserving Our Biodiversity”
On 26 May 2012 (Sat) 9am-12noon, several speakers will share about community efforts on biodiversity for lively discussion. More details

Have fun learning our biodiversity!

One of the highlights is a massive Marine Exhibition, featuring all our major marine ecosystems from mangroves to seagrasses, sandy shores to reefs and everything in between. With hands on stations to feel and find out more about our marine life, as well as marine games and fun for children and the young-at-heart.

The long awaited “Caterpillars of Singapore’s Butterflies” book will be launched!

Free film screening!
26 May (Sat): "Hardy Driftwood in A Wetlands Adventure" an animated movie for kids.
27 May (Sun): "The Return of the King" about the return of the Oriental Pied Hornbill to Singapore.

Talks!
26 May (Sat)
27 May (Sun)

Walks! Join the Rainforest Tour and discover the enchantment of our tropical rainforest with our volunteer guides! Meet at the Visitor Centre 15 minutes before the start of the tour. Walks are limited to 20 persons per tour.
  • 26 May (Sat): 10am to 11am, 11am to noon
  • 27 May (sun): 9am to 10am, 4pm to 5pm

Story-telling sessions!
Be enchanted by the stories of "The Giving Tree", "The Lorax" and more! Brought to you by the Bukit Merah Regional Library, these sessions will encourage your child to start appreciating nature that is all around us! At Ridley Hall, limited to 20 persons per session.
26 May (Sat): 11am to 11.45am, 3pm to 3.45pm

There will also be a display of the winning photos of the BiodiverCity photo competition,  latest research done by Honours students at NUS and sales of nature books.

The Festival is an effort by the Biodiversity Roundtable to celebrate Singapore's biodiversity and highlight how each of us CAN make a difference! Visit the Festival of Biodiversity blog for the latest updates!

Dates: 26 May (Sat) and 27 May (Sun)
Time:
9am-6pm
Venue: Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens location map
Website and contact: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/

26 May (Sat): Conserving our Biodiversity Symposium at the Festival of Biodiversity

Come for this session to learn more about the importance of our biodiversity and the volunteer action for nature in Singapore!
Click for larger view
This event is part of the Festival of Biodiversity.

Programme for the Symposium
  • 9am Registration
  • 9.30am Welcome address by Mr Poon Hong Yuen, CEO NParks
  • 9.35am Keynote address by Dr Shawn Lum, President Nature Society (Singapore) "The importance of nature and our Nature Reserves in Singapore"
  • 10am Teabreak
  • 10.30am Ms Tan Beng Chiak, Lead Teacher Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) " The Cowshed that became a WELL"
  • 11am Mr Liak Teng Lit, Group CEO Alexandra Health "Enhancing Biodiversity at a Hospital Project - The Khoo Teck Puat Hospital's Experience"
  • 11.15am Mr Ching Youyi, Market Executive Keppel Singmarine "Keppel Volunteers - Diving for Biodiversity"
  • 11.30am Mr N. Sivasothi, Coordinator International Coastal Cleanup Singapore "Trash on the Beach - 21 years of Community Action on the Shores of Singapore"
  • 11.45am Wrap up discussion
  • 12noon End

 To attend, please register with Ms Jocelyne Sze at biodiversityfestival.nparks@gmail.com

Venue: Function Hall, Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens map
Time: 9am-12noon
Dress: Smart casual
Website: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/

26 May (Sat): Talk on "Dragonflies of Singapore"

Learn all about dragonflies from Tang Hung Bun, an avid dragonfly-watcher and photographer.
Dragonflies are among the most beautiful of creatures. In life many display colours of stunning brilliance. Their skills of flight are unmatched for precision and agility. They exhibit extraordinary biology and behaviour. In Singapore, there are 129 recorded species of dragonfly. Sadly, a few of our most beautiful species have already gone extinct due to habitat destruction caused by human activities. This is an inevitable consequence of urbanisation and, as such, provides us with a valuable lesson in conservation ecology.

