Replies to Forum Letters

Press Releases

NATIONAL PARKS BOARD'S PRESS RELEASE ON 25 JAN 2005: PARKS AND TREES BILL

1 The Second Minister for National Development moved the Parks and Trees Bill for second reading in Parliament on 25 Jan 2005. The Bill was passed by Parliament.

New Heritage Roads Scheme for the Conservation of Mature Streetscape Greenery

2 A key feature of the Bill is the introduction of provisions for the Heritage Roads Scheme, where roads with mature roadside greenery will be conserved. These are roads with tall “green walls” of mature trees and multi-layered vegetation, providing a lush tropical forest ambience. Such luxuriant greenery forms the backbone and foundation of our Garden City, and it is vital that steps are taken to conserve them.

3 The new provisions will enable selected roads to be gazetted as Heritage Roads, to conserve the mature and lush greenery by the sides of these roads. Green buffers of up to 10 metres width along these roads (Heritage Road green buffers) may be stipulated. NParks will have access to maintain these green buffers, and will regulate works and activities that may damage or adversely affect these green buffers.

4 In implementing the Scheme, NParks will not apply the green buffer requirements to existing private lands along these roads. Only existing State lands along the Heritage Roads will be affected, including those subsequently sold under the Government’s Land Sales Programme.

5 The first few roads that have been identified for gazetting as Heritage Roads are South Buona Vista Road, Mount Pleasant Road, Mandai Road, Lim Chu Kang Road, and Arcadia Road.

6 NParks is working closely with URA, HDB, LTA and SLA to study the feasibility of gazetting a number of other roads as Heritage Roads. Careful and comprehensive assessments will be done, balancing the needs for greenery conservation with land use requirements of the relevant areas in the foreseeable future.

Higher Penalties for Offences in Tree Conservation Areas, National Parks and Nature Reserves

7 The Bill also proposes to increase the penalties relating to offences in the Tree Conservation Areas, National Parks and Nature Reserves, as a more effective deterrence against would-be offenders. The maximum fine for unauthorized felling of a tree in the Tree Conservation Area, for example, will be raised from $10,000 to $50,000.

Commencement of new Act

8 The new Parks and Trees Act is targeted to come into effect in May 2005.

Issued by:

NATIONAL PARKS BOARD

25 January 2005

>>back to top

BACK

Last updated on 18 May 2006