Index to all back issues of Nature Watch
publication of the Nature Society (Singapore)

Volume 1 No. 1 (Oct – Dec 1993, 1 issue only) —Out of stock

Under The Bodhi Tree, Putting A Price On Our Natural World, Bird’s Nest Soup, Sungei Buloh Nature Park, The Un Earth Summit 1992, A Sign Of The Times, Datuk Loke Wan Tho, Snake Encounters In Singapore.

Under The Bodhi Tree

By Edwin Ariyadas

An outline of Buddhism’s Basic principles of respect nature and how then can be used for conservation and environmental education.

Putting A Price On Our Natural World

By Nancy Penrose

This article takes a historical perspective of the exploitation of nature for economic gain, and outlines the considerations the economists have begun to place on ecology to preserve the survival of our planet.

Bird’s Nest Soup

By Kang Nee and Lee Pheng Guan

Panacea or Ill? Are there any truths in the curative claims of Bird’s Nest Soup? How does the thriving bird’s nest industry affect the survival of the swiflets? This report goes to the heart of the hard faces.

Sungei Buloh Nature Park, A great experiment

By Ilsa Sharp

When the Sungei Buloh Nature Park opens this November, it marks a milestone for nature conservation in Singapore. Ilsa Sharp goes behind the scenes and reports on the development and progress of the preservation of Singapore’s first wild bird sanctuary.

The UN Earth Summit 1992

By Khoo Chin Hean

Implications for Singapore

A review of what has been achieved in environmental protection in Singapore and how we can further enhance it.

A Sign Of The Times

By Mike Gibby

A personal account of a trip to Ladakh with a student group from the UWCSEA; the discovery of the rustic charm of an ancient Himalayan kingdom, and a culture remarkable for its ability to endure the hardness of a high-altitude environment.

Datuk Loke Wan Tho

By Leong Siew Lin

A portrait of the late Datuk Loke, the Chairman of Cathay Organisation in the 50’s and 60’s, who was also a well-known naturalist and bird photographer in international circles.

Snake Encounters In Singapore

By Francis Lim

Not all snakes are dangerous. Find out from this article which are the friendly or deadly ones, where they can be found, and what to do if you are bitten by a snake.

Volume 2 No. 1 (Jan – March 1994)

Butterflies Deserve Better, Feathers, fun and funds, Emerald In Singapore’s Crown, English-man Of The Jungle, Switch Off Get More, Into The Deep Blue, Rising From The Black Pit.

Butterflies Deserve Better

By Steven Neo

Rapid urbanisation and practises like anti-mosquito fogging are threatening the existence of butterflies in Singapore.

Feathers, Fun and Funds

By Clive Briffet

An introduction to bird racing – a fun and fund-raising even to identify as many bird species as possible within a given time frame.

Emerald In Singapore’s Crown

By Wee Yeow Chin

In a Singapore where almost no land area is sacred, the untouched ancient forest of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a priceless treasure.

English-man of the Jungle

By Leong Siew Lin

Since he arrived in this region in 1948, Ivan Polunin has immersed himself in its flora and fauna, contributing his knowledge to BBC documentaries and the National Geographic magazine.

Switch Off, Get More

By Dominic Nathan

Singapore has plans for a new power plant, an offshore landfill and a fourth refuse incinerator. Does she have alternatives?

Into The Deep Blue

By Helen Newman

The more than 100 species of fish and 200 species of corals make Thailand’s Similan Islands an excellent diving location.

Rising From The Black Pit

By Lynette Thomas

Baha’i teachings motivate believers to do their bit to heal the Earth.

Volume 2 No. 2 (Apr – June 1994)

The Last Mammals, If Plants Could Talk, Falling In Love With Senoko, The Trouble With Paper, The Icy Heights Of Africa, Eco-Lessons From The Quran, Book Reviews.

The Last Mammals

By Goh Sui Noi

Tigers and leopards once prowled Singapore. Now, with only five percent of its wilderness left, is there enough room for the last small mammals like the pangolin, mousedeer, otter and slow loris?

If Plants Could Talk

By Dr Wee Yeow Chin

Many herbs used in traditional cures have found their way into modern, lab-tested Western drugs. Many more, perhaps with healing potential, lie undiscovered in the rainforest.

