4 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 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

4 Sep (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)

4 Sep (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

4 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.

Also a Marine Fish Tour at 9.30am.

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

4 Sep (Sat): Talk on "The Human - Monkey conflict in Singapore"

Many Singaporeans have forgotten that land-scarce Singapore must be shared with our wildlife. Monkeys are wild creatures and we must learn how to understand them in order to live in harmony with them.

This talk gives a brief introduction to the long-tail macaques of Singapore and the problems they encounter due to human intervention from loss of habitat and behavioural changes due to feeding.

It will give an insight to the natural life of monkeys, their eating habits, common behaviours and facial expressions. We will attempt to show both sides of the conflict by addressing the need for human progress and safety.

This talk aims to give people a basic understanding of these fascinating animals and how to react when they are met in the wild so that humans and monkeys may find an equilibrium living in this country.

Speakers: Ms. Dinushini Williams and Mr Raem Tan (Managers, Nature Parks, NParks)

Time: 3-4pm
Venue: Bukit Panjang Public Library
Website and contact: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

4 Sep (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.

4 Sep (Sat): HeART for Nature Workshop for kidsw

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.
Photo courtesy of Vanessa ChangSuitable 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/

3 Sep (Fri): Workshop for Nature Guides - Dragons and Damsels

by the Leafmonkey Workshop

This workshop introduces the ecology, biology and identification of dragonflies and damselflies. Our local Odonata experts will also share about the dragonflies species and its conservation in Singapore.
This workshop is likely to be more useful for those who have already started guiding. The workshop is not intended to replace self-study and practical experience in the field.

SPEAKERS

Robin Ngiam
Robin is a Senior Project Officer in the National Biodiversity Centre, National Park Board. He has just completed a two years Dragonfly Project in which he conducts surveys of park ponds and nature reserves; provide inputs to park managers and landscape planners on creating and maintaining pond habitats for dragonflies; and also conducting dragonfly training for staff. In addition he participates in outreach programmes by giving public talks to promote dragonfly conservation.

Throughout his five years in NParks, he has gained in-depth dragonfly knowledge through field surveys and interactions with like-minded individuals whom are either colleagues or NParks volunteers. Dragonflies are fascinating and Robin considers himself to be in a continual learning process.

Tang Hung Bun
Tang Hung Bun is an avid dragonfly-watcher and photographer. In 2009, he retired early from teaching and now dedicates his time to studying the dragonflies of Singapore. Together with Cheong Loong Fah and Robin Ngiam, he is responsible for the addition of 16 species to the national dragonfly checklist in the past six years.

Tang is also one of the co-authors of the newly released "A Photographic Guide to the Dragonflies of Singapore". Read more about the book on Celebrating Singapore's Biodiversity.

More details of the event on the Leafmonkey Workshop

Please register by 1 Sep (Wed).

For a sneak peak at our dragonflies, see Tang's awesome Singapore Odonata website.

See also Dazzling Dragonflies of Singapore for more about dragonflies of Singapore and the work done for them.

Time: 7 - 9.30pm
Note Change in Venue: Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569 Civil Service College, 31 North Buona Vista Road Singapore 275983
Website: http://leafmonkeyworkshop.blogspot.com/
Contact: leafmonkey@gmail.com

23-29 Aug: Highlights of the week ahead

For kids and the family
School holidays are coming! Check out the special biodiversity activities for kids and the family. And more school holiday events.

Special events
Walks in wild places
Talks this week
for Nature Society (Singapore) members only
Registration now open
Highlights of Singapore nature news
Highlights of Singapore nature blogs
Photo of the week: a sad one of a bird strangled by an abandoned kite string at Singapore’s Lorong Halus, shared R Subaraj on the Bird Ecology Study Group blog.
Subaraj shares "Another White-throated Kingfisher strangled on a kite string. With kite flying exploding in popularity, there are people flying kites everywhere. At nature areas, this poses a big problem. Fields at sites like Lorong Halus are absolutely littered with strings, making a simple walk through the grass difficult. For the birdlife, this can be fatal!"

29 Aug (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 the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve ticketing counter (Visitor Centre).
Venue: Platform 1.
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.sg or call 6794 1401