wild happenings in singapore: September 2012

24-30 Sep: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family

Paint along with Pui San at Sungei Buloh

Wild walks

Make a difference!

29 Sep (Sat) 2-6pm Join International Coastal Cleanup Singapore at Pasir Ris, Tanah Merah and Pulau Ubin to make a difference for marine debris on our shores. More details and online signup.

29 Sep (Sat) 9.30am The Green Volunteers need help to plant 100 trees at Tampines Eco Green. More details

30 Sep (Sun): Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes

Enjoy a pleasant stroll along a countryside road to the Kranji Marshes onto the PUB Bund. The marsh is designated by URA as a Nature Park and is currently adopted by NSS under PUB's ABC Waters Programme. Birding highlights here include the Red-wattled Lapwing, Purple Swamphen, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, White-browed Crake, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle and more.

Register on the NSS website by 19 Sep. A registration form will then be emailed to you. Maximum 20 persons. Open to the public but children below 12 are not allowed by safety reasons.

Time: 7.45-11am
Venue: Meet Ding Li at Kranji Dam Carpark B near the tidal gates of Kranji Reservoir, off Kranji Way. From the meeting point, a hired bus will ferry us to our destination. Reachable by Bus 925 from Kranji MRT station. If you are driving (from SLE or Kranji MRT stn), follow Kranji Way heading towards Sg Buloh Wetland Reserve, and you will pass Sg Kadut Industrial Estate and Kranji Reservoir before reaching Carpark B.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: Goh Ter Yang at teryang@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

30 Sep (Sun): Paint along with Pui San at Sungei Buloh

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

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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

29 Sep (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

29 Sep (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

17-23 Sep: Highlights of the week ahead

Wild walks

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Twilight Ramble from Dempsey Road to Bukit Brown

Make a difference!

Join International Coastal Cleanup Singapore on 29 Sep (Sat) 2-6pm at Pasir Ris, Tanah Merah and Pulau Ubin. More details and online signup.

23 Sep (Sun): Butterfly Walk at Butterfly Trail @ Orchard

Celebrate the diversity in Orchard by joining the Nature Society (Singapore) on a public walk along the Butterﬂy Trail @ Orchard. 60 species of butterflies have already been sighted on the trail. Let’s explore the trail to witness the sight of these creatures living in an urban environment and to discover even more.

We will start at the butterfly garden in Stamford Green, passing through SMU, Dhoby Ghaut Green, Istana Park, Penang Road Open Space and end at the rooftop garden on Orchard Central.

This walk is open to the public. NSS kids attending the walk with their parents will have a dedicated kids' guide.

Time: 9:30am-12noon
Venue: Meet Simon Chan in front of the National Museum at 93 Stamford Road. Stamford Green is accessible by the outdoor escalator next to the museum.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

22 Sep (Sat): Twilight Ramble from Dempsey Road to Bukit Brown

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

P Pandian and Sutari Supari will lead you on a visit to the former grounds of the Johor Sultan’s bungalow at Tyersall Avenue. We then ramble through the Botanic Gardens and Palm Valley. If we are lucky, we might hear the Spotted Wood Owl and other birds calling at dusk. As night falls, Mars, Venus and Jupiter become visible in the shimmery sky above. We enter Bukit Brown from Kheam Hock Road. Here, let us soak in Bukit Brown’s serene night ambience, before a busy expressway slices it in half in the near future. We will then walk a circuit ending at Lornie Road.

Do have your dinner early, or pack along snacks and drinks. Estimated distance/time: 5 km/5 hours.

Not suitable for children below 12 years old.

Time: 5-10pm
Venue: Meet at the junction of Dempsey Road and Holland Road
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

22 Sep (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.

22 Sep (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.
Website and contact: http://www.sbg.org.sg/ Visitor Services 6471 7361

22 Sep (Sat): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

10-16 Sep: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family

NSS Kids’ Fun with the Wildflowers, Birds and Animals of Bidadari

Walks in wild places

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Birdwatching at Tampines Wood

16 Sep (Sun): Birdwatching at Tampines Wood

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Tampines Wood is located behind Tampines Industrial estate. There was once a Grebe Pond here but it has since given way to development. Visit this wooded area before it is completely gone. We will be looking for Sooty-headed Bulbuls, Red-whiskered Bulbuls, Bee-eaters, Black-shouldered Kites, Pied Trillers, Pied Fantails and more. If we are lucky, we can watch mix flocks of Munias - Black-headed, White-headed and Scaly-breasted - feeding together!