Falling In Love With Senoko

By Lim Kim Seng

When engineer heard that Senoko would be cleared for development, he was "devastated". "I could not sleep for days! I could not believe that the best birdwatching site in Singapore was not going to be preserved as a nature area." Kim Seng tells how his "love affair" with Senoko began 18 years ago.

The Trouble With Paper

By Agnes Cheng-Bohnen

We use paper prodigiously and thoughtlessly. Agnes Cheng-Bohnen warns of the dangers of forest clear-cutting paper manufacturing processes to the environment and human lives.

The Icy Heights Of Africa

By Helen MacKinlay

Helen MacKinlay treks up Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, and discovers giant senecios, rare flowers and snow.

Eco-Lessons from The Quran

By Yohanna Abdullah

"There is not an animal that lives on the earth nor being that flies on its wings but form parts of communities like you… and they shall all be gathered to their Lord in the end."

Yohanna Abdullah shares this and other eco-lessons from the Muslims’ holy book.

The Middle Way

Concepts embodying the environmental ethics of Islam

Book Reviews

By Ilsa Sharp

Month of Pure Light: The Re-greening of Vietnam; The Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee

Volume 2 No. 3 (July – September 1994)

Wild Wild Singapore, Hinduism In Harmony With Nature, Belum – Staking Claim To A New National Park, Doing What Comes Naturally, Discovering Java’s Ujung Kulon National Park, When Nature Calls… Join Nature Society!, Book Review.

Wild, Wild Singapore

There’s a wild side to Singapore – one filled with fascinating creatures like the four-Ridged Toad, Malayan Night-heron and Small Harlequin. See these wonders of nature captured on film by vigilant Nature Society photographers.

Hinduism In Harmony With Nature

By P N Avadhani

Botanist Associate Professor P N Avadhani shows how this ancient religion advocates conservation of nature.

Belum – Staking Claim To A New National Park

By Alan W. Ernst

Second in size to Taman Negara, Belum forest is the Malay Peninsula’s last pristine forest. Till today it is teeming with tigers, seladang, elephants and harbours a vast variety of botanical specimens. Alan W. Ernst records his expedition into Belum.

Doing What Comes Naturally

By Leong Siew Lin

Leong Siew Lin meets with popular nature guide, Subaraj Rajathurai who acted as natural history consultant to David Bellamy when the renowned botanist was in town filming ‘Bellamy in Singapore’.

Discovering Java’s Ujung Kulon National Park

By John and Anna Arifin

John and Anna Arifin stalk wildlife in this National Park on the western extremity of Java, claimed as a world Heritage Site by WWF-Indonesia.

When Nature Calls…Join Nature Society!

By Evelyn Eng-Lim

Managing editor of Nature Watch, Evelyn Eng-Lim tells how you can do your bit for Nature and have a fun time doing so.

Book Review

The Last Panda

By Ilsa Sharp

Volume 2 No. 4 (Oct – Dec 1994)

Pretty Deadly Pitcher Plants, Tending The Garden, Back To Nature Farming, Tread Softly, The World’s Richest Montane Forests – Mount Kinabalu, Book Review.

Pretty Deadly Pitcher Plants

By Hugh Tan

Every Pitcher Tells a Story – and some, a deadly one! Hugh Tan describes the five species of pitcher plants and tells us how many unwary insects are drawn to this carnivorous plant.

Tending The Garden

By Lyndon Gan

Is Christianity exploitive and destructive of nature? How true is this charge? Lyndon Gan takes a Christian point of view and provides some answers.

Back To Nature Farming

By Betty L Khoo

Betty L Khoo goes back to the good old days when farming was done the natural way and the highlights how today’s hi-tech farming methods have destroyed our soils.

Tread Softly

By Ilsa Sharp

Ecotourism is in vogue. But there are dangers of tourists "loving-a-place-to-death". Ilsa Sharp takes a look at the impact of ecotourism on natural attractions and offers possible solutions.

The World’s Richest Montane Forests – Mount Kinabalu

By Lim Keng Seng

Lim Keng Seng takes us up Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South-East Asia and points out, along the way the many wondrous species of mammals, birds and flowers.

Book Review

By Betty Wee

Rescue Mission Planet Earth. Betty Wee reviews this colourfully graphic, but no less serious, children’s version of the United Nation’s Agenda 21.

Volume 3 No. 1 (Jan – Mar 1995)

Galapagos: Islands Of Change, ‘Wasteland’ Or Nature Area?, The Spider-Hunting Wasp And Its Prey, Walking Leaves, Book Review, Wildlife Artist With A Mission, Nature News.

