wild happenings in singapore: September 2018

24-30 Sep: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family

NSS Kids’ Fun with Community Gardening

Walks in wild places

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29 Sep (Sat): NSS Kids’ Fun with Community Gardening

Open to the Public - Registration Needed

Enjoy a tour of the edible plants growing in Moulmein-Goldhill Community Garden (off Bukit Timah Road) cared for by residents. This is an award-winning platinum-banded garden as recognised by NParks. Kids can help harvest vegetables straight from the earth. We will also cover Malcolm Park next door to spot its bustling bird life including colourful parakeets and majestic raptors.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

Time: 8am to 10am
Venue: Moulmein-Goldhill Community Garden
Cost: NSS Member: $2 per child; Non-member: $10 per child
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

29 Sep (Sat): Mandarin guided tour at Sungei Buloh

Join us for a morning guided walk around the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve: Eagle Point

This guided walk is suitable for everyone, including families with children.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre. Please meet at the Information Counter, Kranji Way entrance
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

29 Sep (Sat): What's in my mangroves?

Join us for a FREE guided walk of this unique mangrove wetlands located at the border of freshwater (river) and salt water (sea). Singapore used to have large areas of mangroves, but lost most of them to coastal development. Few mangroves are left in Singapore, one of which is at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve: Mangrove boardwalk

Join this free morning walk and get to know the mangrove trees and plants of Sungei Buloh.

More details and registration on the NParks website

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Visitor Centre. Please meet at the Information Counter, Kranji Way entrance
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

17-23 Sep: Highlights of the week ahead

Walks in wild places

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22 Sep (Sat): Nature Appreciation Walk at Windsor Nature Park

Ideally situated at the perimeter of Central Catchment Nature Reserve, the 75-hectare Windsor Nature Park is the gateway to the rich biodiversity of the largest nature reserve in Singapore. The nature park was developed as a green buffer to help reduce visitorship pressures and man-made disturbances currently experienced by the nature reserve

Through this guided walk, you will gain a greater appreciation of Singapore’s rich natural heritage and the need to protect it for future generations. Come join us and discover the importance of Windsor Nature Park as a buffer to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9.30am - 10.30am
Venue: Meet at Windsor Nature Park Pavilion
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

22 Sep (Sat): What's in my sky?

Birdwatchers, join us in this free guided walk and learn to identify many amazing birds of different species that passes through or make Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve their home.

Limited to 20 persons.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre
Please meet at Information Counter, Neo Tiew entrance
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

22 Sep (Sat): Race Against Time - Science behind a Botanic Garden Tour

This session introduces the research facilities at the Singapore Botanic Gardens such as the Library of Botany and Horticulture, Orchid and Micro-propagation laboratory and the Herbarium.

Highlights of this 45-minute tour includes a visit to the Herbarium which stores physical records of reference plant materials, some dating as far back as 1790. In addition, learn about our hybridization programme for orchids, a process introduced back in 1930’s by the then Director, R.E Holttum.

Limited to 25 people, for ages 9 and above.

This tour repeats every fourth Saturday. More details on the NParks website.

Time: 10am, registration is required at the Service Desk 15-minutes before the scheduled start time.
Venue: Botany Centre, Tanglin Gate (nearest MRT is Orchard station)
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

22 Sep (Sat): Learning Forest Tour

Join this FREE tour of The Learning Forest every Saturday which features a network of boardwalks and elevated walkways that allow visitors to explore habitats ranging from a freshwater forest wetland to a lowland rainforest.

isitors can learn about freshwater forest wetland ecosystems at the Keppel Discovery Wetlands and walk amongst a collection of some of the tallest tree species in Southeast Asia at the SPH Walk of Giants.

More details on the NParks website.

Time: 9am - 10am
Venue: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Visitor Services at Tyersall Gate. Register 15 minute before session starts.
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

22 Sep (Sat): Mandarin guided tour at Sungei Buloh

Join us for a morning guided walk around the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

This free guided walk is suitable for everyone, including families with children.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre. Please meet at the Information Counter, Kranji Way entrance
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

22 Sep (Sat): A walk with your neighbours - the macaques of Bukit Timah

The long-tailed macaques are the most conspicuous animals at Bukit Timah. Although commonly seen, they are very misunderstood. Few seeing them realise anything about the social world these monkeys live in. They have kin networks, power struggles, friends, foes, and an otherwise complex social network. In many ways, they provide a mirror of our own sociality.

