What's on this week for nature activities in Singapore

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

8-14 Jan 07

Until 14 Jan: Photography Exhibition on the 100 year old Bodhi Tree at the Jin Long Si

Photos by Patrick Leong who was at the temple day and night (even past midnight) to wait for the right moment to take pictures of them. The Opening is at 5pm, and the Exhibition is on until 14 Jan. The exhibition is co-organised by Ngee Ann Cultural Centre and supported by Jin Long Si. More about the exhibition on the nature-singapore mailing list; more about the Bodhi tree on the Save our Roots website.

Venue: Ngee Ann Cultural Centre, Ngee Ann Exhibition Hall, 97 Tank Road.

10 Jan (Wed): The 10 top things we need to know about asian tropical forests

A seminar by Prof Richard Corlett, Department of Ecology & Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong China

The forests of tropical Asia support 20-25% of global terrestrial biodiversity, but are now being rapidly cleared for commercial agriculture, while most forest areas that remain are degraded by uncontrolled logging. The protected area system is inadequate, even on paper, and legal protection has often done little to deter hunting and other forms of exploitation. This regional crisis is well documented, but the response so far has been insufficient and piecemeal. The problems are social and political in origin, but Science has an essential role to play in planning, prioritizing and implementing solutions. Ecological understanding is going to be particularly important in the long-term management of small protected areas and in the restoration of degraded habitats. Unfortunately, most ecological research in South East Asia has focused on a narrow range of largely academic problems, with the result that we understand neither how intact forest communities function nor how they are changed by human impacts. This seminar will give a brief introduction to ten gaps in our current knowledge and suggest how these gaps can be filled.

Time: 4pm
Venue: National University of Singapore, Department of Biological Sciences, Conference Room Block S3 Level 5
Contact: Vilma D'Rozario vilma.drozario@nie.edu.sg

10 Jan (Wed): The work of Linnaeus continues in Sweden

Dr. Matt Berggren gives this talk. In Sweden a large program is running today that would have pleased Linnaeus; it is aiming to describe all the macroscopic (>1mm) fauna and flora of Sweden! This talk will give a short introduction of Linnaeus and a little about the program "In the wake of Linnaeus" and then continue with the work in taxonomy going on in Sweden today. It will focus on a project called "The Swedish Taxonomy Initiative" by the "The Swedish Species Information Centre" in Uppsala, Sweden,. Especially the part of that program concerning the marine biota will be in focus.

An exhibition in connection with the talk by the scientific artist Ms Helena Samuelsson, Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory, will be set up. She will show some reprints of her art of marine animals and how a scientific illustrator is working by showing a series of pictures how a correct illustration of an animal is built up. She will also be there to answer question to the interested viewers of her art.

Time: 10-11am
Venue: National University of Singapore, Department of Biological Sciences, Conference Room Block S3 Level 5
Contact: sivasothi@nus.edu.sg

12 Jan (Fri): Singapore, an island Eden of tropical fungi

Part of the Singapore Gardens Talk series, Dr V. Demoulin, Professor of Cryptogamic Botany, University of Leige, Belgium gives this talk.

Despite its small size and high population density, Singapore is today still an important island country in Malesia to conduct field study of fungi. One exceptional feature is the existence of good records of plant collections dating back to the 19th century. The Gardens' Rain Forest, for example, has been continuously sampled since the time of Ridley in the 1800s. This makes Singapore a unique place to study the unique changing flora and the evolution of fungal diversity in the tropics through time. Another important feature of the island fungal flora is that many new species have been described from Singapore specimens, especially by E. J. H. Corner, the then Director of Singapore Botanic Gardens. For these species, collecting them again in their original locality can be very illuminating and helpful to interpret the obscure description of these taxa published in literature. The isolution is best done in conjunction with the examination of the original materials of these taxa preserved at the SBG Herbarium. This talk will illustrate, with coloured slides taken in situ, the great diversity of fungi found in Singapore forests, with emphasis on the polypores (bracket fungi).

Time: 4-5pm
Venue: Gardens Briefing Room, Visitor Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Contact: Janice_YAU@nparks.gov.sg

13 Jan (Sat): Botanic Gardens Rainforest Trail free guided walk

A fabulously easy introduction to a rainforest with tall trees and other mysterious plants! Right in the heart of the city, within minutes of Orchard Road, this is the oldest remnant of rainforest in Singapore! more

Time: 9am, 10am, 11am, 4pm; Register 15 minutes before the tour at the Visitor Centre.
Tour duration: one hour. Suitable for young children.
A special Mandarin version of this tour is at 4pm.
Contact: Visitor Services, 64717361 or NPARKS_SBG_Visitor_Services@NPARKS.GOV.SG

13 Jan (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

Time: 9.30 am and 3.30pm for walk in guests, register at the Visitor Centre. (10am and 4pm slots no longer available). 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

14 Jan (Sun): MacRitchie Prunus Trail free guided walk

You'll see breath-taking views of the reservoir and surrounding forests and learn more about the freshwater and land wildlife and plants there. more

Time: 9.30am and 10.30am. Meet at entrance of the trail, about 300m from the fishing ground, MacRitchie Reservoir Park.
Tour duration: about one hour.
To join the guided tour, you will need to pre-book.
Contact: vanessa_chang@nparks.gov.sg or call :6554 5127.

14 Jan (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: 9.30 am and 3.30pm 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