What's on this week for nature activities in Singapore

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

22-28 Oct 07

22-24 Oct (Mon-Wed): Green Carnival at NUS

A bazaar like no other!! The Green Carnival boasts of pro-environment components like Green Vendors, Green Exhibitions, Photographic Exhibition on Global Warming, the fascinating Carbon Maze and the Carbon Pledge

Recycle Xchange We are giving out free gifts for people who bring their recyclables (drink cartons/plastic bottles/cans/glass/batteries) down to the Green Carnival! USB battery chargers, free packet drinks and much much more to be given away! Those who brought 3 or more items will get a chance to take part in our Grand Draw of a bicycle worth $4000 in addition to the gift! So start collecting! In addition, we are doing a survey to find out the recycling conciousness in NUS. We really appreciate if you can spend some time doing the survey. Thank you.

Website: http://www.greencarnival.com/info.html

23 Oct (Tue): Leonardo DiCaprio’s The 11th Hour
Charity Gala Premiere at the Shaw Lido

The 11th Hour describes the last moment when change is possible. The film explores how humanity has arrived at this moment – how we live, how we impact the earth’s ecosystems, and what we can do to change our course. The film features dialogues with experts from all over the world, including former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James Woolsey and sustainable design experts William McDonough and Bruce Mau in addition to over 50 leading scientists, thinkers and leaders who present the facts and discuss the most important issues that face our planet.

Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, The 11th Hour is produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, Leila Conners Petersen, Chuck Castleberry and Brian Gerber, written and directed by Leila Conners Petersen and Nadia Conners.

The film is rated PG in Singapore, and will screen at Cathay Cineplex Orchard , Golden Village Plaza Singapura, Golden Village VivoCity, The Cathay Cineplex and Shaw Lido from 1st November, 2007.

Time: 7:30pm (Running time: 93 minutes)
Venue: Shaw Lido, Level 5 Shaw House, 350 Orchard Road
Tickets: Priced at S$30 and S$50
Contact: Joe Lim joe@sec.org.sg or 6468 7681

25 Oct (Thu): Film screening ~~"Who Killed the Electric Car?" (2006)~~ (cancelled due to licensing issues) replaced by Arctic Tale
part of the NUSSU Green Carnival

From the people who brought you March of the Penguins and the studio that brought you An Inconvenient Truth, Arctic Tale is an epic adventure that explores the vast world of the Great North. The movie follows the lives of a polar bear cub, Nanu, and a walrus pup, Seela, from birth to parenthood. The biggest threat faced by them is to survive the harsh, changing habitat climate of the north, which delivers the possibility of not finding food.

Time: 6.45pm - 8.50pm (Doors open at 6.00pm)
Venue: LT28, Faculty of Science
Website: http://www.greencarnival.com/info/movies.html#electriccar

26 Oct (Fri): Beyond the Plumage : A Look at Bird Behaviour

Dr Wee Yeow Chin, keen botanist, naturalist and conservationist, will be sharing on his interest in birds and how you can contribute to the Bird Ecology Study Group. All are welcome!

Find out about aspects of bird behaviour that have been documented, the contributions by digital photographers and the push to share knowledge through blog postings and publishing articles in magazines and journals. Join us to find out how you can contribute to the local avian knowledge that still depends largely on recreational birders and nature photographers for basic information.

Time: 4-5pm
Venue: Function Hall, Botany Centre Singapore Botanic Gardens (enter by Tanglin Gate)
Website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/eventshub.asp
Contact: Singapore Botanic Gardens 6471 9961

26 Oct (Fri): Chek Jawa intertidal walk

Let the Ubin NParks volunteers introduce you to the intertidal marine life of this unique shore on Pulau Ubin.

Arrangements will be made for taxis to fetch you to and from Chek Jawa. The taxi ride takes 15 minutes and costs $2 per person one way. Alternatively, you may wish to rent or bring a bicycle and cycle to Chek Jawa. On reaching Chek Jawa, nature guides will be at hand to take visitors on a 45-minutes walk to experience the amazing marine life there. Participants must wear appropriate covered footwear e.g. sneakers and canvas shoes (slippers and sandals are not suitable). Please follow the instructions of the guide, and stay on the designated route.

Pre-registration required.
More details about the walks on the Ubin NParks website
More about Chek Jawa.