If you would like to learn more about your community and the interesting world of your neighbouring macaques at Macritchie, please join our free walk, led by experts from the Jane Goodall Institute Singapor e.

Suitable for adults and children above 8 years.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 5pm - 6.30pm
Venue: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, BTNR Visitor Centre's Front Courtyard, Visitor Centre Front Courtyard
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

10-16 Sep: Highlights of the week ahead

Walks in wild places

Make a wild difference

Mangrove cum Coastal Clean-Up at Ubin

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Butterfly Walk at Dairy Farm Nature Park

MORE events next week

MORE events for the month ahead.

16 Sep (Sun): Butterfly Walk at Dairy Farm Nature Park

For Nature Society (Singapore) Members Only

Situated at the foothills of Bukit Timah, Dairy Farm Nature Park has always been a rich area for forest butterflies. Besides commonly encountered species such as the Common Birdwing, Plain Nawab, Malay Viscount, Common Posy and Grey Sailor, we hope to find rarer butterflies like the Indigo Flash, Suffused Flash, Eliot's Cornelian, Pitcher Blue, Yellow Banded Awl, Five-Bar Swordtail, Red Edge and Yamfly. Join Simon Chan to explore the newer trails in this park.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

Time: 9.30am - 11.30am
Venue: Meet at 9.30am at the entrance of Dairy Farm Nature Park next to the car park area.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

15 Sep (Sat): Mangrove cum Coastal Clean-Up at Ubin

Open to the Public - Registration Needed

Pulau Ubin is designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. In line with the Restore Ubin Mangroves (RUM) initiative, join us as we remove abandoned drift nets and marine debris that choke up Ubin’s coastline. This prepares the selected sites for scientific surveys and RUM works. It ensures that our wildlife have the proper environment to thrive.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

Time: 8am - 11am
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

15 Sep (Sat): A walk with your neighbours: The macaques of Lower Peirce

The long-tailed macaques are the most conspicuous animals at Lower Peirce Reservoir Park. Although commonly seen, they are very misunderstood. Few seeing them realise anything about the social world these monkeys live in. They have kin networks, power struggles, friends, foes, and an otherwise complex social network. In many ways, they provide a mirror of our own society.

If you would like to learn more about your community and the interesting world of your neighbouring macaques at Lower Peirce, please join our walk which is led by experts from the Jane Goodall Institute Singapore.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 5pm - 6.30pm
Venue: Lower Peirce Trail, Hevea Trail Entrance
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

15 Sep (Sat): National Orchid Garden guided tour

Spend an hour with our volunteer guides as they introduce how orchids are the largest flowering group of plants in the world. Visit the collection of hybrids and species that in collection of the National Orchid Garden.

Full map at http://www.sbg.org.sg/map_nog.htm

This walk is conducted by the volunteers of the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

A tour in Mandarin is also conducted at 4pm.

More details on the NParks website.

Time: 9am, 10am, 11am (English) and 4pm (Mandarin). Register 15 minutes before the tour starts. Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis.
Venue: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Visitor Services Desk at Nassim Gate
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.nparks.gov.sg/`

15 Sep (Sat): Ubin Rustic Reflections Tour

This tour takes approximately 2 hours. It starts at the Assembly Area before proceeding to the former Bin Kiang School site. You will then head over to the Sensory Trail pond to learn about the habitat restoration efforts before making stops at Pulau Ubin’s former headman’s house and Kampung Melayu.

Tour participants will also visit a rubber plantation that once supplied Singapore, and possibly the region, with latex, and learn more about the different plants that played a major role in shaping this country’s culinary delights at the Ubin Fruit Orchard before ending the tour at Teck Seng’s Place – a restored Chinese kampung house.

For all ages, children under the age of 13 to be under parental/guardian guidance.