Galapagos: Islands Of Change

By Alan W Ernst

Alan W Ernst sets out on the trail of Charles Darwin, discovering colonies of sea lions, giant tortoises and marine iguanas, on a chain of volcanic cones off South America.

‘Wasteland’ Or Nature Area?

By George Jacobs and Andrew Goatly

Language specialists George Jacobs and Andrew Goatly highlight the ways and sentences have an impact on how we regard Nature and the environment.

The Spider-Hunting Wasp And Its Prey

By Tay Eng Pin

Tay Eng Pin gives us a first-hand account of the drama that takes place in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

Walking Leaves

By Francis Seow Choen

Insect-lover Francis Seow Choen shares with us his knowledge of and fascination for the bizarre leaf insects that inhabit Southeast Asian rainforests.

Book Review

By Kwek Shin Hua

Oasis under Thai Seas: A book review by Kwek Shin Hua, of Diving In Thailand, a comprehensive book about the many diving spots one can visit around the Isthmus of Kra.

Wildlife Artist With A Mission

By Betty L Khoo

Betty L Khoo meets Australian artist Di Skelly Heron. They talk about wildlife conservation, art and spiritual experiences.

Nature News

A compilation of news reports from around the world – this issue, we cover deadly viruses; relocation of endangered palms, and a mystery balm that helps prevent gangrene.

Volume 3 No. 2 (Apr – June 1995)

Rare Birds Of A Spice Island, Sunset Serenade At Sewage Treatment Ponds!, To Take Care of My World, Fishes of the forest, Yo Ho Ho & Ro, Man Is Kin To The Tropical Rain Forest, Monks Ordain Trees, Book Review.

Rare Birds Of A Spice Island

By Morten Strange

Morten Strange, birder-photographer, had the chance of a lifetime when a fax from BirdLife International, England, asked him to track down and take pictures of endemic birds that had never been photographed. Travel with him to Halmahera island, in Northern Maluku (Moluccas) in the legendary Spice Islands trying to capture the elusive birds on film.

Sunset Serenade At Sewage Treatment Ponds!

By Betty L. Khoo

Nature thrives in one of the most unlikely places imaginable – at one of Darwin’s largest sewage treatment ponds, Leanyer! But before you jump to the conclusion that this pond is an utterly revolting bird- and nature-watching venue, it’s really quite pleasant! Surprising as the sewage has been treated using only sunlight.

To Take Care Of My World

By George Jacobs

George Jacobs goes in depth into the Jewish faith to uncover what words of healing Judaism has to offer our wounded Mother Earth.

Fishes Of The Forest

By Ng Heok Hee & Peter K L Ng

Ng Heok Hee and Peter K L Ng goes ‘fishing’ in Singapore’s Central Catchment Area for native fresh water fish which are, unfortunately, vanishing all too quickly. But it’s not all bad news – the good part is that species new to Singapore have been discovered. And new not only to Singapore, but in some cases, actually new to science as well!

YO HO HO & RO

By Ilsa Sharp

Roland Eric Sharma, one of the Nature Society’s founding fathers, is no lazy retiree! Now 75, he’s still actively involved in all things natural. As a zoo and marine volunteer guide in Perth, he showed Ilsa Sharp around Perth Zoo and Hillary’s Harbour, Perth and caught up on good times and old friends at the same time.

Man Is Kin To The Tropical Rain Forest

By Ilsa Sharp

Ilsa Sharp’s GREEN INDONESIA is a long-awaited celebration of the vibrant wildlife and fauna that inhabit Indonesia. Photographed by Alain Compost, this ‘green’ coffee table book is also a visual treat for the reader.

Monks Ordain Trees

By Chng Soh Koon

Thailand’s Venerable Prachak has hit upon a unique way to save Thailand’s rainforest – he ‘ordains’ each tree by wrapping them with a piece of cloth from a monk’s saffron robe. The trees become sacred and cutting them down is tantamount to actually killing a monk.

Book Review

By Ilsa Sharp

This issue’s review is ‘Eco-bluff your Way to Greenism, The Guide to Instant Environmental Credibility’ by Paul Spencer Wachtel and Jeffrey A. McNeely. This is a really hilarious read, spiced with plenty of well-placed sarcasm and environmental wit.

