What's on this week for nature activities in Singapore

WHAT'S ON THIS WEEK?!
Nature activities and events happening this week

28 May-3 Jun 07

29 May (Tue): Singapore Botanic Gardens - Our Heritage

Come re-discover the Singapore Botanic Gardens! Tour our newly re-opened and re-developed Gardens in this 1- hour walk through the Tanglin/Heritage Core. Highlights of this tour include the new Main Gate, the Heritage Trees, the Saraca Stream Walk and the new Public Reference Centre. Participants will be given the opportunity to access reference materials and advice on plant care in this new facility of the Gardens! Suitable for family groups (including children of Primary 1 to Lower Secondary Levels)

More details on the Singapore Botanic Gardens website

Dates: 29 May 2007, Tue or 14 Jun 2007, Thu (Please choose one only)
Time: 9.30-10.30am
Cost: $5 per child/parent
Contact: Singapore Botanic Gardens 6471 9961

31 May (Thu): Wayang at Pulau Ubin!

A message from Grant Pereira: To celebrate Vesak Day, there will be four days of wayang starting 31 May (Thu). There will be one session in the afternoon and one in the evening. Boats will run at night.

Pulau Ubin is one of the last few places one can watch an authentic wayang in a Kampong setting!

More photos on the focus ubin website

31 May (Thu): Fun Cycling around Ubin with the Green Volunteers Network

Want to explore Ubin on two wheels? Well, here’s your chance we are organising a fun cycle. You’ll be led by Uncle Peh a very experienced Ubin rider. Bicycles can be rented at Ubin around $4 to $6 dollars (depending on the quality). You can watch Chinese wayang after your ride. To register email Grant Pereira grant@gvn.com.sg with your full name, DOB and mobile number.

1 Jun (Fri): Flower Trail at the Singapore Botanic Gardens

Come discover the beauty of flowers in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Increase your understanding of flowers; their roles, their forms and functions! Learn also about pollination; the birds and the bees! Suitable for family groups (including children of Primary 1 to Lower Secondary levels)

More details on the Singapore Botanic Gardens website

Dates: 1 Jun 2007, Fri or 15 June 2007, Fri (please choose only one)
Time: 9.30-10.30am
Cost: $5 per child/parent
Contact: Singapore Botanic Gardens 6471 9961

2 Jun (Sat): Pedal Ubin

Take a journey on bicycle with the Jungle Fowls, a bunch of friendly and passionate volunteer guides from NUS' Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, who want to share the joys of discovering nature and heritage in Pulau Ubin. Wobbly, steady or wow! - No worries if you're a novice cyclist - if you can balance yourself on a bike, you will survive!

Sign up and more details on the pedal ubin website

Time: 8.30am, meet at the Ubin Volunteer Hub

2 Jun (Sat ): Horseshoe Crab Watch with Hsu Chia Chi and Conservation Volunteers
for NSS members only

Spend an afternoon at the Mandai mangroves and help rescue and study horseshoe crabs trapped in discarded nets. Recommended footwear: shoes or boots.

Time: 2.30pm, meet at the nameless track extending from Kranji Road at junction with Kranji Loop. Take bus 925 from Kranji MRT, alight at Chinese temple along Kranji Loop, cross the road and look for the beginning of the nameless track that starts beside Leong Soon Pte Ltd, 251 Kranji Road. If transport is needed, meet at Kranji MRT station taxi stand at 2.15pm.
Contact: More details about the Nature Society (Singapore). To join the NSS, email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

2 Jun (Sat): Lower Peirce Boardwalk
free Nature Appreciation Walk

The 900m boardwalks take you through the forest then along the edge of the Reservoir. So you will encounter a wide range of wildlife from forest to aquatic creatures. And enjoy wonderful panaromas of waters surrounding by luxuriant forest. Shaded by the forest, the walk is pleasantly cool and suitable for young children. more

Time: 9.25am or 10.25am. Meet at Casuarina Entrance of the trail along Old Upper Thomson Road, which is a 2 minutes walk from Casuarina Road.
Tour duration: about one and a half hours. Suitable for young children
To join the guided tour, you will need to pre-book.
Contact: vanessa_chang@nparks.gov.sg or call :6554 5127.