Limited to 2 groups, each group a maximum of 15 people. More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9.30 - 11.30am
Venue: Meet at Ubin-HSBC Volunteer Hub, a 10-min walk from Ubin Jetty. More on how to get to Pulau Ubin.
Cost: Guided tours charges: SGD$60.00 / Group (for a maximum of 15 people) Only payment via cheque are allowed until further notice. 4 groups per day allowed, each group can accommodate a maximum of 15 people
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

15 Sep (Sat): Kampong Tour at Pulau Ubin

Take a walk with us to experience Ubin's wonderful natural and cultural heritage. The 2.2km trail takes about 2 hours to complete. The tour will start at the Ubin-HSBC Volunteer Hub and take you through the spice trees around Jelutong campsite, Butterfly Hill, Pekan Quarry, Sensory Trail Ponds, Kampong House, Old Bin Kiang School site, Toa Pek Kong Temple and end at the Wayang Stage. You will hear about the use of spices in cooking and the interesting history of the different sites.

Do you know what the Ubin-HSBC Volunteer Hub was in the 1970s? When was the Toa Pek Kong Temple built? If you would like to know, then this is an excellent introduction to the heritage of the island.

For all ages, children under the age of 13 to be under parental/guardian guidance.

Limited to 4 groups, each group a maximum of 15 people. Register on the NParks website.

Time: 9.30 - 11.30am
Venue: Meet at Ubin-HSBC Volunteer Hub, a 10-min walk from Ubin Jetty. More on how to get to Pulau Ubin.
Cost: Guided tours charges: SGD$60.00 / Group (for a maximum of 15 people) Only payment via cheque are allowed until further notice. 4 groups per day allowed, each group can accommodate a maximum of 15 people
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

15 Sep (Sat): What's in my mangroves?

15 Sep (Sat): Nature Sketching in the Gardens with Pui San

Enjoy nature creatively through this engaging, fun and therapeutic activity. Join our volunteer artist, Mr Tham Pui San, as he teaches and guides you in acquiring drawing and observation skills to equip you for an interesting journey of nature appreciation.

This event is held every third Saturday of every alternate month

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9am - 11am
Venue: Singapore Botanic Gardens
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/

15 Sep (Sat): Nature Appreciation Walk at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Join this free Guided Nature Appreciation Walk to find out more about the flora and fauna that can be found in the reserve!

Experience nature in its pristine form at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, which is a mere 12 km from the bustling city centre. By virtue of Singapore’s location on the equatorial belt, the reserve has one of the richest and most diverse ecological systems.

More information and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9.30am - 10.30am.
Venue: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (Visitor Centre)
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

15 Sep (Sat): A chat with Bernard on Estuarine Crocodiles at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Learn all about the Estuarine Crocodiles that bask in the Reserve with Bernard, an SBWR volunteer with a keen interest in our reptilian friend!

Bernard will be at the Main Bridge from 8 am to 10 am on 15 September. Do drop by to have a chat with Bernard and learn fascinating information about the crocodiles – such as their characteristics and behaviour, and observe them as they go about their daily business.

Registration not required.

More details on the NParks website.

Time: 8am to 10am
Place: Main Bridge at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre (Neo Tiew Entrance)

3-9 Sep: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family

Walks in wild places

Wild talks

6 Sep (Thu): Birding in Singapore With Your Eyes Closed...Or How to Listen to Birds

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Birdwatching at Bukit Brown

Go wild during the school holidays! Check out the highlights of exciting nature activities specially for kids!

And MORE fun school holiday activities to discover and enjoy. Why not explore our wild places free-and-easy? Great destinations include Pulau Ubin and a wide range of seashores, mangroves and forest destinations. Download NParks' DIY guides to explore some parks and nature places on your own. MORE events next week MORE events for the month ahead.

9 Sep (Sun): Love MacRitchie Walk by Toddycats - Venus Drive

Join the NUS Toddycats of Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in discovering the forest! Learn about amazing plants and animals living in our backyard as part of the Love Our MacRitchie Forest movement.

Come join us and learn about the conservation issues surrounding the proposed Cross Island MRT Line (CRL) through the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

The forest trail at Venus Loop is a dirt path, which is relatively level and suitable for children and the elderly. Be prepared for some mud.