About the speaker: Tang Hung Bun is an avid dragonfly-watcher and photographer. In 2009, he took a break from his teaching career in order to focus his time and effort on preparing a book on the dragonflies of Singapore. The book, titled "A photographic guide to the dragonflies of Singapore" and co-authored with Wang Luan Keng and Matti Hämäläinen, was published by the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research in August 2010. Since 2010, he spends his time on observing and recording on video the behaviour of dragonflies and other orders of insects. He also attempts to use a high-speed camera to capture the flight behaviour of some insects such as territorial fight between rival male dragonflies, wing-opening of earwigs, etc. Some of his videos can be viewed on YouTube. Tang Hung Bun also maintains a website: Dragonflies and damselflies of Singapore 

This talk is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks! 

Time: 2pm
Venue: Function Room, Singapore Botanic Gardens location map
Website and contact: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/programme/concurrent-events/talks/

26 May (Sat): Talk on "Freshwater Swamp Forest Conservation"

At the time of Raffles' arrival, the island of Singapore harboured some 75 square kilometres of mangrove forest and approximately 60 square kilometre of freshwater swamp forest. Today, we retain six square kilometres of protected mangrove forest spread over 15 sites and only 1 square kilometre of Freshwater swamp forest limited essentially to a single location. This one square kilometre of remaining swamp forest potentially harbours 200 species of plants that are exclusive to this habitat. The presentation will include a pictorial overview of a selection of these special plants that show off their adaptation for survival in swampy and inundated conditions. The talk will also discuss some conservation strategies that are being put in place to promote the survival of these species into the future.

About the speaker: Tony O' Dempsey has been working in the Geographic Information System (GIS) Industry in Singapore for the past 18 years and has taken a keen interest in the both cultural and natural history of the region. He is particularly interested in the flora and conservation of Freshwater Swamp Forest habitat. Tony is the author of www.florasingapura.com and is currently the chairman of the Vertebrate Study Group of the Nature Society (Singapore).

This talk is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!  

This talk is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!  


Time: 1pm
Venue: Function Hall, Singapore Botanic Gardens location map
Website and contact: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/programme/concurrent-events/talks/

26 May (Sat): Talk on "Biodiversity Apps for iPhone users"

The talk will share more about Bird and Butterfly Watching in Singapore - Using the Bird and Butterfly Apps.

Bird App: The talk will show users how easy it is to find and identify the species using the four different viewing galleries and search via groups, rarity and habitats.

Speaker: Alan OwYong is the Chairperson of the Bird Group and a member of the Nature Society (Singapore) Council. He has been a past Treasurer of the Society since joining the Malayan Nature Society in 1985 and the Nature Society (Singapore) in 1991. As an avid bird watcher with the Bird Group for the past 28 years, he has taken part in hundreds of birds and nature surveys for conservation proposals.

Butterfly App: The Nature Society of Singapore's (NSS) Butterfly Application for smart phones features 440 awe-inspiring photographs of butterflies found in Singapore.

Speaker: Anuj Jain is an active member of the Butterfly Interest Group, NSS. He coordinates several projects for the group including the ongoing Butterfly Trail @ Orchard project with Gan Cheong Weei (Chairperson, NSS Butterfly Interest Group). Anuj is also pursuing his PhD at the Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore in the field of urban ecology and butterfly conservation.

This talk is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!  


Time: 2pm
Venue: Function Room, Singapore Botanic Gardens location map
Website and contact: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/programme/concurrent-events/talks/

26 May (Sat): Free screening of "Hardy Driftwood in A Wetlands Adventure"

The Hardy Driftwood animation series is set in situations familiar to children and highlights the adverse impact seemingly harmless actions can have on our environment. The series encourages the children to take positive actions to protect the environment through simple and practical solutions within their abilities.
The series consists of The Adventures of Hardy Driftwood, Hardy Driftwood In The Green Birthday and Hardy Driftwood in A Wetlands Adventure.

Suitable for children aged 4 years and above.

This talk is part of the Festival of Biodiversity! The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!   

Time: 1-1.45pm
Venue: Function Room, Singapore Botanic Gardens location map
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/festivalofbiodiversity/

26 May (Sat): HortPark Butterfly Garden guided tour

HortPark's Butterfly Garden is a 150-sqm landscaped theme garden comprising an enclosure and an outdoor garden. Providing a visual feast of tropical plants and nearly 20 species of native butterflies, the Butterfly Garden enables visitors to learn about the different stages of metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar into butterfly. Within the enclosure, visitors are greeted with an up close and personal encounter with these flying jewels and can observe how pupae emerge into adult butterflies before taking their maiden flight.