NSS Kids attending the walk with their parents will have a dedicated kids guide. For members only.

Time: 7.30-11am
Venue: Meet Willie at the junction of Tampines Road and Jalan Sam Kongsi.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: Goh Ter Yang at teryang@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

15 Sep (Sat): NSS Kids’ Fun with the Wildflowers, Birds and Animals of Bidadari

Bidadari, overgrown and wild, offers a motley assemblage of plant life ranging from figs to wildflowers. It is also a magnet for migratory birds and the foraging grounds for a good number of wildlife. But come December 2012, this green expanse will give way to HDB flat construction.

Before green becomes concrete, join Uncle Von Bing and the Nature Society (Singapore) Education Group to see for yourself how nature, when left to its own devices, can become so rich and verdant.

For kids 4 to 12 years old

This event is open to the public. Pre-register with Gloria Seow at gloria_seow@yahoo.com, stating their names and ages, if they are NSS members or not, if you need us to loan you a pair of binoculars or not, and let us have your mobile number. Details will be emailed to those who sign up.

Time: 8.30-10.30am
Location: Bidadari located right next to Woodleigh MRT station.
Cost: $5 per child (member) or $10 per child (non-member) will be collected on the spot. Parents/caregivers are encouraged to join in at no charge.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

15 Sep (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

15 Sep (Sat): A walk in an ancient forest, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is the largest surviving primary rainforest in Singapore. Come and join us on a fascinating journey of discovery to learn more about the natural wonders of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and why we should protect and conserve its complex ecosystem and diversity.

At this walk, the guide will introduce you to the common native flora and fauna found in the primary rainforest.

This guided walk is suitable for families with children and groups of not more than 5. Along a slightly undulating natural path, the trail is not accessible to prams and wheelchairs.

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 third Saturday of the month.

Sign up on this online form.

Time: 9.25am-10.30am. Meet at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Visitor Centre, at the ranger counter.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

15 Sep (Sat): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

15 Sep (Sat): Prof Leo Tan speaks on "Greening the Red Dot - Creating a Legacy for the future?"

Singapore is a tiny island of a little over 720 square kilometers in size. It has a population of more than 5 million and has no natural resources to draw upon, except its people. So what is the value of nature and biodiversity to the socio-economic progress of this red dot? We are often reminded that it is business/finance and technology that drives the economy, not natural history! Is this really the case?

This seminar examines some aspects of the need or otherwise for nature and the environment in keeping our island salubrious and liveable as we chase our economic goals. How important or sustainable are the tiny pockets of natural forest, coastal mangroves, coral reefs and parks for us now and as a legacy for our future generations?

The talk is free but pre-registration is required online. More details. This talk by Professor Leo Tan, organized by Wee Kim Wee Centre, SMU

Time: 3-5pm
Venue: Mochtar Riady Auditorium, Level 5, Singapore Management University Administration Building
Contact: weekimweecentre@smu.edu.sg

3-9 Sep: Highlights of the week ahead

School holiday fun for kids and the family!

Walks in wild places

More activities

4, 5, 6 Sep (Tue-Thu): Help conserve our forest!

You can also explore on your own! Check out the many DIY Trail Guides on the NParks website. More about our wild places on wildsingapore. A tip to avoid the crowds on school holiday weekends, come early. That's when wildlife is more active anyway. And leave before it gets too hot.

9 Sep (Sun): M.A.D. (Make A Difference) for Wild Pigs

A FREE education programme by Cicada Tree Eco-Place

Where do wild pigs live in Singapore? Are there wild pigs that live in other parts of the world? What do wild pigs look like? What do they eat? What may eat them? How many piglets do they usually have? What dangers do they face? How can we live with them? What can we do to conserve them? If we should meet a with a wild pig, what should we do? If you're a kid between the ages of 5 and 10 years, and would like to learn more about wild pigs, then join us for an evening of fun and learning. Take home with you a better idea about wild pigs that live in our midst.

Note: This workshop will not bring you into close contact with wild pigs.

Pre-registration and more details with Celine Low at contact@cicadatree.org.sg giving participants' names, ages & a mobile no. pls indicate which lesson you are signing up for. Additional date: 26 Aug (Sun) 6-8 pm

Time: 4-6 pm
Meeting point: entrance of bishan-ang mo kio park pond gardens from car park off ang mo kio ave 1, opposite block 222. this section of the park is between upper thomson road & marymount road.
Website and contact: http://www.cicadatree.org.sg/

9 Sep (Sun): We Love Insects! - workshop for kids

Join us for this fun workshop on insects! Learn more about butterflies, moths, dragonflies, damselflies, ants and other creepy crawlies that live in HortPark. This lesson will include a guided nature walk to look for insects amongst the bushes and ponds of HortPark's gardens. All kids will go home with an art and craft souvenir which they will colour and assemble after the nature walk.

