National Parks Board

Since 30 August 2024, wildlife trade offences have been classified as serious offences under the Organised Crime Act (OCA) in Singapore.   Offenders may now face more severe penalties, reflecting the strengthened stance against these activities. Killing, trapping, or keeping of wildlife, and the illegal sale or export of wildlife under the Wildlife Act will also be included under the OCA.   This significant step underscores Singapore’s commitment to tackling the illegal wildlife trade, which threatens biodiversity and ecosystems worldwide.   Read more in this The Straits Times article: https://lnkd.in/gaZcFweS

Just this morning, East Coast Park welcomed over 100 Hawksbill Turtle hatchlings which emerged and safely made their way to sea! 🐢 From around May to October every year, a few female Hawksbill Turtles return to our shores to lay their eggs. These eggs can take up to 60 days or 2 months to incubate, resulting in this early festive miracle. 🎄 Turtle hatchlings face many challenges when heading out to the open sea. This includes predation by shore birds and crabs or getting attracted to other light sources and crawling inland instead of heading out to sea. After the hatchlings emerged from the nest this morning, measurements of some of the baby turtles were taken by our conservation colleagues to determine the health of the clutch. Under their watchful eyes these hatchlings have made it safely towards the open waters. Singapore's waters are home to not one, but two species of marine turtles which include the critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas). As protected species under the Wildlife Act, members of public are not permitted to collect any hatchlings or eggs. Doing so is an offence under the Wildlife Act. If you spot any hatchlings or a nesting turtle: 📞 Call the NParks helpline (1800-471-7300), ↔ keep a safe distance, 👂 keep noise levels low by speaking softly and avoid touching them. For more info on what to do when encountering these animals, visit https://lnkd.in/g4752YmW. #NParksbuzz

The newly opened Therapeutic Garden in Punggol Park – located between the playground and the central plaza – is inclusively designed to cater to a diverse range of users. In conjunction with the opening of the therapeutic garden, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development Indranee Rajah joined participants doing therapeutic horticulture activities, such as propagating herbs and making scent bags using fragrant plants. The therapeutic garden features several firsts – Singapore’s first outdoor boccia court, first outdoor wheelchair obstacle course located within our parks, and first inclusive agility course located in a therapeutic garden. The boccia court and wheelchair obstacle course were designed with inputs from the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) and we look forward to welcoming more visitors to try out the features. Wheelchair users can engage in recreational activity and exercise to improve their mobility control and strengthen their upper body and core muscles. Visitors looking to unwind can conduct their own recreational and contemplative activities at the meditation decks. Scan the Spotify QR codes onsite to access and enjoy a playlist of nature sounds, breathing technique voiceovers, and therapeutic instrumental music. You can access the ‘NParks Therapeutic Gardens: Mindful Melodies’ playlist at https://lnkd.in/gAPCFtcN Therapeutic gardens are specially curated and planned for visitors to interact with nature, which improves their well-being. This is our 16th therapeutic garden in our parks and gardens across Singapore, and we are on track to having 30 therapeutic gardens in our City in Nature by 2030. Find out more about therapeutic gardens: https://lnkd.in/ggfKFizk #NParks #NParksBuzz #CityInNature #CityInNatureSG

[Launch of 100k Corals Initiative] Excited to share that we have launched Singapore’s most extensive coral restoration effort to date, tapping on technology and research to plant 100,000 corals in Singapore’s waters over the next decade and beyond! To mark the launch of the 100k Corals Initiative, Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration, Dr Yap Him Hoo, NParks’ Deputy  CEO, Mr Victor Cheng, Board Member of the Delta Environmental and Educational Foundation, and Mr Lim Hock Heng, VP & Site Director Quality Road, Strategic Projects Lead at GSK took part in a coral planting activity at a new coral culture facility today. Special guest Dr Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, shared her thoughts on marine conservation at the new coral culture facility during the launch of the 100k Corals Initiative. The 100k Corals Initiative aims to enhance the resilience of our local coral communities and reef ecosystems. NParks is working with coral restoration experts and researchers from National University of Singapore at National Marine Laboratory, St John's Island (SJINML) to cultivate corals at the new coral culture facility. The coral species cultivated include several that are under the NParks’ Species Recovery Programme, such as the Plate Acropora coral (Acropora millepora). To optimise large-scale coral cultivation at the facility, the culture tanks will be installed with a smart coral culture aquaculture system set up by Delta Electronics that will monitor tank conditions, such as water temperature, in real time, enabling timely intervention if any abnormalities are detected. For instance, if the temperature of the tanks is too high, the automated system will send an alert to researchers, allowing for a quicker response that can minimise any adverse impact to the corals. Once the cultivated corals at the new facility have grown to a healthy size, they will be transplanted to suitable locations to restore degraded reefs or establish new coral communities. This initiative marks a substantial scaling up of our ongoing coral restoration efforts, reinforcing our commitment to protecting the rich natural heritage of our City in Nature. We would like to thank our donors Delta Electronics, GSK-EDB Trust Fund, Deutsche Bank, Takashimaya Singapore and KPI OceanConnect for supporting the 100k Corals Initiative through their contributions to the Garden City Fund (GCF), NParks’ registered charity and IPC. More on the 100k Corals Initiative: go.gov.sg/100kcorals To support the 100k Corals Initiative, you can donate online via go.gov.sg/donate100kcorals #NParks #NParksBuzz #CityinNature #CityinNatureSG #marinelife #marineconservation #coralreefs #100kcorals

