Living in Singapore, it is easy to take for granted the abundance of flora and fauna teeming throughout our lovely city. From the trees blooming along the roads, to the birds soaring above our heads, our Garden City is home to a great many living beings. And many of these are carefully chronicled in the National Parks Board’s publications. In this issue, we bring you some of NParks' colourful creations.
Take Flight With Sungei Buloh’s Migratory Birds
Migratory Birds of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, detailing 108 species of migratory birds, offers a handy guide to nature lovers who have a fledgling interest in these nomads.
Every year, these birds fly thousands of miles from their breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Some of them seek sanctuary here for the entire winter, while others look to the reserve as a resting place to recuperate, as they prepare for their long journeys ahead.
The book features colour photographs and unique information on the migratory birds. It also contains little known facts and trivia. For instance: did you know that the Bar-tailed Godwit could fly continuously for more than 10,000 km within eight days, which is the distance between Singapore and England?
Where to find the book:
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and other nature reserves, public libraries and Grand Hyatt Singapore (sponsor).
Grow Your Knowledge of Singapore’s Greenery
If you find that you have a budding affinity for trees, you can learn more about these sturdy varieties in the second edition of Trees of Our Garden City.
This new edition features a wealth of information about our local palms and trees, and includes eye-catching photographs and identifying characteristics of these green beings – leaves, bark, fruits and flowers. It also includes useful tips and diagrams on how to care for trees.
Besides adding 70 species of palms and trees to the original 80 from the first edition, this version includes new chapters that provide a broader perspective on the function of trees in Singapore.
The first chapter, Our Garden City Story, relates a brief history of tree planting ever since the founding of Singapore. Other new chapters deal with topics such as Tree Biology, and Trees and the Environment.
The book was launched on 21 October this year at the ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity by Dr Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). He also penned the foreword for this edition.
Also available from the first week of November is a joint publication by NParks, National University of Singapore and the Building and Construction Authority on vertical greening. Called Vertical Greenery For The Tropics, the book summarises the development and trends of vertical greenery, and validates the benefits of incorporating such greenery in our urban environment.
Vertical greenery not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of buildings, it also creates cooler and more efficient cities by lowering energy consumption. Best of all, it keeps us in close contact with nature.
Where to find the books:
Singapore Botanic Gardens Library Shop and major bookstores. The books are also available at public libraries from mid-December.
Start The New Year In Bloom
And as 2009 draws to a close, the 150-year-old Singapore Botanic Gardens has launched its 2010 calendar, which features paintings from its archives. The calendar’s use of distinctive artworks pays homage to the history and beauty of art and nature.
Where to find the calendar:
It is available for sale at the Singapore Botanic Gardens Library Shop at $12 for a desk calendar and $20 for a wall calendar.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens Calendar is a community project sponsored by ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, a supporter since 2002. All proceeds from the sale of the calendar will go towards the Singapore Botanic Gardens Exhibition Fund, in support of the Garden’s public exhibition programme.
So, as you enjoy the luscious green offerings of our verdant island, do take some time out as well to learn more about Singapore’s natural heritage through these rich and well illustrated publications.