This workshop is suitable for children 5 years and older, and is conducted by Cicada Tree Eco Place.

Pre-registration is required and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration closes one week before each programme. Programme will commence only with a minimum of 15 participants. Register with the HortPark Visitor Services Centre at 6471-5601 or NPARKS_HortPark@nparks.gov.sg

Time: 10am-12noon
Venue: HortPark, Greenhouse (Workshop Area)
Cost: $25 per child
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

8 Sep (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 a boardwalk, 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.

Tours in Mandarin are available at 10am and 4pm.

Time: 9am, 10am, 11am and 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

8 Sep (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.

Suitable 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/

8 Sep (Sat): Free Chek Jawa boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs

The 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

8 Sep (Sat): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

8 Sep (Sat): Trees of the Fort

Embark on this adventure and discover the secret lives of our heritage trees and more!

Our nature-loving guides from The Green Volunteers will walk you through this public park that has undergone a series of historical transformation through the centuries. Although much of the original vegetation has disappeared due to these changes, active greening efforts have converted this once formidable fort into an idyllic respite from the hustle and bustle of city life amidst lush and magnificent trees. Meet the Towering Kapok, Flaky Gelam, Gnarled Madras Thorn and many more.

This is a free public outreach programme in the park. Register with nurul_asyiqin_jaffar@nparks.gov.sg

Time: 4-5.30 pm
Venue: Meet at Fort Canning Visitor's centre
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

8 Sep (Sat): PrawnWatch at Sungei Buloh

Free guided introduction to traditional prawn farming. Go on a 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.

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 9.15am at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Information Counter.
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: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

8 Sep (Sat): Birdwatching at Lorong Halus

This walk is open to the public.

This walk which will start at the Punggol Promenade. For years, Little Grebes and Common Moorhens have made their home at Lorong Halus, an old rubbish dump site. Grassland birds like Yellow-bellied Prinias, Munias, Baya Weavers, Long-tailed Shrikes and more thrive here. PUB recently completed 'Lorong Halus Wetland' to help purify water that flow through the dump site. Come join Jimmy Lee in an enjoyable morning of sights and sounds presented by these birds.

Registration by 3 Sep via the NSS website. The walk is limited to a maximum of 30 persons.

Time: 7.30-11am. Meet beside the Popeye Restaurant at Tebing Lane off Punggol East. You can take the MRT to Punggol station and transfer to the LRT. Alight at Riviera LRT station and walk towards the meeting point.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

8 Sep (Sat): Young Naturalists Passport Camp at Sungei Buloh

This one day camp encompasses a series of fun-filled and educational indoor and outdoor learning of the wetlands and nature conservation issues through worksheets, nature walks and hands-on activities. Children will earn a stamp for every completed activity, and a full collection of stamps will earn them a series of cloth badges.

Limited to 40 children between the age of 6-10 years old. Registration is required.

More information on the programme and online registration form on the Reserve website.

Time: 9am- 5pm
Cost: Each participant needs to purchase a young naturalist passport from the Visitor Services Counter at 50 cents. Registration of $5 is applicable, and cheques will be returned upon attendance and completion of the camp. The fee will be donated to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve education fund if the child fails to turn up for the camp upon registration and confirmation. Admission charges (50 cents per child) apply.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: 67941401

7 Sep (Fri): Butterfly Garden at Pasir Ris Park and night walk at Mangrove Boardwalk with Cicada Tree Eco Place

We visit this newly-revamped garden plot inside Pasir Ris Park. Here we see many kinds of herbs, spices and vegetables being grown, and stroll through a butterfly-attracting garden. Learn to identify the plants that are crucial to butterflies, moths, honeybees and other important pollinators, as nectar-food and caterpillar-food plants. Learn how to grow and propagate these plants too.

As dusk falls, we enter the mangrove boardwalk to look for nocturnal animals and night-blooming plants. Here we are sure to see some Dog-faced Watersnakes coming out to hunt. Tree-climbing Crabs are also more active at night, many perching up on branches like birds! Pong-Pong flowers perfume the air.