2 Jun (Sat): Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve free guided walk

You'll see the fabulous plants and animals of the mangroves and freshwater wetlands. Besides the abundant bird life, there is also other fascinating wildlife in the Reserve. more

9.30am: Marine Fish Tour, a 30-minute tour introducing the fascinating fishes of Buloh.

Time: 9.30 am and 3.30pm for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre. Those coming with large groups are advised to pre-register.
Tour duration: one to one and a half hours. Easy trails, some suitable for young children.
Entry charges: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Contact: sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401

2 Jun (Sat): Free Evolution Garden Tour, Singapore Botanic Gardens

Journey through time with our volunteer guides in this one-hour tour. Bizarre plants, bubbling pools of hot lava and lots of other things you wouldn't expect to see in a botanic garden!

Time: 9am, register at Visitor Centre Time. Register 15 minutes before the tour. Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis.
Contact : Visitor Services (6471 7361)

3 Jun (Sun): Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
free Nature Appreciation Walk

The walk takes you along South View trail, a short, slightly undulating natural path, for a quick introduction to the rainforest. You will learn more about the amazing plant life in a rainforest and how everything fits remarkably together. Suitable for children aged 9 and above. more

Time: 3.55pm. Meet at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Visitor Centre, gather at the ranger counter.
Tour duration: About one hour. Not accessible to prams and wheelchairs.
To join the guided tour, you will need to pre-book with NParks.
Contact: vanessa_chang@nparks.gov.sg or Tel:6554 5127

3 Jun (Sun): Meet Our Rainforest Friends!

Find out more about the creatures commonly seen in our parks and learn how you can protect their habitats. Adeline Foo presents the unique traits of the changeable lizard, the long-tailed macaque and the plantain squirrel from the stories of "Ben's Friends from the Rainforest" and "Secret Hoarder". For children aged 5 to 7 years old.

Time: 2.30-3.30 pm
Venue: Bishan Community Library Subject : Education & Learning (English)
Contact: National Library contact page

3 Jun (Sun): MacRitchie - Bukit Timah briskwalks by the Habitatnews blog

Sunrise in MacRitchie and breakfast in Bukit Timah!

The 2-hour walk is a chance to experience the ambience of the morning's sounds and fresh smells and a beautiful sunrise. Led by a group of regular walkers on these trails, this walk is unusual for us as it is not a nature observation walk (which is a much longer walk), but rather, a chance to exercise amidst a pleasant, natural setting that we should treasure in Singapore. Everyone is welcome, but you should be used to taking short walks at least and wear a proper pair of walking shoes. And, critically, be able to wake up early enough to reach MacRitchie carpark at 6.45am, since we leave on time! We hope to reach the foot of Bukit Timah hill by 9.30am, leaving you rejuvenated with your whole Sunday still ahead of you.

Visit the MR-BT briskwalk webpage to register and for details about the route, preparation, trail etiquette and photos from previous walks.

Time: 6.45am, at MacRitchie carpark
Contact: MR-BT briskwalk webpage

3 Jun (Sun ): Birdwatching at Pulau Ubin
for NSS members only

This is one of our last vestiges of countryside where birders and nature lovers can still freely roam. Join Wong Chung Cheong to seek out Oriental Pied Hornbills, Abbott's Babblers, Crested Goshawk and other birds that reside on this idyllic island.

Time: 7.30am, meet at the Changi Point jetty.
Contact: More details about the Nature Society (Singapore). To join the NSS, email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

3 Jun (Sun): Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve free guided walk

You'll see the fabulous plants and animals of the mangroves and freshwater wetlands. Besides the abundant bird life, there is also other fascinating wildlife in the Reserve. more

Time: 9.30am subject to availability of volunteer guides; for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre. Those coming with large groups are advised to pre-register.
Tour duration: one to one and a half hours. Easy trails, some suitable for young children.
Entry charges: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Contact: sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401