What's on this week for nature activities in Singapore

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

16-22 Apr 07

18-19 Apr (Wed-Thu): Environmental Economics Seminar

Can you invest in the environment? What are the risks? How would you know? Increasing environmental awareness and the growing need for compliance with environmental standards makes this seminar a very useful forum for professionals in both the public sector and the private sector. It introduces you to the current concepts and methods in environmental economics and gives you a good appreciation of how environmental issues can be analyzed and how environmental policies could be formulated.

Time: 9am-5pm
Venue: SEI Training Room, #06-00, Environment Building 40 Scotts Road Singapore 228231
Fees: SGD$605 (GST inclusive)
Contact: To register and for more info visit the NEA website

20 Apr (Fri): A Gift of Sanctuary--An Acres gala fund-raising dinner

Acres will be holding its first gala dinner to raise funds for the Acres Wildlife Rescue Centre (AWRC). Whilst you enjoy a sumptous 8-course vegetarian feast, you will be treated to the delights of musicians and singers (including a string quartet from NAFA, performances from guitarist Remigius Francis and son Joshua, and Relugged Music).

The proceeds will be channeled to the AWRC and will help make a difference in the lives of countless animals, through our rescue and educational outreach efforts. Spanning 2 hectares at Sungei Tengah, the AWRC will provide a safe haven for more than 400 wild animals and will serve as an important educational facility to raise awareness on the illegal wildlife trade. This educational aspect will ultimately move us one step closer towards ending the cruel illegal wildlife trade and preserving the environment.

Hosted by Ms. Vernetta Lopez & Ms. Jessica Seet with Guest-of-Honour Dr. Amy Khor Lean Suan Mayor, South West District & Senior Parliamentary Secretary Ministry of Environment and Water Resources

RSVP and more details on the Acres website

Time: 7pm to 11pm
Venue: Rendezvous Hotel 9 Bras Basah Road Level 2, Straits Ballroom
Ticket price: $150 or $550 (per seat) $1,250 or 5,000 (per table of 10 seats)

21 Apr (Sat): Glass Painting at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Finding for unique hand made, nature theme gifts for your love ones? A mini sale will be held at the Information Counter. Learn how to make them too! Do not miss this fun activity for the whole family. Participants to bring their own glass bottles. More details on the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website

Time: 9am to 12am, 2pm to 5 pm
Venue: Visitor Centre, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Entry charges: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Contact: sbwr@pacific.net.sg or call 6794 1401

21 Apr (Sat): "Managing Global Climate Change Through BioScience" a public symposium

An Earth Day 2007 event by the Society of Bioscience & Technology with speakers including Dr. Geoffrey Davison (Head, (Terrestrial) Biodiversity Centre, National Parks Board; Member of Climate Change Working Committee), Asst Prof Jean Yong Wan Hong (NSSE, NIE-NTU), Mr Steven Peters (Chief Executive, Waste to Energy Pte Ltd) with Guest of Honour Dr Geh Min (President, Nature Society Singapore).

More on the Society of Bioscience & Technology website

Shedding some light on global dimming
Pollution is blocking out sunlight
Sheralyn Tay Today Online 6 Apr 07

Time: 9am
Venue: Raffles Junior College 10 Bishan Street 21 S(574013)

21 Apr (Sat): Kusu Island Reefwalk with the Blue Water Volunteers

Have a Lunary New Year outing with BWV! Check out the corals and other intertidal creatures at Kusu Island. The vacancies are on a first-come-first serve basis, so don't wait and register NOW!

To register, email reefwalk@bluewatervolunteers.org with the following info: full name, contact number, email, total number of participants, contact of next-of-kin, age of children (if any)

More about Blue Water Volunteers and Kusu Island.

Time: 6-10am
Meeting Venue: To be confirmed
Cost: $15 per person

21 Apr (Sat): Nature in the Singapore Countryside by Dr Ho Hua Chew, Nature Society Singapore

A significant portion of Singapore's countryside still remains as Singapore continues to surge forward in its economic development into the 21st Century. Many Singaporeans have forgotten this countryside despite its great biodiversity, aesthetic and recreational values. The talk will present a picture of the various types of countryside remaining and will highlight its important role in nurturing and harbouring a great diversity of its wildlife.

Time: 3-4pm
Venue: Woodlands Regional Library
Contact: Poh_Poh_LIM@nlb.gov.sg

21 Apr (Sat): Dairy Farm–Upper Seletar Ramble with Benjamin Ho of the Nature Ramblers
for NSS members only

We will traverse undulating terrain, following the Johor Pipe-line Trail northwards, cross the BKE along Chestnut Drive, continue west of the Central Catchment area to Mandai Track 15 and end at Mandai Lake Road. We will picnic for lunch at Upper Seletar Reservoir. Bring lunch packs or snacks. There is a good chance of seeing interesting birds. This is a 10km/5hr ramble geared for robust walkers, suitable for adults and children above 12 yrs. No booking required.