Volume 3 No. 3 (July – Sep 1995)

Special Edition on Pulau Ubin

The Last Wild Frontier, Pulau Batu Ubin, Spirited Pioneers, Flora And Fauna Of Ubin, Map Of Ubin, Nature Lesson, Whither Ubin?.

The Last Wild Frontier

By Betty L. Khoo

This last prologue on Pulau Ubin tells of one elephant’s ordeal when it swims across to the island from neighbouring Johor.

Pulau Batu Ubin

By Betty L. Khoo

An introductory chapter to the geography and history of the island.

Spirited Pioneers

By Betty L. Khoo

A riveting account of how the island of Ubin was slowly populated in the early days. Personal stories are told by those who have been living on Ubin for most of their lives.

Flora And Fauna Of Ubin

By Lim Kim Keang

The many ecological niches are featured in this comprehensive feature, with many pictures of the rare and endangered inhabitants of the island – be they fish, fowl or fern.

Map Of Ubin

By Andrew Tay

An illustrated map of the island, with highlights of important sites.

Nature Lesson

By Evelyn Eng-Lim

We find out what the Nature Society has done in raising the eco-consciousness of inhabitants of Ubin as well as mainland Singaporeans. The educational focus is on the Field Center for Environmental Education in the old Bin Kiang School.

Whither Ubin?

By Dr Ho Hua Chew

Dr Ho Hua Chew asks the million-dollar question and wonders about the future of this nature-rich island.

Volume 3 No. 4 (Oct – Dec 1995)

Reef Resue II, Grown Men Who Wept For The Forests, Saved From The Fogs Of Hell, Dawn Chorus, This Land Is Precious, Trilobite Larvae, Amazon Shamans, Letters & Activities.

Reef Resue II

By Chua Sek Chuan

A massive operation involving the transplanting of live coral around Pulau Ayer Chawan to the waters near Siloso Beach, Sentosa – Reef Rescue II was completed successfully earlier this year. Chua Sek Chuan reports on this ambitious project, which mobilised more then 4509 volunteers over a period of almost two years.

Grown Men Who Wept For The Forests

By Ilsa Sharp

English actor, playwright and environmental activist Rick Edmunds set up the Green Light Trust to save the forests of Papua New Guinea and re-forest the bleak landscape of his native England. Ilsa Sharp meets the man and describes his extraordinary feats.

Saved From The Fogs Of Hell

By Steven Neo

Photographer Steven Neo narrates this sometimes funny, sometimes toughing episode that involves some butterflies, insecticides and a certain lady.

Dawn Chorus

By Lim Kim Chuah

The beautiful feathered wonders of Johor’s Panti Forest Reserve are lovingly described by Lim Kim Chuah. Many of these birds are on the endangered species list and have been captured on film for the article.

This Land Is Precious

By Chief Seattle

A truly moving, profound manifesto on man and the environment by the legendary Chief Seattle, Native American hero.

Trilobite Larvae

By Alvin Wong Tze Chin

These biological oddities are described to us by Alvin Wong Tze Chin. We discover to us by play an important role in the health of our forest habitats.

Amazon Shamans

By Betty L Khoo

Ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin recounts his travels and studies with Amazonian shamans in his book ‘‘Tales of a Shamans’s Apprentice’’.

Letters & Activities

Feedback from our readers and a calender of upcoming events.

Volume 4 No. 1 (Jan – Mar 1996)

Khatib Bongsu, Living In Harmony With Nature, Earth In The Balance, Still Waters Run Deep, Subscription Form, Letters.

Khatib Bongsu

By Lim Kim Seng

The last untouched wetland of northern Singapore.

Living In Harmony With Nature

By Betty Khoo

Betty Khoo explains the principles of BioDynamic farming.

Earth In The Balance

By Betty Khoo

A summary of Al Gore’s book.

Still Waters Run Deep

By Ilsa Sharp

Ilsa Sharp profiles Professor Wee Yeow Chin.

Letters

Feedback from readers.

Volume 4 No. 2 (Apr – June 1996)

Terrestrial Life-forms of Sipadan, The Lady’s Got Style, A Walk Among The Sea Lions, The Nature Of The Honey Bee, Book Review, The River Runners, Subscription Form.