This guided walk is conducted by volunteers and is free-of-charge. Limited spaces available.

More details and registration online.

Time: 8.30am - 11.30am
Venue: Windsor Nature Park's drop off point, Venus Drive
Website: http://lovemacritchie.wordpress.com/

8 Sep (Sat): Birdwatching at Bukit Brown

For Nature Society (Singapore) Members Only

We will explore Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery for its birds. Sections of this historical corner of Singapore have been closed off for road construction, but there are still undisturbed areas for birding. Expect to see a mix of parkland, open country and forest birds such as bulbuls, doves, babblers, flowerpeckers, parakeets, sunbirds and woodpeckers.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

Time: 7.30am to 11am
Venue: Meet at 7.30 am at the temporary cemetery access to Blocks 2 and 5 (look out for a yellow signboard). From Lornie Road, make a left turn at Sime Road and this is the first access point just after the private houses.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

8 Sep (Sat): A walk with your neighbours: The macaques of MacRitchie

The long-tailed macaques are the most conspicuous animals at MacRitchie Reservoir Park. Although commonly seen, they are very misunderstood. Few seeing them realise anything about the social world these monkeys live in. They have kin networks, power struggles, friends, foes, and an otherwise complex social network. In many ways, they provide a mirror of our own society.

If you would like to learn more about your community and the interesting world of your neighbouring macaques at Lower Peirce, please join our FREE walk which is led by experts from the Jane Goodall Institute Singapore.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 5pm - 6.30pm
Venue: Macritchie Reservoir Park, Mushroom Cafe
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

8 Sep (Sat): Evening Chorus at Kranji Marshes

Join this free walk for an introduction to the unique nature area and the species which are living in its marsh, woodland and grass habitats.

The walk will also guide participants through the core conservation area, which is not usually opened to the public, as it is ecologically sensitive. Led by NParks volunteers The approximately 3 km guided walk will take visitors on a two-hour journey.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 4.30pm - 6.30pm
Meeting point: Kranji Gate, 11 Neo Tiew Lane 2
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

8 Sep (Sat): Rain Forest Tour at the Singapore Botanic Gardens

Discover the enchantment of our tropical rain forest with our volunteer guides in this one-hour tour.

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

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

Time: 9am, 10am, 11am and 4pm; Register 15 minutes before the tour at the Visitor Centre, Nassim Gate.
Tour duration: One hour.
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

8 Sep (Sat): Trees of the Fort

Did you know that a Kapok tree can grow up to 40 metres high? Let our nature-loving guides bring you on a journey to find out more about our heritage trees and other beautiful trees like the towering Kapok, flaky Gelam and magnificent Madras Thorn!

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 10am - 11.30am
Venue: Meeting Point, Roundabout, between Fort Canning Art Center and Hotel Fort Canning.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

8 Sep (Sat): Sara Goes Carbon Footprinting - a guided tour for kids

Join Sara and her new friend, Rana the Frog, to learn about carbon footprints and the many things that all of us can do to make a difference for our home, Planet Earth!

Participants will also be introduced to some useful multi-purpose trees, and learn how to reuse and recycle objects from home and nature, transforming them into useful items for decorative or practical purposes!

Time: 10am - 11am
Venue: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Visitor Services Desk at Jacob Ballas Childrens Garden
Cost: $8.50 per child (includes $2.50 "Sara Goes Carbon Footprinting" workbook) and $6 per accompanying adult.

8 Sep (Sat): Ecolife Tour at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park

This family tour introduces Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and its biodiversity through the use of interactive exploration themes and activities. Have fun working together to answer worksheets, conduct surveys and photo hunts, among other activities.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9am -11am
Meeting point: Bishan- Ang Mo Kio Park Promenade
Contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

8 Sep (Sat): Fun walk along the Southern Ridges

Take your family on this FREE leisurely stroll through the Southern Ridges, a soothing sanctuary of greenery that is steeped in history and home to some of nature's greatest gifts of flora and fauna.