The Butterfly Garden also serves as an experimental garden for National Parks Board to work on a Butterfly Species Recovery Programme to research on suitable nectar and host plants for breeding a variety of butterfly species, including locally extinct species such as Clipper (Parthenos sylvia) and Common Sergeant (Athyma perius).

Get up close and personal with the flying jewels, and learn their different stages of metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar into butterfly. Observe how pupae emerge into adult butterflies before taking their maiden flight within HortPark's Butterfly Garden.

This walk is free and is held every last Saturday of the month.

Time: 9-11am, please gather at the Butterfly Garden for the tour
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: 6471 5601

26 May (Sat): Race Against Time – Science behind a Botanic Garden Tour

Join this free one-hour tour by our staff to learn more about the Gardens’ research work.

Come and explore the hub of the Gardens' research facilities at the Singapore Botanic Gardens to learn about botanical research. Find out about the urgency of plant exploration, collection and scientific documentation as species and habitats continue to be lost in the region. Visit the Orchid Micro-propagation and hybridisation display and find out how new hybrids are produced. You can also enter the restricted domain of the Herbarium and Library to learn about the valuable historical treasures they hold for science and posterity.

Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis at the Green Pavilion, Botany Centre. Limited to 20 participants.

Time: 10-11am
Meeting point: Green Pavilion, Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: NParks_SBG_Visitor_Services@nparks.gov.sg.

26 May (Sat): Evolution Garden guided walk

A free guided walk of the Evolution Garden at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a 1.5-hectare area dedicated to telling the amazing story of how plants gave us life, and how, long before we humans arrived, they started to evolve into the myriad complex life forms that we see today.

Take a journey through time, from the fiery planet that our world was in ancient times before memory, through the planet of dinosaurs, and into the modern world of 250,000 different flowering plants we enjoy today.

Journey through time with our volunteer guides in this one-hour tour.

Suitable for kids.

This walk is held every fourth Saturday of the month. Please register 15 minutes before the tour. Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis at the Visitor Centre.

Time: 9am
Venue: Register at Visitor Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens before the tour starts.
Contact: Visitor Services 6471 7361

26 May (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 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: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

26 May (Sat): Prawn and Fish Demo at Sungei Buloh

Embark on this journey back to the past, where the history of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve as prawn and fish farms is one not to be ignored. The importance of mangroves as a spawning place and nursery for prawns and other life played an important role in shaping Sungei Buloh today.

The traditional method of prawn harvesting will be demonstrated and how the tidal influence play a part in this activity will be brought to life. Join us for an invaluable experience in this seldom witnessed
event

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

Time: Visitors are advised to reach the Reserve by 9am. Meet the guide at the Information Counter to bring you for an approximate half an hour walk to the prawn and fish demonstration site.
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: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

26 May (Sat): Kent Ridge Park Heritage Tour

Kent Ridge Park is one of the few places in Singapore which is rich in both historical and natural heritage. You will discover the interesting fauna and floar, and learn all about the fiercest battle fought in Singapore during World War II. At the end of the tour, enjoy a visit to the Reflections at Bukit Chandu Museum.
This event is part of the Connecting with Nature programme at the Southern Ridges. Pre-registration is required, closing date 1 week before the programme. Programme will commence only with a minimum of 15 participants. Contact 6471-5601 or NParks_HortPark@nparks.gov.sg.

Time: 9.30am-12noon
Venue: Meet at Carpark B at Kent Ridge Park (along Vigilante Drive)
Cost: $9 per person, includes entrace fee to Reflections at Bukit Chandu Museum.
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

14-20 May: Highlights of the week ahead

Special event for kids and the family!
Raffles Museum Children's Open House last chance to visit the old Raffles Museum before they move to the new Natural History Museum next year. Lots of fun for kids and the family!

Planning for the school holidays? Exciting nature activities for kids are lined up for the June school holidays! Lots of fun ways to discover and enjoy Singapore's biodiversity! Here's some highlights, and here's all the school holiday events.

