12 SUMMERTIME IN SG
Singapore American • June/July 2015
Wild Singapore By Melissa Diagana
S
ingapore’s perpetual summer allows us to play year-round in the great outdoorsadmittedly, not “great” like “huge,” but “great” like “wonderful!” Do check out these new outdoor places during your Summer in Singapore.
The park’s five hectares of undulating topography contain streams and ponds to create a small freshwater swamp ecosystem. Plants growing in the “cleansing biotope” wetlands filter pollutants and absorb nutrients, thus cleansing rainwater naturally. Additionally, over half of the storm water run-off can be recuperated to be used as non-potable water within CleanTech Park. Fruit trees and nectar-producing plants have been added to attract wildlife. Bird, butterfly and dragonfly species abound (six species are listed as threatened). Adjacent to the park are the last of Singapore’s “dragon kilns,” the Guan Huat Kiln (aka Jalan Bahar Clay Studios) and the Thow Kwang Kiln (aka Pottery Jungle). So after observing nature outside, you can bring some pots home. (www.jtc.gov.sg) Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve extension There’s a new reason to truck out to the Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve (SBWR) in Singapore’s northwestern hinterlands: to visit the recently opened extension. You will see regular mangrove swamp denizens, which include monitor lizards and changeable lizards, egrets and kingfishers, tree-climbing crabs and mudskippers.
Springleaf Nature Park Tucked away along the Sungei Seletar between the Upper and Lower Seletar Reservoirs is the six-hectare Springleaf Nature Park. This little park with a viewing platform, whose southern boundary is the Springleaf Park Connector, is great for spotting birds and taking a break during a long bike ride. The park’s land was formerly occupied by the village of Chan Chu Kang, named after its headman, a Mr. Chan. Like many other planters of the mid 19th century, he had a plantation of pepper and gambier, two crops which thrived in Singapore’s soil and whose trade helped Singapore itself to thrive. The surrounding area is known for its freshwater swamp forest, which has attracted naturalists since the days of Henry Ridley, the first director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The area continues to surprise, with discoveries of creatures such as the unique swamp forest crab, first described by the director of the brand new Lee Kong Chien Natural History Museum (see page 25). (www.nparks.gov.sg) Jurong Eco-Garden The Jurong Eco-Garden is an educational little spot designed to be the “green lungs” of the CleanTech park area. Walking trails, art sculptures, a fitness corner, a composting station, a butterfly garden; all these make up the Jurong Eco-Garden.
Hiking around Marina Bay Did you know that you can walk (or scooter) over the Benjamin Sheares Bridge, the bridge connecting the East Coast to the rest of Singapore? That sidewalk allows you to make a nice five-mile loop around Marina Bay. Starting on the Suntec City end of the hike, look for the steps directly below the bridge, off of Raffles Boulevard. Up you go, climbing up to tower 95 feet above the Kallang Basin. Descending from the bridge on its East Coast end will bring you to Gardens by the Bay East, a pleasant expanse of green, with a colorful explosion of flowers along the water. Follow the paved path all the way south to its end, then cross a bridge that is the Marina Barrage itself. Try to take some time to visit the Barrage’s Sustainable Singapore Gallery while you cool off. The Gallery explains the defining importance of water in Singapore’s history
The extension has wheelchair-accessible concrete trails on either end, dirt trails, a coastal boardwalk over the waterfront, an elevated, swinging boardwalk through the forest to see birds and bugs, several futuristic yet organically shaped viewing “pods,” a fantastic new Visitor Center and a balancing bridge to bring you down very close to the mudflats (dubbed the “Mud Experience.”) Make sure to go at low tide to take full advantage of this section. ( www.sbwr.org.sg)
and has a model demonstrating how the dam functions. From there, continue north to the South (yes, really!) section of the Gardens by the Bay, whose striking Supertrees and domed conservatories will have caught your eye during the earlier parts of your walk. Amazingly, ten years before the 1981 opening of the bridge (and Changi airport), none of the land on this urban hike existed. It’s all reclaimed land! (www.streetdirectory.com) Photos by Melissa Diagana
A molecular biologist by training, Melissa Diagana enjoys studying the broader picture of natural history as much as its reductionist details. She regularly writes about nature and environmental topics.