20-26 Mar: Highlights of the week ahead

Make a wild difference

• Ubin Mangroves Coastal Clean-up
• Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Programme

Walks in wild places

• What's in my water?
• A walk with your neighbours - the macaques of Bukit TImah
• Civic District Tree Trail
• Nature and Landscape Sketching at Tampines Eco-Green
• Paint Along with Pui San at Sungei Buloh
• Art in Nature at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
• Trees of the Fort
• Race Against Time - Science behind a Botanic Garden Tour

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

• Butterfly Walk from Rifle Range to Jelutong
• Plant Walk at Venus Forest Trails

MORE events next week

MORE events for the month ahead.

26 Mar (Sun): Butterfly Walk from Rifle Range to Jelutong

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

With good weather, the secondary forest from Rifle Range to Jelutong Tower promises a number of tantalising forest butterflies. Past outings have yielded less common ones such as the Black Tipped Archduke, Lesser Harlequin, Dark Posy, Chocolate Royal, Banded Yeoman, Five Bar Swordtail, Plain Banded Awl and Ultra Snow Flat. Other engaging encounters include the Common Bluebottle, Tailed Jay, Elbowed Pierrot, Tree Yellow, Fluffy Tit, Rustic, Purple Duke and Yellow Veined Lancer.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

Time: 9.30am - 11.30am
Venue: Meet at carpark at the end of Rifle Range Road.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

26 Mar (Sun): Paint Along with Pui San at Sungei Buloh

Conducted by Mr Tham Pui San, a volunteer of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Pui San is an avid artist who expresses his passion for nature through his art work. Bring along your art materials and enjoy learning different drawing techniques at Sungei Buloh.

More in the art in the wetlands blog.

Limited to 20 persons. Register online.

Time: 8.30am - 11am
Venue: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Visitor Centre. Meet at Api Api Lab (Kranji Way entrance)
Website: http://artinwetlands.wordpress.com/ and http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

26 Mar (Sun): Plant Walk at Venus Forest Trails

For Nature Society (Singapore) members only

Led by Angie Ng, Jenny Lim and Andrew Tay, we will visit parts of the loop trail and newly-opened boardwalk at Venus Drive that wind through the forest and a former kampong (village). Expect to encounter useful plants typical of kampong kitchen gardens such as the Fragrant Pandan and Curry Leaf tree. Ornamental greens that have run wild here include the Dumbcane and Kwan Im Bamboo. Natives such as the Tree Fern, Sendudok and Simpoh Air thrive on the banks of the lovely fish-filled forest stream. We will look for the exotic bat-leafed Air Potato vine and discuss the enigmatic tree pandans growing here. Are they our garden pandan all grown up? Bring along your binoculars to observe the wild critters that live here.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

Time: 9.15am - 11.30am
Venue: Meet inside the Venus Drive car park off Upper Thomson Road.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

26 Mar (Sun): Civic District Tree Trail

The Civic District Tree Trail takes you through Singapore’s historic Civic District where you will be marveled by many majestic and interesting trees, some of which have stood tall for many generations and witnessed the transformation and progress of Singapore through the years. Join us as we take you through part of the trail starting from the entrance of Istana to CHIJMES.

More details and register online.

Time: 9.30am - 11am
Venue: Entrance of Istana
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

25 Mar (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 Singapore.

Suitable for adults and children above 8 years.

More details and registration online.

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/

25 Mar (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!

This is part of the ‘Connecting with Nature’ programmes featuring a series of educational activities in our parks where you and your family can learn and appreciate nature.

More details and registration online.

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

25 Mar (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 online.

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/

25 Mar (Sat): What's in my water?

What's that swimming in the water? A fish, a worm, an insect or a crocodile!? Join us for an interesting morning walk getting to know the creatures and plants that lives in and around the water edges of Sungei Buloh.

Limited to 20 participants. Register online.

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

25 Mar (Sat): Ubin Mangroves Coastal Clean-up

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 also prepares the selected sites for scientific surveys and RUM works; and ensures that our wildlife have the proper environment to thrive.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

Time: 1.30pm - 5pm
Venue: Details will be emailed upon successful registration.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.