Please note: Both garden plot and boardwalk have level pathways suitable for those in wheelchairs. There is a carpark and public toilet nearby. Bring torchlight and batteries, poncho or raincoat, packed dinner, water in your refillable water bottle, herbal mosquito repellent. Please wear long pants, tee-shirt, socks and covered shoes. Long-sleeved shirt is recommended.

Pre-registration and more details with Celine Low at contact@cicadatree.org.sg giving participants' names, ages and a mobile no.

Time: 5.30-8pm
Meeting point: Pasir Ris Park, mangrove walk. Meet at toilet block at front corner of Car Park C at end of Pasir Ris Green Road. Map
Cost: $15 per kid (suitable for kids 5 years and above). No charge for 1 accompanying adult.
Website and contact: http://www.cicadatree.org.sg/

6 Sep (Thu): Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve with Cicada Tree Eco Place

This wetland reserve is now a resting and feeding spot for migratory birds. But it also hosts a fantastic diversity of native fauna and flora. In the past, the area had several kampongs (villages) with the locals tending to vegetable and fruit tree plots. Many of these fruit trees and traditional herbs still survive and may be encountered along the trails. The people also constructed fish and prawn ponds in the mangroves. These are now used by the birds.

Of late, otters, civets & estuarine crocodiles have also made Sg. Buloh their home. Come see for yourselves!

Trails: Level dirt paths and boardwalks suitable for children, the elderly, disabled or participants using wheelchairs.

Pre-registration and more details with Celine Low at contact@cicadatree.org.sg giving participants' names, ages and a mobile no.

Time: 9-11am
Cost: $13 per person (adult or child), excluding park entrance fees. Park entrance fee is $1 for adults, 50 cents for children Minimum 20 persons for walk to go ahead.
Website and contact: http://www.cicadatree.org.sg/

6 Sep (Thu): The Birthday Party: Sara at The Children's Garden

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

Suitable for children in K1 – P2 levels.

To register, email nparks_sbg_edu@nparks.gov.sg or call 64719961 or register online at www.sbg.org.sg (under "Education")

Time: 10-11am
Cost: $8.50 per child (includes $2.50 “The Birthday Party. Sara at the Children’s Garden” workbook); $6 per accompanying parent.
Venue: Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, Bukit Timah Core
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: 6471 9961 or nparks_sbg_edu@nparks.gov.sg

5 Sep (Wed): Chek Jawa Walk with Cicada Tree Eco Place

We go on the extensive boardwalk at Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin. Here we shall see a diversity of unique flora and fauna. At low tide, exposed seaweeds used to be collected by locals to feed their pigs. From the mangroves, Attap Palm leaves were harvested for thatching while durable Nibong Palm trunks were used to build kelongs. The shallow sea here has incredible marine biodiversity, and is home to many species of fishes, starfishes, anemones, crabs, sponges, seaweeds, including the Dugong or Sea Cow which comes in to graze the extensive seagrass beds here.

Note: It will be on the boardwalk and walking on mudflats is not allowed. Trails: Wooden boardwalk. Earth paths, some parts with gentle slopes. More about Chek Jawa and Pulau Ubin and how to get there on wildsingapore.

Pre-registration and more details with Celine Low at contact@cicadatree.org.sg giving participants' names, ages and a mobile no.

Time: 3-6pm
Cost: $15 per person (adult or child), excluding the bumboat ride and mini-bus ride to Chek Jawa. The bumboat ride is $2.50 per person one way. The mini-bus ride is $4 return per person to and from the main village (10-12 persons per bus). Minimum 20 persons for walk to go ahead.
Website and contact: http://www.cicadatree.org.sg/

5 Sep (Wed): Ubin Kampong walk with Cicada Tree Eco Place

This nature-guided stroll will bring us through a herb and spice garden, coffee and fruit tree orchards, the mangrove forest ecosystem, grassland and woodlands, coconut plantation, and bypasses 'kampong' village houses and their backyard food gardens. Along the way on the dirt trails, we may encounter wild pigs, jungle chickens, monitor lizards and a diversity of birds and bugs among the wayside wildflowers. This walk will end in the main village which remains almost unchanged since the 1960s.

Pre-registration and more details with Celine Low at contact@cicadatree.org.sg giving participants' names, ages and a mobile no.