Highlights of the free tour include the Henderson Waves, Sembcorp Forest of Giants, Forest Walk and Singing Forest.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9am - 11am
Venue: Telok Blangah Hill Park, Multipurpose Plaza
Meeting Point: Entrance of Henderson Waves at the Mount Faber Park side
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

8 Sep (Sat): What's in my sky?

Birdwatchers, join us in this free guided walk and learn to identify many amazing birds of different species that passes through or make Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve their home.

8 Sep (Sat): Learning Forest Tour

8 Sep (Sat): Birdwatching 101 at Sungei Buloh

Migratory bird season is here again. Every year, thousands of birds escape the cold north to spend the winter months in the warmer southern parts of the earth. Singapore, especially Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, is a favourite stop-over for these birds.

Want to know these birds but don't know how to get started? We are conducting a workshop for the novice. We will spend some time learning bird watching basics like
(1) Learning how to identify birds
(2) Learning how to use a pair of binoculars and the spotting scope to better see the details of birds
(3) Putting these skills into practice

No prior skill/knowledge is required. Come prepared in long sleeved tops and long pants (muted colours preferred). Bring along drinking water, pen and paper.

Limited to 15 participants (suitable for 16 years and above).

More detail and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

7 Sep (Fri): Nite Critter Watch at Pasir Ris Mangrove Boardwalk

This location is very good for a wild night critter walk and that’s why we keep going back there. As dusk falls, we will go to a nearby location to await the possible appearance of a family of Buffy Fish-owls living in the woodland habitat here. While there, we also look out for emerging bats and observe their acrobatic feeding flight. Kids will get to use our bat detector to catch their calls. We then head off to explore deep into the mangrove forest via the extensive boardwalks to look for other nocturnal critters who live in the swamp, such as the Dog-faced Watersnake, Spotted Wood-owl and more than 5 species of cute geckoes.

Tree-climbing crabs may be seen perched high above on branches, as if they're birds. Fireflies also live in this lovely mangrove forest patch. Though only seasonally numerous, we should meet some. Other exciting nocturnal critters met here include the Reticulated Python, Palm Civet and Mangrove Flatworm. We should also meet some sleeping daytime animals, such as the Giant Mudskipper and Oriental Whip Snake.

This easy walk is on level pathways and wooden boardwalks with no stairs. We will take a snack break at one of the shelters.

Registration and more details on the Cicada Tree Eco Place facebook event post.

Time: 6.15pm - 8.30pm
Meeting point: We meet at 6.15pm in the main lobby (outside the souvenir shop) of the Botany Centre building of SBG entered via the garden’s Tanglin Gate entrance opposite Gleneagles Hospital at Napier Road.
Cost: $13 per pax (adult or kid). Free for participants’ kids aged 6 yrs and below. Payment in cash or cheque will be collected in person at the activity. Cheque to be made payable to: ‘Cicada Tree Eco-Place’
Website: https://www.facebook.com/cicadatreeecoplace/

6 Sep (Thu): Birding in Singapore With Your Eyes Closed...Or How to Listen to Birds

Open to the Public - Registration Needed

In this talk, Yeo Seng Beng reflects on the popularity of birding in Singapore. He feels that bird sounds and calls are an integral part of the birding experience, but this aspect may be under appreciated. Certainly there is much enjoyment in simply listening to birds for the beautiful songs they sing, but isn’t it even better if you can discover a lot more about the bird which is singing? Seng Beng will give examples where the understanding and ability to ID bird sounds provides much advantage to the serious birder.

Seng Beng will briefly explain how birds make their sounds, much louder than expected for their relatively small bodies. He will also touch on using bird sound recording equipment, from the simple to the exorbitant, should anyone be interested in taking up bird sound recording. Modern digital technology allows us to analyse bird sound recordings more easily than ever before, and it is also very easy to share sounds and knowledge because of social media.