Terrestrial Life-forms of Sipadan

By Dr Chua Ee Kiam & Billy Kon

Apart from the rich marine life surrounding Sipadan Island, there are many interesting creatures inhabiting its rainforests and beaches. Dr Chua Ee Kiam and Billy Kon encountered giant Robber Crabs and more…

The Lady’s Got Style

By Ilsa Sharp

A passionate nature conservationist and generous benefactor of environmental causes, Lady McNeice is profiled by Ilsa Sharp.

A Walk Among The Sea Lions

By Lim Wee Ming

Off the coast of South Australia is Kangaroo Island. It has a wilderness park where Lim Wee Ming describes to us his encounters with the resident creatures there.

The Nature Of The Honey Bee

By Steve Caroll

Australian Bio-dynamic bee-keeper Steve Caroll talks about man’s relationship with bees and suggests we return to natural practices.

Book Review

By Lim Kim Seng

An illustrated book of interest to ornithologists, ‘Kingfishers of the World’ reviewed by Lim Kim Seng.

The River Runners

By Mike Gibby

Rafting down the Nenggiri River in West Malaysia, Mike Gibby describes the many geological formations along the way.

Volume 4 No. 3 (July – Sep 1996)

The Singapore Green Plan Endangered, A Leaf From My Nature Diaries, The Health Forests Of Sabah’s Long Pasia, ‘Professor Stork’ To Some, President To Us, Book Review, Subscription Form.

The Singapore Green Plan Endangered

By Dr Ho Hua Chew

The core of the Khatib Bongus Nature Area has been sacrificed for the sake of straightening a semi-expressway. This action has actually swept aside what has been committed for preservation in The Singapore Green Plan (1993).

A Leaf From My Nature Diaries

By Lim Kim Seng

Self-taught naturalist Lim Kim Seng shares with us his personal history when he digs out his cherished Nature Diaries, complied in the 70s, written while he was growing up on his family farm in Ulu Sembawang.

The Health Forests Of Sabah’s Long Pasia

By Dr Chua Ee Kiam & Billy Kon

The intrepid pair, Dr Chua Ee Kiam and photographer Billy Kon, were drawn to this remote region by stories of glorious pitcher plants. What they found was far more than this – and the story is recounted for you, complete with colourful photographs.

‘Professor Stork’ To Some, President To Us

By Ilsa Sharp

The Nature Society’s 46-year-old President, Professor Ng Soon Chye, is profiled by Ilsa Sharp.

Book Review

By Betty L Khoo

The book traces the chronological and nature history of Bukit Timah Hill, A View from the Summit.

Volume 4 No. 4 (Oct – Dec 1996)

Love & Parenting The Coppersmith Barbet Way, Organic Gardening, Ho Hua Chew, Nature’s Champion In Singapore, Walking In Nature’s Garden, All Creatures Have A Place In The Sun, Magnificent Rafflesia, Living With The Mangroves, Book Review, Subscription Form.

Love & Parenting The Coppersmith Barbet Way

By Ong Kiem Sian

Avid birder and photographer Ong Kiem Sian documents the care and love a pair of Coppersmith Barbets lavish on their young brood, from the courting stages to nesting and then parenting.

Organic Gardening

By Betty L Khoo

With current concerns about the use of pesticides in farming, Betty L Khoo reports on a healthier lternative that was mooted in the 1930s.

Ho Hua Chew, Nature’s Champion In Singapore

By Betty L Khoo

Profile of Dr Ho Hua Chew, Chairman of the Nture Society’s Conservation Committee. Betty L Khoo interviews the Philosophy lecturer and intrepid nature lover and he tells of his love for nature and gives reasons why Singapore should not neglect nature conservation efforts.

Walking In Nature’s Garden

By Amy Lau-Tsang

The wonders of nature are indeed everywhere. Birder Amy Lau-Tsang describes her feelings as she wonders up Bukit Timah Hill with her nine-year-old son, You Jun, who contributes to the article with his own colourful drawings.

All Creatures Have A Place In The Sun

By Betty L Khoo

The impact of cattle-raising on the environment, wild animals that save human lives – these and many other issues are raised by Betty L Khoo as she ponders on the interconnectedness of all creatures in the web of life.

Magnificent Rafflesia

By Dr Chua Ee Kiam

The largest flowers in the world are borne by Rafflesia plants. Dr Chua Ee Kiam and friends go trekking in Sabah’s forest in search of these magnificent blooms – which were first discovered by Singapore’s founder, Sir Standford Raffles.