Walks in wild places

For nature society members only

Special upcoming events
  • 26-27 May: Festival of Biodiversity The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!  Find out more about our biodiversity through exhibits, tours, games. Find out how you CAN make a difference!
Announcements
  • NParks Chek Jawa intertidal tours cancelled: 1 Jul to 31 Dec 2012 due to upgrading works for the floating pontoons more details

19 May (Sat): Guided walk at the Sensory Trail, Pulau Ubin

Experience Ubin's wonderful nature through your senses along our Sensory Trail. This is an excellent introduction to the rustic and natural character of the island. You will be able to touch, see or smell fruit trees, spices and herbs for cooking, plants used in traditional medicine and native plants of the mangrove forest.

Booking now online until 12 May.

For more details about this walk, see the NParks website More about the Sensory Trail on the wildsingapore website and Ubin Volunteers blog

Time: Walks starts 9.30am and lasts for about 1.5 hours. Meet at the Pulau Ubin Main Information Kiosk next to the Ubin Jetty. More on how to get to Pulau Ubin.
Cost: $60 per group of 15 persons, maximum 6 groups
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

19 May (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 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: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

19 May (Sat): Raffles Museum Children's Open House

Specially for kids and the family! Join guided tours with a behind-the-scenes look at the museum. Lots of other activities like face painting, make your own museum button, masks and Be a Young Palaeontologist (that's dinosaur specialist!)

Time: 9am-5pm
Venue: Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore map and more details on how to get there. Free shuttle bus from Kent Ridge MRT to the Museum.
Website and contact: http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/CS2012/

19 May (Sat): Butterfly Walk at the Green Corridor

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only

This is a nice walk from King Albert Park passing through the Bukit Timah Railway Station and ending at Old Holland Road. Anuj Jain will lead us on a journey following this railway track, taking us through areas with plenty of Pansy and Emigrant butterflies. Expect to see a good mix of forest and open field butterflies and lots of Bush Browns. This is also a Common Birdwing habitat. Bring along your binoculars too, a cap and lots of sunblock.

Time: 9.30am - 12noon
Venue: Meet outside McDonalds at the intersection of Bukit Timah Road and King Albert Park.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg 
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

19 May (Sat): National Orchid Garden guided tour

Explore the beauty and diversity of orchids in the National Orchid Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Since 1859, orchids have been closely associated with the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The products of the Gardens' orchid breeding programme, which began in 1928, deserve a place where they can be displayed in their full splendour. The very design of these orchids is, one could say, 'hand-crafted' by the Gardens' horticultural staff, dedicated to bringing out the finest in any hybrid cross.

Over 1000 species and 2,000 hybrids are now found in the Gardens' collection, with about 600 species and hybrids on display. Every year, more vibrant and enduring hybrids are added on. So that all may admire and enjoy their diversity, richness and beauty, the National Orchid Garden now offers a permanent showcase, the largest display of tropical orchids in the world.

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

A tour in Mandarin is also conducted at 4pm.

Time: 9am, 10am, 11am (English) and 4pm (Mandarin), 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

7-13 May: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family

Still ongoing! Don't miss it!

Special event!

Volunteer and make a difference!

Walks in wild places

Special upcoming events
  • 19 May (Sat): Raffles Museum Children's Open House last chance to visit the old Raffles Museum before they move to the new Natural History Museum next year. Lots of fun for kids and the family!
  • 26-27 May: Festival of Biodiversity The passionate nature community comes together to share the mind-boggling biodiversity from our forests to seashores, even our backyards and parks!  Find out more about our biodiversity through exhibits, tours, games. Find out how you CAN make a difference!


12 May (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 (Enligsh) and 4pm (Mandarin); 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 May (Sat): Fascinating Forest at Labrador

Come and experience the fascinating forest of Labrador Nature Reserve. Labrador Nature Reserve is a gazetted reserve, which contains an indigenous ecosystem that houses Singapore’s rich biodiversity including Singapore’s only protected coastal cliff vegetation and rocky shore. The walk will take you into the dense secondary forest housing diverse flora and fauna. You will walk through Singapore’s only coastal cliff vegetation and learn how plants in the nature reserve play an important role in the ecosystem by supporting the different life forms.