Lastly, Seng Beng will talk about the Xeno-Canto bird recording website, where birders from all over the world share bird sound recordings, and he will discuss how Singapore has performed in its recordings and contributions to xeno canto.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

Time: 7.30pm - 8.30pm
Location: ~~NSS Office, 510 Geylang Road, #02-05, The Sunflower, Singapore 389466.~~
Venue changed to Gallery Room, Level 6, Sky Park, Singapore Sustainability Academy (SSA), Level 6, City Square Mall, 180 Kitchener Road, Singapore 208539
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

5 Sep (Wed): Nature Keeper Camp for kids

Designed to stimulate the interest of the young and inculcate in them an appreciation of our forests. This one-day Nature Keeper Camp aims to nurture young minds in active protection and conservation of our natural heritage.

Suitable for children 7 - 11 years old (Primary 1 to 5)
Minimum of 12 children, maximum of 40 children.
Parents are to drop off their children and pick them back up after the programme is over.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9am - 5pm
Venue: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
Cost: $25 per child. Includes all materials, tea breaks and lunch. Charges subsidized by Mitsubishi Corporation.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

4 Sep (Tue): The Adventures of Sara the Botanicosaurus - a mandarin guided tour

Sara the Botanicosaurus is hungry! Mummy promised to cook up a good lunch if Sara brings home some fruits and vegetables from the Farm and Orchard at the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. However, Sara is not very sure what the produce looks like. Come and help Sara find the ingredients for her lunch! This programme is conducted in Mandarin.

妈妈让小恐龙从儿童公园的田园带一些食材回家。但是小恐龙到了田园后发现，它不知道妈妈所要的蔬菜与水果长得什么样？眼看午饭时间快到了，小朋友们能不能来帮帮小恐龙辨认这些蔬菜与水果呢？小恐龙的午餐就靠你们了!

Suitable for children in K1 – P6 Levels

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 10am - 11am
Venue: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Visitor Services Desk at Jacob Ballas Childrens Garden
Cost: $6 per child and $6 per accompanying adult
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

4 Sep (Tue): The Gruffalo - a kids' drama workshop

Join us as we follow the journey of the Gruffalo!

Creative play through nature can be used to nurture an appreciation for life in children. Participants will be encouraged to explore nature through dramatization and be aware of its rich biodiversity.

Suitable for children in K1 – P4 Levels

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 10am - 11am
Venue: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Visitor Services Desk at Jacob Ballas Childrens Garden
Cost: $10 per child. Please make payment upon the completion of the registration form.
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

27 Aug - 2 Sep: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family

Wild walks

Wild talks, films and more

Make a wild difference

Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Programme

Go wild during the school holidays! Check out the highlights of exciting nature activities specially for kids!

2 Sep (Sun): Rural Nature and Kampong Culture Walk on Pulau Ubin

The island of Pulau Ubin has the last of Singapore’s bygone village ‘kampong’ culture. Here you will experience a quaint kampong vibe and the laid-back lifestyle of the people living and working on their tropical island home, and see retro architecture. Much has remained unchanged and it still seems like a walk into the past, back to 1960’s Singapore. We start our walk into the rural countryside on Ubin’s Sensory Trail, bypassing bountiful kitchen gardens and fruit orchards. We peek over fences to look at wooden kampong houses and their outdoor kitchens and toilets.

Our route will go through a herb, spice and vegetable plot, and also coffee and jasmine plantations. We then walk on bunds through mangrove forests to spot mudskippers, kingfishers and tree-climbing crabs. Ubin is most likely the best place in the world to hear the incredible song of the globally endangered Straw-headed Bulbul. Our walk continues through lalang grassland where we can pause to play lalang arrows, and a coconut plantation. If time permits, we will visit the 2-storey kampong house of the late Mr Lim Chye Joo who was the lovely, wise village headman for the Chinese community on Ubin to have a look at his photo gallery. We return to the main village on the main road, walking under ancient durian trees.

Registration and more details on the Cicada Tree Eco Place facebook event post.

Time: 9.30am - 12noon
Meeting point: We meet at street level main entrance of Changi Jetty (also known as Changi Point Ferry Terminal) at Lorong Bekukong, 5 mins walk away from Changi Village hawker centre.
Cost: $13 per pax (adult or kid). Free for participants’ kids aged 6 yrs and below. Payment in cash or cheque will be collected in person at the activity. Cheque to be made payable to: ‘Cicada Tree Eco-Place’
Website: https://www.facebook.com/cicadatreeecoplace/

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

Specially for kids and families, explore Pasir Ris mangroves with volunteer nature guides from the Naked Hermit Crabs on this FREEguided tour of the boardwalk!