Time: 7.30am, meet at the MOE Dairy Farm Adventure Centre (near junction of Dairy Farm and Upper Bt Timah Roads)
Contact: More details about the Nature Society (Singapore). To join the NSS, email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

21 Apr (Sat): Kids' Celebrate Earth Day with Colugos and other Gliding Animals!

Come join the Vertebrate Study and Education Groups for some Earth Day Fun! If you’re between 5 and 9 years old and would like to learn more about colugos, flying squirrels and flying lizards, join us for this Celebration of Earth. We will watch some video clips of gliding colugos and learn about other flying forest friends. When daylight fades, we will watch for more ‘flying’ animals in the forest. Wear good walking shoes and light cotton clothing, and bring water, snack, flashlight and herbal insect repellent for a more comfortable walk.

To register, e-mail Vilma vilma.drozario@nie.edu.sg and Zaki bpelari@yahoo.com

Time: 5pm, meet at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Visitor Centre, the event ends at 7pm.
Contact: More details about the Nature Society (Singapore). To join the NSS, email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

21 Apr (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

21 Apr (Sat): National Orchid Garden Tour free guided walk

Explore the beauty and diversity of orchids at the Singapore Botanic Gardens with volunteer guides in this one-hour tour. Please register 15 minutes before the tour. Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis at the Visitor Centre. more

Time: 9am, 10am, 11am and 4pm. Register 15 mins beforehand at Visitor Centre
Contact: Visitor Services (6471 7361)
Admission fees to the National Orchid Garden applies. Adults - $5; Students - $1; Senior Citizens (Above 60 years) - $1; Children (Below 12 years) free.

22 Apr (Sun): Celebrate Earth Day 2007!

Booths and activities galore brought to you the Blue Water Volunteers, Nature Society Singapore Education Group, ToddyCats (Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, NUS), NParks, Underwater World Singapore, with book signing by Dr Chua Ee Kiam. Open to Public. Admission Free!

1400-1500hrs "Conservation in Singapore" by Professor Peter Ng
1500-1600hrs Remember Chek Jawa - A film by Eric Lim
1600-1630hrs "Singapore's Splendour - Life on The Edge" Book Launch and a talk by Dr Chua Ee Kiam
1630-1700hrs Launch of guidesheets by Raffles Museum Biodiversity Research
1700-1730hrs Reading of 'Mawar and the Sea Turtle' and 'Ben's Friends from the Rainforest'

"Conservation in Singapore" by Professor Peter Ng
Professor Peter Ng is known for his dedication to Science and Conservation. His primary love and primary research is focussed on the study of crustaceans, for which he is a world authority. Professor Peter Ng shares with us some unsual habitats and organisms encountered, results from his research and his views on conservation in Singapore.

"Singapore's Splendour - Life on The Edge" by Dr Chua Ee Kiam
Written by a dentist who is deeply passionate about nature and photography, this book uncovers the hidden treasure trove of diversity during low tide along the shores of our nation. Detailing his thoughts and feelings in a candid manner, it is hard to not imagine a friend relating his experiences while one reads this book. Find out how Dr Chua derives inspiration at his talk after the launch!

"Remember Chek Jawa" by Eric Lim
Chek Jawa, an inter-tidal area comprising six different sub-habitats within one square kilometer on Pulau Ubin, discovered by members of the public in 2001. This area had been slated for land reclamation scheduled just months away from the discovery date. Find out how passionate individuals from all walks of life followed their hearts and helped save Chek Jawa."

More details on the reefwalk blog
Event poster on the budak blog

Time: 1400 - 1800hrs
Venue: Botany Centre, the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Contact: Zeehan Jaafar reefrelations@bluewatervolunteers.org

22 Apr (Sun): Pulau Semakau Intertidal walk

Let the volunteer guides of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research introduce you to the amazing seagrass meadows, coral reefs and other natural marinelife on Pulau Semakau. Please register name and total number of participants with Luan Keng (Email: dbswlk@nus.edu.sg)

More about the intertidal walk on the RMBR website
More about Pulau Semakau

Time: 6.30-11am
Cost per adult: $52.50. Cost per child (age 12-18): $39.90 All costs are inclusive of GST. To confirm your booking, a non-refundable prepayment is required.
Contact: Luan Keng dbswlk@nus.edu.sg

22 Apr (Sun): Butterfly Walk at Upper Seletar Reservoir with Simon Chan
for NSS members only

We will take a leisurely stroll around the park which is a haunt for long-tailed macaques. Butterflies like the Great Mormon, Malay Lacewing, Commander, Common Mormon, Cruiser and many more forest denizens abound. We hope to see the very rare Dark Blue Jungle Glory, the seasonal Plain Lacewing and the once-a-lifetime encounter, the Lesser Wavy Maplet (Chersonesia peraka peraka). As recently as last November, the Green Oak Blue made a very rare appearance after being missing for a decade. Please bring drinking water and mosquito repellent. This walk will take around two hours.

Time: 9.30am, meet at the Upper Seletar Reservoir viewing tower.
Contact: More details about the Nature Society (Singapore). To join the NSS, email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

22 Apr (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