To register, please contact Miss Toh at 62738602 or email at toh_yuet_hsin.@nparks.gov.sg

Time: 9-10am
Venue: Carpark C ikiosk, Labrador Nature Reserve
Cost: $5 per person
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg

12 May (Sat): HeART for Nature - FREE workshop for kids

This FREE art workshop helps children to delve deep into their hearts to express nature in various themed art activities like drawing, fingerprinting, origami, puppet making. The children will also learn about our natural heritage.
Photo courtesy of Vanessa ChangSuitable for children aged 5 to 8 years (with parental supervision).

Limited spaces available. Register online or email vanessa_chang@nparks.gov.sg

Time: 9.30-10.30am. The workshop will be cancelled in the event of bad weather.
Venue: Dairy Farm Nature Park- Wallace Education Centre
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

12 May (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 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: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

12 May (Sat): Free Chek Jawa boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs

photo by Andy DineshThe Naked Hermit Crabs introduce you to Chek Jawa without getting your feet wet. Even though we are not going on to the shore, there is still much to see and enjoy. There are monitor lizards, fiddler crabs, spiders, rare plants, wild boars, mudskippers and lots of fruit trees. If we are lucky, we might even spot the Oriental Pied Hornbill, White-bellied Sea Eagle and the giant Atlas Moth.

Not more than five persons in a group, pre-register at nakedhermitcrabs@gmail.com

More details on the event and how to get to Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin on the Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs blog.

Time: 9.30am meet at the Chek Jawa Info Kiosk, Pulau Ubin.
Duration: Two hours
Cost: no charge for now, but donations accepted.
Website: http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.com/
Contact: nakedhermitcrabs@gmail.com

12 and 19 May (Sat): Painting Nature – A Community Art project

Show your love for our biodiversity and take part in this community artwork project!
To celebrate our upcoming Festival of Biodiversity, we are creating a mural mosaic of the logo of the festival.

Open to the public, each participant will get to paint a tile which is uniquely yours, but when put together, will form one cohesive, vibrantly diverse image. It signifies how diversity is all linked, each animal, plant and person a part of a complex circle of life. The completed mural mosaic will be on display during the main Festival of Biodiversity on 26 & 27 May 2012 (Saturday & Sunday). Head down to the Festival to take a look at the completed artwork and join the many fun-filled, nature-centric activities lined up!

On 12 May (Saturday): Volunteer artist Tham Pui San will be demonstrating the basics of using acrylic paints, various effects, and how to best use acrylic paint on plywood tiles and how the final artpiece will come together.

On 19 May (Saturday): We will be having the hands-on workshop session where all participants will get tiles to paint on!

More details on the community artwork project. To join, please fill up this form.

Dates: 12 May (Sat) and 19 May (Sat). Participants are required to attend both days.
Time: 9am-12noon (for both days)
Venue: Ridley Hall, Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Website and contact: http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/

12 May (Sat): Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research

Open to the public

Join us for this monthly mission to rescue and study the Mangrove Horseshoe Crab (HSC). We have also started an ongoing HSC Training & Accreditation Programme for anyone keen to be a qualified HSC R&Rer. We recommend that you bring a cap, shoes/booties, sun block, repellent, cutter (for HSC rescue) and camera. Washing facilities available.

Pre-registration required, by clicking on the 'ATTEND' button on the NSS website.

Time: 9am, meet at the extension of Kranji Road at the junction with Kranji Loop. Take bus 925 from Kranji MRT station and 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.

12 May (Sat): World Migratory Bird Day at Sungei Buloh

Celebrate migratory bird day at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve with the rest of the world on 12 May 2012! These migratory visitors make Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve their stop-over and second home during the winter season in the northern parts of the world.
Come to Sungei Buloh to find out more about these amazing migratory birds! Join us for walks and talks conducted by vounteers and staff in the morning. There is also an exhibition to show you what kind of shore birds are found at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

  • Migratory Bird Day talks at 9.30am and 11.30am
  • Guided walks at 9am, 10am and 11am
  • There will also be an Exhibition on Migratory Birds from 27 April to 13 May 2012

Walk-ins are welcomed. Please email info@sbwr.org.sg or call 67941401 to register for the Migratory Bird Talk and Guided walks places are limited.