Congratulations to DP Architects for winning the Raffles Place Park (RPP) Design Competition! The National Parks Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA) had launched this competition in June this year, inviting practising architects to submit innovative design proposals for the redevelopment of RPP. As part of URA’s plans to rejuvenate the Central Business District (CBD), the competition sought to incorporate the ideas and feedback gathered from public engagement efforts under the Friends of the Park initiative in 2021. These sessions involved consulting park visitors, heritage interest groups and key precinct stakeholders such as the Raffles Place Alliance. Out of over 20 submissions received, DP Architects’ “Raffles Place Hill Park” proposal was selected by a Jury Panel consisting of representatives from NParks, URA, Singapore Institute of Architects, Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects, and National University of Singapore’s NUS Department of Architecture. The winning proposal’s balance of civic and park spaces caters to a wide demographic of users and underscores the dual functions of RPP as a signature public space and key urban park in the CBD. NParks and URA will work with DP Architects to implement their design for the redevelopment of RPP, which is targeted to complete by 2028. Office workers, residents and visitors of the CBD community can look forward to using the park as a green respite within the busy commercial district, and a multi-purpose space to engage in a variety of activities. They will be able to socialise with fellow colleagues and park visitors amidst the lush greenery of the reimagined park, or use its many inclusive pockets of spaces – accessible via gentle ramps around the park – for quiet reflection and relaxation. We are excited to see this design proposal come to life in the coming years, and to experience a rejuvenated communal space that will keep the CBD vibrant even after office hours and bring greenery closer to the community in our City in Nature. Aside from DP Architects’ winning proposal, SAA Architects Pte Ltd’ “Arcadia” and RSP’s “Breathe” were awarded second and third place respectively. Find out more about the top three design proposals at this website: https://lnkd.in/gQB5Ss6h #UrbanDesign #RafflesPlacePark #NParks #URA #GreenSpaces #CityInNatureSG

Today on World Wildlife Conservation Day, NParks has created new nationwide pre-school resources focusing on responsible human-wildlife encounters in our City in Nature!   About 1,900 pre-schools registered under the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will receive the resources which aim to increase awareness among students of Singapore’s native wildlife and teach them how to behave safely and responsibly when encountering wildlife. The resources comprise a big and small story book, videos, posters, multi-functional educational cards, a life-sized interactive board game and teaching aids for educators to kickstart pre-schoolers’ learning about co-existing with wildlife from a young age. Targeted at pre-school children from 4 to 6 years old, the resources were developed to complement the Ministry of Education’s Nurturing Early Learners Framework and designed to engage young children with interactive activities, song and dance, and visual aids.    As one of the key pillars of the Singapore Green Plan 2030, our City in Nature vision aims to bring nature closer to everyone. The resources are thus tailored to Singapore’s context and experiences, referencing native wildlife and familiar places. The development of the resources is supported by the Garden City Fund, NParks’ registered charity and IPC. Every ECDA-registered pre-school will receive two sets of the resources by February 2025. The resources can also be viewed and downloaded on NParks’ website at https://lnkd.in/gu3A5zFY. #NParks #NParksBuzz #CityInNature #CityInNatureSG

[Proposed guidelines for animal shelters – Share your views by 1 Feb 2025] The Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), a cluster of NParks, is seeking inputs from the public on a proposed set of guidelines for animal shelters in Singapore. These guidelines aim to establish common standards of animal welfare and share best practices across all shelters. Animal shelters play an important role in the care and rehoming of pet animals in Singapore and currently operate with their own set of practices and standards. Following engagements with our Animal Welfare Group (AWG) rehoming partners over the last three years and inputs from a focus group discussion held in September 2024 with representatives from animal shelters, veterinarians, and animal trainers, we are ready to share the proposed sections for the guidelines. Your views are crucial in shaping these guidelines which will go towards enhancing the care of the for animals in shelters in Singapore. To participate in the consultation, please complete our online survey by 2 February 2025: https://lnkd.in/giMYMSA4 #AnimalBuzzSG #CityinNatureSG