Living With The Mangroves

By Dr John F. Halldane

The importance of mangroves and how to integrate these areas into our urban planning are explained and discussed by Dr John F. Halldane. Learn how mangroves help prevent soil erosion and how they keep our tidal shores in place along our rivers and coasts.

Book Review

By Betty L Khoo

A simply illustrated children’s book on nature is reviewed by Betty L Khoo.

Volume 5 No. 1 (Jan – Mar 1997)

Close Encounters With Owls Of Singapore, Rainforest Rojak, Living Caves, It’s Wild! This International Bird Fair, Book Review.

Close Encounters With Owls Of Singapore

By Dr Ho Hua Chew

These mysterious, nocturnal birds are sought out by Dr Ho Hua Chew as he attempts to document their lifestyles. He describes one encounter with a Brown Hawk-Owl ‘‘…as if I had encountered something out of this world.’’

Rainforest Rojak

By Dr Shawn Lum

The wonders of MacRitchie Nature Trail are exhorted by Dr Shawn Lum. He walks this old rubber trail in the Central Catchment Area and shares his insights.

Living Caves

By Liz Price

The spectacular caves of Malaysia are discussed by caving enthusiast Liz Price. Follow her on her journey into darkness and wonder…

It’s Wild! This International Bird Fair

By Morten Strange

The British Bird-watching Fair in England was attended by birder and photographer Morten Strange. He reports on this international gathering of bird-lovers.

Book Review

By Alvin Wong

A book on edible grasshoppers and silk-spinning worms is reviewed by fellow NSS member Alvin Wong.

Volume 5 No. 2 (Apr – June 1997)

How Well Are Humans And Wildlife Sharing ‘Green’ Corridors?, Choking Mother Nature, Christmas Island In June, Profile On Lim Kim Keang: Bird Or Butterfly Man?, Book Review.

How Well Are Humans And Wildlife Sharing ‘Green’ Corridors?

By Clive Briffett, Lily Kong, Belinda Yuen and Navjot Sodhi.

A multi-disciplinary team from the National University of Singapore share the prelimary findings of their research into the Park Connector System, which is the beginning of ‘networking nature’ in Singapore.

Choking Mother Nature

By Betty L Khoo

If you think that clean-up campaigns and recycling are the ultimate answer to our garbage and land-fill problems, think again. Betty L Khoo says that we must instead look to stop creating waste that is choking nature to death.

Christmas Island In June

By Ng Bee Choo

The NSS Bird Group descended on this island in the Indian Ocean during the month of June. Although not many land crabs were seen, they were rewarded with the sight of thousands of birds as it was the nesting season. Photographs by Alan Owyong.

Profile on Lim Kim Keang: Bird Or Butterfly Man?

By Betty L Khoo

Discover some surprising tit-bits on this dynamic head of the NSS Bird Group. Betty L Khoo profiles this council member of Bird Life Asia Council and tells us what makes this 47-year-old engineer and nature lover tick, and how during his kampung childhood, he began to love and understand Nature.

Book Review

By Adriel Yap & Ilsa Sharp

Two books on water and its importance are reviewed. Adriel Yap reviews a book that says water needs plants, fish and mammals to be able to regenerate and continue its life-giving cycle. Ilsa Sharp reviews a book that contain grim statistics and revelations concerning the abuse of our natural water supplies.

Volume 5 No. 3 (July – Sep 1997)

Flying ‘Flowers’, Sumatra’s Kenrinci-Seblat National Park, Enthusiasm More Important Than U Degree, Magnificent Taman Negara, The Rice Terraces Of Tana Toraja, Book Review.

Flying ‘Flowers’

By Steven Neo, Betty L Khoo & Andrew Tay

The butterflies of Singapore are alluringly beautiful and appreciated by many. However, they are not mere ornaments that prettify gardens. These delicate insects also play a crucial part in Nature’s wondrous web of life, which we all are a part of.

Sumatra’s Kenrinci-Seblat National Park

By Alfred Chia

The serene surroundings of Sumatra’s Kerinci-Seblat National Park has an active volcanic peak in its vicinity. Alfred Chia observes that it is one of the few places where one can wander into the dark, cool forest to observe montane birds, then have a bath in icy rainwater, eat home-grown vegetables and watch TV with a choice of 24 satellite channels.