More about World Migratory Bird Day

Time: 9am-12noon
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Entry charges: While the events are free, admission fees to the Reserve apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

30 Apr - 6 May: Highlights of the week ahead

Check out the lush gardens at the Istana, with performances and tours of the Istana during the May Day Istana Open House.

Don't miss this special event: 4-9 May: Wayang shows at Pulau Ubin with free ferry rides


Walks in wild places
Go wild on your own!
This long weekend, why not explore our wild places free-and-easy? Great destinations include Pulau Ubin and a wide range of seashores, mangroves and forest destinations. Lots of info for visitors on wildsingapore with tips on how to prepare for a trip, how to get there and what to see and do. Check out NParks' many DYI trails guides.

A tip for a long-weekend trip
Our wild places and parks can get VERY crowded on long weekends. The best way to avoid the crowds is to arrive early in the morning and leave early. Our wildlife is generally more active in the morning too!

5 May (Sat): Up Close and Personal @ Peirce

Free guided nature walk along the boardwalks through cool, shady forests and by the Lower Peirce Reservoir. Learn about our forests, spot forest and aquatic wildlife, enjoy panaromic views of waters surrounded by luxuriant forest.

Suitable for young children.

More about the Lower Peirce 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 first Saturday of the month.

Sign up on this online form. Walks will be cancelled in the event of bad weather.

Time: 9.25am. Meet at Casuarina Entrance of the trail along Old Upper Thomson Road, which is a 2-minute walk from Casuarina Road. Location map
Tour duration: One-and-a-half hours. Suitable for young children
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

5 May (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.

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

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)

5 May (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 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: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

5 May (Sat): Tour of the Healing Garden, Botanic Gardens

A free guided tour of the newly launched Healing Garden which showcases over 400 varieties of plants used medicinally. It is laid out thematically relating to component parts of the body such as head, respiratory and reproductive systems. Spread over 2.5 hectares, this garden is designed as a tranquil retreat with medical plants traditionally used in Southeast Asia as the main focus.

This walk is conducted every first Saturday of the month.

Time: 9am and 10am, please register 15 minutes before the tour
Venue: Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis at the Visitor Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/
Contact: Visitor Services (6471 7361)

4-9 May: Wayang shows at Pulau Ubin with free ferry rides

Traditional wayang (Chinese opera) in celebration of Tua Pek Kong's Birthday, as practiced by the villagers. With free boat rides to between Changi Point Ferry Terminal and Pulau Ubin in the evenings! There will be a nightly wayang show (4-8 May) and finale geitai show (9 May). This is NOT a special performance put up for the public, but a part of the way of life of the residents of Ubin. You can also enjoy a sumptious dinner at the restaurants there before or while watching the show.


 Timing of the free ferry rides are
4-8 May (Fri-Tue), depart Changi 7-9.30pm, depart Ubin 8.30-11pm
9 May (Wed), depart Changi 6-9.30pm, depart Ubin 6-11pm.




Thanks to the alert by Alan of Ubin NParks.

More about these festivities on the Pulau Ubin stories blog and the ubin.sgkopi blog.

More about Pulau Ubin and how to get there and about wayang at Ubin on the wildsingapore website.

Time: wayang from sunset onwards
Venue: Pulau Ubin wayang stage

1 May (Tue): Istana Open House

The Istana grounds are open to the public in celebration of May Day.

View the Istana gardens while a variety of performances on the grounds provide entertainment. You may also have the chance to have your photos taken with the President and First Lady when they come by to greet visitors.

Selected function rooms with displays of gifts presented to the President and Prime Minister by foreign dignitaries can be viewed for a fee of $2. All proceeds from entrance fees and the sale of Istana souvenirs will be donated to charity.

Time: 8.30am - 6pm
Venue: Entrance to the grounds is via the main gate at Orchard Road.
Charges: Admission to the Istana grounds is free for Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents. Others, including foreign visitors, are charged an entrance fee of $1 per person.
Website: http://www.istana.gov.sg/