Time: 3.30pm
Venue: In front of the Volunteer Hub at Pulau Ubin (formerly the basketball court)
Contact: Ubin NParks at 6542-4108

27 Oct (Sat) : Plant Highlights at the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden
a guided tour

Love to eat chocolates? Seen a cherry tree? Here's your chance to see cocoa trees, a local cheery tree and many more in this tour highlighting interesting and useful plants in the Children's Garden. If you are lucky, you may even have a close brush with the animals and insects that live amongst the trees and plants in the garden. Suitable for P1 - P6 levels

Time: 10-11am
Cost: $6 per child/parent
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/education/workshopchi.asp
Contact: Singapore Botanic Gardens 6471 9961

27 Oct (Sat): Nature's IR at Sentosa: family shore walks with the Naked Hermit Crabs

At Sentosa, nature has had an integrated resort for a long long time! And tucked away in a corner of Sentosa, is a marvellous natural shore.

The Naked Hermit Crabs have specially designed this easy one-and-a-half-hour walk to introduce kids 9 years and above to this shore during low tide. No need to swim or dive! Come with the whole family!

Some of the amazing NATURAL sights include spectacular cliffs, a lush coastal forest and a natural lagoon with living corals, seagrasses and lots of marine life. There will be a little bit of climbing, and you will get your shoes wet when we explore part of the lagoon.

For the more hardy and fool hardy, the Naked Hermit Crabs have also designed an Adventure Trail on this shore! This trail is much longer and more physically demanding than the Family Trail. It takes about two and a half hours and is suitable for kids 13 years old and above.

Registration is required, places are limited.

Who are the Naked Hermit Crabs? Why are they naked? How do we sign up? How to get there? What do we prepare? All naked details on the Naked Hermit Crabs blog

Time: Starts 4pm
Meeting point: will be advised to those who register
Duration: Family Trail=1.5 hours, Adventure Trail=2.5 hours.
Cost: $5 per person (does not include Sentosa entrance fees and charges)
Website: http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.com/
Contact: nakedhermitcrabs@gmail.com

27 Oct (Sat): Chek Jawa intertidal walk

Let the Ubin NParks volunteers introduce you to the intertidal marine life of this unique shore on Pulau Ubin.

Arrangements will be made for taxis to fetch you to and from Chek Jawa. The taxi ride takes 15 minutes and costs $2 per person one way. Alternatively, you may wish to rent or bring a bicycle and cycle to Chek Jawa. On reaching Chek Jawa, nature guides will be at hand to take visitors on a 45-minutes walk to experience the amazing marine life there. Participants must wear appropriate covered footwear e.g. sneakers and canvas shoes (slippers and sandals are not suitable). Please follow the instructions of the guide, and stay on the designated route.

Pre-registration required.
More details about the walks on the Ubin NParks website
More about Chek Jawa.

Time: 3.30pm
Venue: In front of the Volunteer Hub at Pulau Ubin (formerly the basketball court)
Contact: Ubin NParks at 6542-4108

27 Oct (Sat): Kusu Island Reefwalk with the Blue Water Volunteers

No need to swim, no need to dive! Volunteer guides introduce the family to our living reefs.

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: 4-8pm
Meeting Venue: Marina South Pier
Cost: $15 per person

27-28 Oct: Singapore Bird Race 2007
for NSS members only

Organised by the Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Group, will be based on the theme "The Colours of Birding". Colours suggest not only the beautiful and vivid plumage of the 364 species of birds in Singapore, but also the different facets of birding experience. It could be the excitement of seeing a rarity or the joy observing a garden bird, busy looking for food. Colours also hint of the rich and unique aspects of bird watching such as the unique birding jargon, abundance of specialised equipment and not to mention the interesting characters you meet along the way!

The bird race will be held from the 27th to the 28th of October 2007. There will be two categories, "Advanced" and "Novice". The "Advanced" teams will race for a total of 24 hours and the "Novice" race for 19 hours. There should be a maximum of 4 persons in one team. We would like invite you to celebrate the joy and wonders of bird watching, do come and join us for the 2007 Bird Race!

The amazing Bird Race
By Shaan Seth Straits Times 21 Oct 07

Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: To join the NSS, email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

27 Oct (Sat): Feet To Walk at Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West

Feet To Walk, a new programme of morning brisk walking at parks, parks connectors and nature reserve. Learn to briskwalk the right way! Highlights include hilltop pergola and lily pond.

Time: 8am-10.30am
Start point: Entrance along Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 (Next to McDonald's)
End point: Entrance along AMK Ave 6
Website: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/feet_to_walk/

27 Oct (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 and boots.

Time: Meet at the nameless track extending from Kranji Road at the junction with Kranji Loop at 2.30pm. For public transport, take bus 925 from Kranji MRT, alight at the 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.
Website: http://www.nss.org.sg/
Contact: To join the NSS, email contact@nss.org.sg or call 6741 2036.