Time: 9-11am
Meeting point: Changi point ferry terminal at Changi Village. More about Pulau Ubin and how to get there on wildsingapore.
Cost: $13 per person (adult or child), excluding the bumboat ride. The bumboat ride is $2.50 per person one way.
Website and contact: http://www.cicadatree.org.sg/

5 Sep (Wed): Herbs and Spcies Tour for kids

Herbs and spices are of great importance in culinary recipes and as medicine. Come and explore our Herbs and Spices Garden, hear interesting stories. You will learn more about the uses and many benefits of herbs and spices.
Suitable for children in K1 – P6 levels

Online registration at www.sbg.org.sg (under "Education"). For enquiries, contact the SBG Education Branch at 6471 99616465 0196 or email: nparks_sbg_edu@nparks.gov.sg.

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

4 Sep (Tue): Nite Crawlie Critter walk with Cicada Tree Eco Place

Singapore Botanic Gardens jungle boardwalk trail. We explore one of Singapore's oldest jungle patch at night to see what goes bump in the dark. Nocturnal wildlife still to be found living inside this jungle includes owls, the Red-legged Crake, Four-lined Tree frog, Whip Scorpion and other unique creepie-crawlies to be encountered.

Pre-registration and more details with Celine Low at contact@cicadatree.org.sg giving participants' names, ages and a mobile no.

Time: 6.30-8.30 pm
Meeting point: Visitor centre at 1 Cluny Road.Map
Cost: $15 per kid (suitable for kids 5 years and above). No charge for 1 accompanying adult.
Website and contact: http://www.cicadatree.org.sg/

4, 5, 6 Sep (Tue-Thu): Help conserve our forest!

Help play a part in conserving our forests by participating in our invasive species removal programme. You will help improve the quality of the habitat on site, so join us if you are keen to make a change!

Individuals, families and organised groups such as schools and corporate companies are welcome to participate.

The event is free but pre-registration is required and is on a first-come-first-served basis. Registrations close 1 week before each programme. All programmes will only commence with a minimum of 15 participants. To register please contact HortPark Visitor Services at 6471-5601 or NPARKS_HortPark@nparks.gov.sg

Time: 9-11am
Meeting point: Telok Blangah Hill Park, Multi-purpose plaza
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

27 Aug - 2 Sep: Highlights of the week ahead

School holiday fun for kids and the family

Lots more holiday activities next week! Pre-registration required for most, so book your places early.

Walks in wild places

More events

2 Sep (Sun): Bukit Brown Cemetery walk with Cicada Tree Eco Place

Bukit Brown Cemetery, also known as 'Kopi Sua' or Coffee Hill in the Hokkien dialect, is a Chinese cemetery established in the early 20th century. Opened on 1st January 1922, it filled with burials and was closed sometime in 1929. This interesting, old and lushly vegetated cemetery is still open to the public and has become a home and habitat to a diversity of wildlife. Nature lovers visit to do birdwatching and to look at plantlife, with many 'old fashioned' species or varieties still existing there which are nowadays no longer commonly grown. During the year-end migratory season, many rare migrating bird species may be spotted in this cemetery. Locally rare wildlife such as the Musang or Palm Civet lives here, surviving on the fruit trees growing here such as Rambai, Durian, Rambutan, and Nangka. Our easy stroll on a level, tar road will take us on a loop through the cemetery and back to the main entrance.

Pre-registration and more details with Celine Low at contact@cicadatree.org.sg giving participants' names, ages and a mobile no.

Reminders:
-Must wear long pants, with socks and covered shoes. Wear long-sleeved shirt if you are attractive to mosquitoes.
-Bring enough water in refillable water bottles and a snack
-Bring poncho, raincoat or umbrella.

Time: 9-10sm
Meeting point: Gate at entrance of Bukit Brown Cemetery at Lorong Halwa. Map
Directions: The entrance of Bukit Brown Cemetery has an iron gate. The small road that goes through this gate is called Lorong Halwa (but there may not be a sign showing it). This road is off Sime Road which is off Lornie Road. Sime Road is cut into 2 portions by Lornie Road—Bukit Brown is in the portion that is opposite the Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) golf course and MacRitchie’s forest. If coming from Thomson Road, go onto Lornie Road and Sime Road is on your left with MacRitchie’s forest on your right on the other side of the road. Turn left into Sime Road and then turn left into Lorong Halwa and you will see the iron gates of Bukit Brown cemetery.
Carpark: Parking can either be outside the gate, or after the gate at the roundabout area.
Nearest MRT: Marymount, change to bus 52 or 74 and alight at the bus stop after the junction of Sime Road with Lornie Road.
Buses: 157 (from Toa Payoh Interchange), 93, 165, 74, 852, 855.
Cost: $13 per person (adult or child)
Website and contact: http://www.cicadatree.org.sg/

2 Sep (Sun): Strange Plants Workshop! for kids

Some plants have really strange qualities! Plants like Pitcher Plants, Venue Fly-traps and Sundews eat up bugs, while other plants like Ant Plants and Ant Ferms provide food for bugs which protect them. Some plants have sweet leaves or shoots which may be eaten, while others are poisonous and should never be consumed. In this lesson, kids will learn about the Ant Plant and its symbiotic relationship with ants. Kids will also see examples of useful plants like the Rattan. The lesson will end with a walk in the garden where kids will get to hunt for all sorts of strange plants.