Families at Pasir Ris mangrove boardwalk

During our evening stroll through this interesting but often overlooked mangrove, 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 and registration online.

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/

1 Sep (Sat): Beneath the Waves - films, art, talks and more!

Come for a day of marine films including Chasing Coral, Remember Chek Jawa, Birth of a Marine Park!

A great opportunity to meet a broad range of marine folk: advocates, artists, scientists, agencies and social enterprises. And learn more about marine and sustainability issues in Singapore. Registration opens tomorrow, 6 Aug.

Time: 10.30am to 3.30pm
Venue: St Joseph's Institution, 38 Malcolm Road S 308274

All activities are FREE. Registrations open 6 Aug.

From the official website

Film screening
(Register here for tickets from 6 Aug: https://sites.google.com/sji.edu.sg/beneaththewaves2018/films)

A Plastic Ocean
Sea of Life
Blue the Film
Remember Chek Jawa & Birth of a Marine Park
Chasing Coral
Albatross the film

We are also honored to have Dr Neo Mei Lin (a Singaporean Marine Scientist, TED fellow), Mr Karl Png (SJI Alumni, Intern at Celebrating Singapore Shores, Environmental advocate and leader) and Small Change Co-founder share before the films: "Remember Chek Jawa & Birth of a Marine Park", "Chasing Corals" and "Albatross the film" respectively.

There will be a display of music performances, various sculptures and art works done by our Year 4 Art students and Visual Arts CAS groups from the senior section.

At the same time, we are also honored to have freelance nature artist, Hyperionhor showcase his works.

Government agency, National Parks Board (NParks), research institute - St. John's Island National Marine Laboratory and civil societies like Nature Society (Singapore), Conservation International, Small Change, Guardians of Mother Earth and Celebrating Singapore Shores will be here to share more about the work they do and the opportunities available to care for the environment in Singapore.

Singapore's first zero waste bulk retailer, UnPackt and civil society Guardians of Mother Earth will also be showcasing their environmental-friendly merchandise.

Guardians of Mother Earth will be conducting free Coffee Painting workshops.

For registration and more info: https://sites.google.com/sji.edu.sg/beneaththewaves2018/home

1 Sep (Sat): Celebrate International Primate Day with the Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore)

Celebrate International Primate Day with the Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore) (JGIS). Register for FREE tickets: ipd2018.peatix.com

Screening of “Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People”, a documentary telling the extraordinary story of Koko, the only 'talking' gorilla in the world, and her lifelong relationship with Penny Patterson.

Project Koko started as a PhD project to teach sign language to a baby gorilla, but as Koko began to communicate with Penny, an intense bond formed between them. This film explores what we can really learn from this extraordinary science experiment turned love affair. Does it tell us more about animal emotions or our own?

The film will be followed by a talk given by Dr. Andie Ang, primatologist and President of JGIS, on two primate species native to our region: the long-tailed macaque and the orangutan. Each of the two species is facing its unique threats and there are opportunities for you to get involved and make a difference!

This event has been kindly support by BBC Earth and our venue sponsor, Youth Corps Singapore.

Time: 1pm - 3.30pm
Venue: The Red Box, 113 Somerset Road, Singapore

Programme

1pm-1.30pm: Registration
1.30pm: Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People
2.30pm: Talk by Dr. Andie Ang on long-tailed macaques and orangutans
3.15pm: Upcoming events and volunteer opportunities at JGIS

Register now for FREE tickets.

1 Sep (Sat): Healing Garden Tour

The Healing Garden 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.

Please note that the Healing Garden is closed every Tuesday, and opened 5am - 7.30pm daily. Admission is free.

This walk is conducted every first Saturday of the month. More details on the NParks website.