27 Oct (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. 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.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

27 Oct (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.
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/
Contact : Visitor Services (6471 7361)

27 Oct (Sat): Asian Recipes & Home Remedies

A talk by Ms Devagi Sanmugam. Herbs, spices and plants were used in ancient Asian civilisations as health remedies and beauty aids. Today, these traditional ways continue to be applied, passed on and practised. Join celebrity chef and cookbook author, Devagi Sanmugam as she presents some of these remedies and recipes at this special programme for the health conscious foodie. This is also your chance to meet the Spice Queen of Singapore with a string of accolades as eclectic and imaginative as her recipes. Brought to you by Marshall Cavendish.

Time: 3-4pm
Venue: Bedok Community Library - Programme Zone
Contact and website: http://www.nlb.gov.sg/

27 Oct (Sat): Passion for Organic: How Singaporeans Do It

A talk by Ms Tuyet Nguyen (L'Organic). One of our national past times is to check out the latest food fads and new restaurants. As we become more and more spoilt for choice, how do we separate the chaff from the real thing? Organic is becoming the buzzword for health and wellness. Let Ms Tuyet Nguyen (L'Organic) give you the lowdown on the reality of organic living in Singapore, the benefits it offers and the choices you have to make to incorporate organic into your life.

Time: 3-4pm
Venue: Bukit Merah Community Library - Lecture Hall
Contact and website: http://www.nlb.gov.sg/

28 Oct (Sun): Dive Hantu with the Hantu Bloggers
fully booked

Join the Hantu Blog for a unique and educational dive experience in our local waters. Discover what is truly, uniquely Singapore!

For reservations and enquiries, email hantublog@gmail.com
RSVP with the following:
1. Your name
2. IC/Passport number
3. Your email address
4. Your handphone number, and
5. Any rental equipment required incl number of weights.

Your support helps us monitor and document Hantu's reef on a regular basis! Let's see what's waiting for us out there this time!

Hantu Blog Dive Itinerary
Cost: S$80.00* (excl gear rental)
Venue: Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal Map

Time (Departure): 0930 hrs [Dive 1]
1st Surface Interval + Lunch [Dive 2]
Departure ETA: 1500 hrs

Please also bring your own lunch and water for the trip.
Your passport or NRIC will be required in the event of coastguard checks.

* Cancellation fee $40.00
Gear Rental Rates Regulator $5.00 BCD $5.00 Mask $5.00 Fins $5.00 Wetsuit $6.00 Weight belt $0.50 Additional weights @ $0.50

28 Oct (Sun): Chek Jawa intertidal walk

Let the Ubin NParks volunteers introduce you to the intertidal marine life of this unique shore on Pulau Ubin.

Arrangements will be made for taxis to fetch you to and from Chek Jawa. The taxi ride takes 15 minutes and costs $2 per person one way. Alternatively, you may wish to rent or bring a bicycle and cycle to Chek Jawa. On reaching Chek Jawa, nature guides will be at hand to take visitors on a 45-minutes walk to experience the amazing marine life there. Participants must wear appropriate covered footwear e.g. sneakers and canvas shoes (slippers and sandals are not suitable). Please follow the instructions of the guide, and stay on the designated route.

Pre-registration required.
More details about the walks on the Ubin NParks website
More about Chek Jawa.

Time: 4.00pm
Venue: In front of the Volunteer Hub at Pulau Ubin (formerly the basketball court)
Contact: Ubin NParks at 6542-4108

28 Oct (Sun): Feet To Walk at Telok Blangah Hill Park

Feet To Walk, a new programme of morning brisk walking at parks, parks connectors and nature reserve. Learn to briskwalk the right way! Highlights include

Time: 8am-10.30am
Start point:
End point:
Website: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/feet_to_walk/

28 Oct (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.
Website: http://www.sbwr.org.sg/
Contact: info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

28 Oct (Sun): Free "Painting with Pui San" at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Pui San welcomes artists of all ages or anyone who wants to learn. His objective is to encourage creativity while enjoying nature at the same time. Bring along your favourite drawing or painting supplies. More in the Art in the Wetlands blog.

Time: Meet 8.30am at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve ticketing counter (Visitor Centre). Session usually lasts until about 11am.
Usual entry charges apply: $1 per adult, 50cents per child/student/senior citizen.
Website: http://artinwetlands.wordpress.com/
Contact: Tham Pui Sam at thampuisan@hotmail.com or the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve at info@sbwr.org.sg or call 6794 1401

28 Oct (Sun): Global Cooling Gourmet Food Demo

Is the food we eat having a detrimental effect on our health & significantly contributing to Global Warming? Explore a new way to prepare delicious gourmet food that nurtures wellness and has a distinctive "Global Cooling" effect! (Free Sampling)

Time: 3-4pm
Venue: library@orchard - Programme Zone
Contact and website: http://www.nlb.gov.sg/