wild happenings in singapore

10 Nov (Wed): Talk on Dipterocarps in the Central Nature Reserve

for Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Dr Shawn Lum gives this talk. Have you ever felt frustrated when you encounter a familiar little plant in the nature reserves and wonder if it is a Dipterocarp sapling? Now is your opportunity to learn from Shawn how to tell apart one Dipt from another. This slide talk will be followed by a Plant Walk on 21 November.

Time: 8pm
Venue: The Sunflower (NSS office), 510 Geylang Road #02-05,Singapore 389466
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

9 Nov (Tue): Sensory Trail Walk @ Pulau Ubin

Experience Ubin's wonderful nature through your senses along our Sensory Trail, the trail will brought you to the patch of herbs and spices and a "Secret Garden" to feel the original garden used to be on the island. Much more along the trail for you to explore.

Special event held in conjunction with Clean and Green Singapore 2011.

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: 65424108 http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

1-7 Nov: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family

HeART for Nature Workshop for kids
Our Kitchen Garden Tour at Pasir Ris Park

Walks in wild places

Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh on Saturday with marine fish tour and Sunday with a special Mandarin walk.
Edible and Medicinal Plants tour at the Botanic Gardens.
Up Close and Personal @ Peirce

Talks this week

6 Nov (Sat): "Who's Your Neighbour?"

Registration now open

5 Dec (Sun): M.A.D. for Turtles!
28 Nov (Sun): "Our Home, The Mangroves" with Cicada Tree Eco Place
27 Nov (Sat): A Walk with Your Neighbours: The Macaques of Bukit Timah
27 Nov (Sat): Young Naturalists Passport Camp at Sungei Buloh
27 Nov (Sat): Arboretum Workshop for kids with Cicada Tree Eco Place
27 Nov (Sat): Talk on "Butterfly Appreciation for Photographers"
20 Nov (Sat): A Walk with Your Neighbours: The Macaques of Bukit Timah

Highlights of Singapore nature news

PUB tests for estrogen in water sources Contamination unlikely, but the agency is playing it safe, Grace Chua Straits Times 31 Oct 10;
East Coast oil spill in May costs S$7m to clean up Wayne Chan Channel NewsAsia 29 Oct 10;
Singapore contributes to global biodiversity conservation Channel NewsAsia 30 Oct 10;
Weird and wonderful creatures of the deep New book features over 1,600 Pacific reef critters; some are new species Victoria Vaughan Straits Times 30 Oct 10;
UN to adopt Singapore nature 'report card' for cities Grace Chua Straits Times 28 Oct 10;
Outdoor learning cuts dropout rate Si Ling Secondary students' grades are up too with pilot outdoor education programme Jennani Durai Straits Times 27 Oct 10;
Climate change top concern for only 12% of Singaporeans: survey Karen Ng Business Times 27 Oct 10;

Highlights of Singapore nature blogs

Why We Should Have The Green Corridor from AsiaIsGreen
Life History of the Malayan Lascar from Butterflies of Singapore
Long-tailed Parakeets eating tropical mistletoe fruits from Bird Ecology Study Group
My Green Space: A flying 'tree doctor', rare tree rescue and more! from Celebrating Singapore's BioDiversity!
Oil spill exercise near Cyrene from wild shores of singapore
Butterfly of the Month - October 2010 from Butterflies of Singapore
What's That On The Hydroids? from colourful clouds

7 Nov (Sun): Mangrove walk at Sungei Buloh

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

Suitable for young children.

Special mandarin guided walk at 9.3am.

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

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

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

6 Nov (Sat): Talk on "Who's Your Neighbour?"

Conflict sometimes can occur between neighbours and people living close together, for many reasons. Similarly, when people live too near the forests, some conflicts do occur between human and nature, because of different needs. Children will learn about what these conflicts are, and how to lessen them between humans and nature. Ms Jeanne Tan gives this talk which is suitable for kids.

Time: 3-4pm
Venue: Bukit Panjang Library
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: Ms Zheng Jiahui zheng_jiahui@nparks.gov.sg

6 Nov (Sat): HeART for Nature Workshop for kids

This 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 10 (with parental supervision).

Limited spaces available. Please call 3 days in advance at 65545127 (Mondays to Fridays) to register for the activity.

Time: 9.30am - 11.30am
Venue: Lower Pierce Reservoir Park (big shelter next to fishing ground)
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

6 Nov (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.

More information on the Singapore Botanic Gardens website.

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

6 Nov (Sat): Our Kitchen Garden Tour at Pasir Ris Park

Excite your senses with our Kitchen Garden Tour. Find out how vegetables are grown before it gets onto your plate! You will also learn about some natural remedies that our grandmothers might have planted in their own backyard.

Suitable for children from K1-P6 levels.

To register, please contact Wei Teng at 64653305 or email chong_wei_teng@nparks.gov.sg

This walk is conducted every first Saturday of the month

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

6 Nov (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.

Please register at least three days before the walk at 65545127 or email woon_ling_ling@nparks.gov.sg

Time: 9.25am. Meet at Casuarina Entrance of the trail along Old Upper Thomson Road, which is a 2-minute walk from Casuarina Road.
Tour duration: One-and-a-half hours. Suitable for young children
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/
Contact: woon_ling_ling@nparks.gov.sg or call 6554 5127.

6 Nov (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.

Special Marine Fish Tour at 3.30pm.

Suitable for young children.

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

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

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