For kids aged 5-10 years. This programme is conducted with Cicada Tree Eco Place.

Pre-registration is required and is on a first-come-first-served basis. Registrations close 5 days before each programme. All programmes will only commence with a minimum of 15 participants. To register please contact HortPark Visitor Services at 6471-5601 or NPARKS_HortPark@nparks.gov.sg

Time: 10am-12noon
Venue: Greenhouse, HortPark
Cost: $25 per child
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

1 Sep (Sat): MacRitchie Forest and Trails Walk with Cicada Tree Eco Place

MacRitchie is more than just a reservoir from which we draw life-sustaining water for our daily consumption. It is also one of the last strongholds to some precious patches of primary rain forests left in Singapore today. Giant keruing trees, nutmegs, oak and other native tree species provide a wonderful representation of what a tropical forest is like. A walk along her many footpaths and boardwalks will bring you back in time to the majesty of the pristine forest ecosystem that had once covered the whole island of Singapore in pre-Raffles times. Some of the animals that can be seen there are flying dragons, skinks, clouded monitors, long-tailed macaques, squirrels, colugos & fish eagles.

Pre-registration and more details with Celine Low at contact@cicadatree.org.sg giving participants' names, ages and a mobile no.

Time: 9-10sm
Cost: $13 per person (adult or child)
Website and contact: http://www.cicadatree.org.sg/

1 Sep (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)

1 Sep (Sat): Free Bird-watching along the Southern Ridges

If you are a bird-lover, be sure to join us for a chirpy experience at Telok Blangah Hill Park! Comprising lush green open spaces and forested areas, the Southern Ridges is home to numerous species of flora and fauna. 43 species of birds have been recently surveyed in this area, and some of them are rare and uncommon. Bring along your binoculars and you may spot some of the 43 species of birds that may be found here!

The event is free but pre-registration is required and is on a first-come-first-served basis. Registrations close 1 week before each programme. All programmes will only commence with a minimum of 15 participants. To register please contact HortPark Visitor Services at 6471-5601 or NPARKS_HortPark@nparks.gov.sg

Time: 7.30-9.30am
Venue: Telok Blangah Hill Park, entrance of Forest Walk
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

1 Sep (Sat): Plant Parts - a free workshop for kids

Join us for this fun activity where children can ‘create’ their own plant, while recognising the mains parts of plants and understanding their different functions. Just as each of the organs of our body performs a specific role, each part of a plant, such as roots, stem, leaves, flowers and fruits, has its special function too!

Suitable for kids 5-12 years old

More about the speaker: Jiahui is a manager from the National Parks Board. She enjoys gardening and is passionate about spreading her love for green and nature to the public, to let them appreciate the wonderful world of plants.

Time: 2-3pm
Venue: Queenstown Public Library
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: nparks_urban_gardening@nparks.gov.sg

1 Sep (Sat): Free Pasir Ris Mangrove boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs

There are fascinating mangroves at Pasir Ris Park! Easily explored through the boardwalks and it's open even at night! Join the Naked Hermit Crabs for an evening stroll through this interesting but often overlooked mangrove.

Here, we are sure to see lots of crazy tree climbing crabs, delightful giant mudskippers and cool monitor lizards. Pasir Ris is also one of the few places where nesting herons are easily observed. And as the sun sets, we might spot some nocturnal animals like watersnakes. If we're lucky, we may catch a glimpse of the rare Mangrove pitta or the family of otters that have been seen here! More details on the Naked Hermit Crabs blog.

Register through this online form. A confirmation note will be sent.

Time: 5pm. We should end at around 6.30pm, just before sunset.
Meeting point: Pasir Ris Park, Carpark C, meet near the first toilets nearest the entrance to the carpark. The meeting point is a short stroll from the Pasir Ris MRT station. Map
Website and contact: http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.com/

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