[Youth Stewards for Nature 2025 – Join us!] Calling all youths aged 18 to 25 to join us for the fifth year of our Youth Stewards for Nature (YSN) programme! With the support of NParks staff mentors, come explore real-world projects and develop your skills in research, fieldwork, design and community engagement. In this programme, choose from projects on three main themes – (1) Community Animal Management and Animal Health; (2) Biodiversity and Wildlife; and (3) Urban Greenery. Projects typically span across a period of six to nine months. Here’s a peek into some of the upcoming projects: - [Community Animal Management and Animal Health: Singapore’s Community Cats in the Spotlight] Love your community cats? In this project, explore ways to increase the public’s understanding towards community cats and raise awareness on the Cat Management Framework. You will be part of initiatives such as organising a photo competition and photo exhibition featuring our furry neighbourhood friends. - [Biodiversity and Wildlife: Festival of Biodiversity Youth Planning Committee] Gain hands-on experience in community outreach, event planning and execution as part of the Festival of Biodiversity 2025 youth planning committee. Help raise awareness on native flora and fauna and biodiversity conservation efforts at Singapore’s largest biodiversity festival! - [Urban Greenery: Designing Nature-based Spaces in Our Parks] Learn how to design nature-based spaces with in-house NParks Landscape Architects. Digitalise your ideas for a naturalistic-themed garden and showcase them to garner feedback from the public on their preferred designs! - [All Topics: Growing Our Nature Kakis Network] Interested in all three themes? Develop learning journeys and resources to support the Nature Kakis Network for a variety of City in Nature initiatives in the heartlands! Come explore creative ways to document the growth and impact of Nature Kakis in different neighbourhoods. Sign up now to be part of a community of youths growing our City in Nature together! Registration closes on 23 December 2024 or when all vacancies for the individual projects have been filled. To sign up and find out more information about the YSN projects, visit https://go.gov.sg/ysn. #NParks #NParksBuzz #CityInNature #CityInNatureSG #YSNYouths

Last week, His Majesty The King Carl XVI Gustaf of the Kingdom of Sweden conducted a state visit to Singapore from 19 to 21 November 2024. We had the honour of welcoming His Majesty to the National Orchid Garden at the Singapore Botanic Gardens on 19 November 2024, his first day of state visit in Singapore. This momentous occasion reaffirmed the close ties between Singapore and Sweden, providing an opportunity to exchange views on regional and international developments. To commemorate His Majesty’s visit to National Orchid Garden, a vigorous and free-flowering orchid hybrid – 𝘗𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢 King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, was named in his honour, symbolising the enduring friendship between our two nations. The 𝘗𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢 King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has upright inflorescences that are 40 – 45 cm in length and bear 12 to 15 large and attractive flowers. The brilliant petals and sepals exhibit a vibrant pink hue, adorned with pale delicate tessellations, complemented by a bright magenta lip. The Orchid Hybridisation Programme at the Singapore Botanic Gardens has cultivated a myriad of remarkable orchid hybrids throughout its illustrious history. Many of these exquisite hybrids are named after foreign dignitaries and celebrities, as a gesture of diplomatic goodwill and to commemorate their visits to the Gardens. Since 1932, the Gardens has registered over 630 Gardens hybrids, serving as a testament to the Garden’s horticultural excellence. For more information on orchid hybridisation, visit: https://lnkd.in/gGcfZHzc

Last Sunday, we gathered with our dedicated volunteer community at Jurong Lake Gardens for the NParks Volunteer Get-Together 2024. The afternoon was packed with exciting activities to appreciate our amazing volunteers, including a floral arrangement workshop, an outdoor yoga session, insightful talks and engaging walking tours. We were glad to have Minister for National Development and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration Desmond Lee join us at the event, along with the families and friends of our volunteer community. Our volunteer programmes have come a long way. What started as a modest initiative at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve has blossomed into a vibrant network of thousands of dedicated individuals. Notably, the Friends of the Park initiative – which began with the Friends of the Ubin Network in 2014 – has grown to encompass 14 communities across Singapore, reflecting a growing interest in greenery and nature conservation within our community. Today, our volunteer programmes embrace a wide array of interests and expertise, offering everyone a way to make a difference. These initiatives include the OneMillionTrees movement, Animal & Veterinary Service programmes, and the Nature Kakis Network. By aligning volunteer interests with conservation needs, we aim to create a sustainable model for environmental stewardship and community engagement. We are encouraged by the passion and commitment demonstrated by all our volunteers, whether it’s taking part in tree planting initiatives, habitat restoration projects, biodiversity surveys or educational outreach programmes. Their efforts are instrumental in fostering a shared sense of environmental stewardship and helping Singapore transform into a City in Nature. Find out more about our volunteer programmes at https://lnkd.in/gPj7ihgC #NParks #NParksBuzz #CityInNature #CityInNatureSG #VolunteerAppreciation