Time: Two sessions are available (9am and 10am). Mandarin tours are only available at 10am, where English tours are available for all slots.
Venue: Please register 15 minutes before the tour. Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis at the Visitor Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Nassim Gate
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

1 Sep (Sat): Nite Wild Critter Watch at Singapore Botanic Garden

SBG is a lovely old garden created almost 200 years ago. It still retains its original primary rainforest patch. Although now totally surrounded by housing, busy roads and more development, this lush garden is still home to our smaller species of wildlife. The well-vegetated ponds here are nurseries for several species of frogs, and both insect and fruit eating bats roost in the garden’s palm trees. As dusk falls, kids learn to use our bat detector to hear their echo-locating calls.

The lovely Spotted Wood-owl, Buffy Fish-owl and tinier Collared Scops-owl all live here. We then walk the easy pathways to visit the ponds and other corners of the garden to meet other nite critters who live here such as the Four-lined Treefrog and Large-tailed Nightjar, plus maybe also encounter sleeping snakes and monitor lizards! We will end our walk back at our starting point in the lobby of Botany Centre.

Registration and more details on the Cicada Tree Eco Place facebook event post.

Time: 6.15pm - 8.30pm
Meeting point: We meet at 6.15pm in the main lobby (outside the souvenir shop) of the Botany Centre building of SBG entered via the garden’s Tanglin Gate entrance opposite Gleneagles Hospital at Napier Road.
Cost: $13 per pax (adult or kid). Free for participants’ kids aged 6 yrs and below. Payment in cash or cheque will be collected in person at the activity. Cheque to be made payable to: ‘Cicada Tree Eco-Place’
Website: https://www.facebook.com/cicadatreeecoplace/

1 Sep (Sat): Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Programme

Open to the Public - Registration Needed

Horseshoe Crabs (HSC) are in decline globally due to habitat loss, poaching and overfishing. NSS aims to continually monitor our local HSC population to ensure that they stay around for generations to come.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

Time: 7.30am to 10.30am
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

1 Sep (Sat): Young Naturalist 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.

Suitable for children from 7 to 12 years. Limited to 40 children.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 8.30am- 3.30pm
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre. Meet at Information Counter (Neo Tiew Crescent entrance)
Cost: $5 registration fee and participants to purchase the Young Naturalist Passport at 50cents.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

1 Sep (Sat): Dragons and Damsels in Our Wetlands - a guided tour for kids

Did you know that dragonflies are among one of the most ancient winged insects in the world?

With body structures that have remain largely unchanged since the Jurassic age, these fighter jets of the insect world help to keep the population of insects in check, and are an indicator for the health of our environment. Learn how the plants and animals have adapted to this wetland habitat, discover the differences between dragonflies and damselflies, and challenge yourself to identifying the many species of ‘dragons’ and ‘damsels’ that can be found here!

Suitable for children in K1-P6

More details and registration online.

Time: 10am - 11am
Venue: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Visitor Services at Tyersall Gate, Learning Forest, Tyersall Core of the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Cost: $6 per child and $6 per accompanying adult
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/

1 Sep (Sat): What's in my mud?

The mud at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a key habitat for the plants and animals. This unique habitat is full of surprises!

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve: Mud Experience

Get close and personal to the mud and observe the rich biodiversity; critical to the ecosystem at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Join us for an interesting free guided walk featuring our lesser known creatures of the mudflats in Sungei Buloh.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Wetland Centre, meet at the Information Counter.
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

1 Sep (Sat): West Marsh Visit with the 'Kranji Marshals'

The West Marsh, within the Core Conservation Area of Kranji Marshes, is a special area designated for the conservation of marsh birds. To minimise disturbances to these shy animals and other wildlife, access to this section is restricted to guided activities organised by NParks and its partners. Several times a year, visitors can access this section when NParks volunteers (the 'Kranji Marshals') conduct station-guiding. They will be stationed at the hides and strategic locations to help you appreciate the beauty of the marsh habitat.

A loop around West Marsh is about 1.2 km and takes about 20 minutes to complete. This includes about 400 m of narrow and uneven rocky path, which is not recommended for young children without supervision. Visitors are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes, and exercise caution when walking on this path.

Registration not required.

More details on the NParks website.

Time: 7.30am to 11.00am
Venue: You can enter and exit the West Marsh from the gate near Moorhen Blind
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg

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