Enthusiasm More Important Than U Degree

By Betty L Khoo

Many NSS members are familiar with S Rajamanikam, the society’s best-known trip leader. Betty L Khoo profiles the intrepid nature lover, who became the society’s Chairman in 1983. He later decided to devote his energies to leading nature trips in Singapore and all over the world.

Magnificent Taman Negara

By Ong Kiem Sian

Imagine walking along the world’s longest canopy walk in one of the world’s oldest rainforest. Ong Kiem Sian talks about her experiences, while providing colourful pictures, about her visit to Malaysia’s national park, with it’s spruced-up resort facilities and pristine forest surroundings.

The Rice Terraces Of Tana Toraja

By Ayesha Ercelawn

The eco-system of a padi field is a delicate and vastly complex one, as Ayesha Ercelawn discovers. She tells us about the interconnectedness of all living things (including human-beings) inhabiting the padi fields of Tana Toraja in South Sulawesi.

Book Review

By George Jacobs

Humanity’s estrangement from nature can lead us to behaviours and values which are destructive. This is what’s propounded by the book Ecopsychology: Restoring The Earth – And Healing The Mind.

Volume 5 No. 4 (Oct – Dec 1997)

John Corner And His Trees, Flowerpeckers… Tiny Birds With Big Brave Hearts, A spectacle Of Life In Sime Forest, Profile On Dr P N Avadhani, There’s A Great Hornbill Outside My Window, Celebrities In Hot Pursuit… Of Birds!, Book Review

John Corner And His Trees

By Betty L Khoo and Goh Si Gium

Half a century ago, the late botanist John Corner noted 96 kinds of common trees along the Esplanade to the far end of Orchard Road. Sadly many are not standing today. Still, in the words of John Corner ‘‘we must not forget that one mark of civilisation is the regard men bestows on wild things’’ so follow in his footsteps and walk among the trees along the waysides wherever you may be.

Flowerpeckers…Tiny Birds With Big Brave Hearts

By Ong Kiem Sian

They maybe tiny but they are tough, tenacious and caring parents. Ms Ong Kiem Sian observes and photographs them as they go about their daily routine.

A Spectacle Of Life In Sime Forest

By Cheong Loon Fah, Lau Won Soon and Goo Chuen Hang

Dawn breaks at macRitchie Reservoir and what greets the ear and eye is the myriad species of birds – migratory and resident – and their fleeting presence. Cheong Loon Fah, Lau Won Soon and Goo Chuen Hang capture the magic of our feathered friends as the morning unfolds.

Profile On Dr P N Avadhani

By Betty L Khoo

Huggable like an old tree is how Betty L Khoo profiles and describes the man who is an NSS stalwart. And like a sturdy tree the good professor has nurtured both many an NSS member and their interests. A youthful 65 year-old he feels that he still has much to contribute in the areas of nature education and research.

There’s A Great Hornbill Outside My Window

By Dr Tham Suet Lan

The upside of living on a 10^th floor apartment with a huge balcony and opposite the Botanic Gardens is that you get some pretty interesting visitors – a Great Hornbill for one. Dr Tham Suet Lan wortes of how rewarding birdwatching has become for her.

Celebrities In Hot Pursuit… Of Birds!

By Goh Si Guim

TV personalities, writers and S-League footballers dragged themselves out of bed early one April morning and gamely went in pursuit of birds in the Celebrity Bird Race to raise funds for Nature Society (Singapore). The real surprise though is that they loved it, learnt much from the experience and fell in love with the birds and birdwatching.

Book Review

By Lim Kim Seng

Lim Kim Seng reviews an attractive book that deals on great depth on birding in Indonesia. Fascinating features on birds are scattered throughout the main text and the book is well illustrated with good quality photographs.

Volume 6 No. 1 (Jan – March 1998)

Note: 3 issues only

Seeding A Dream, The Edes’ ‘Garden Of Eden’, NSS’s Brave Heart President, Prof Khoo Hong Woo, Expectant Ioras Build Their Nests, Is Our Oldest Forest Dying?, Gorillas, How I Miss Them!, Ode To Tree Barks.

Seeding A Dream

By Jean W. H. Yong

Plant a robust tree seed and one day you may have a forest. Biologist Jean W H Yong is fulfilling his dream of active replanting and saving Singapore’s last coastal trees.

The Edes’ ‘Garden Of Eden’

By Ong Kiem Sian

There is a tiny pocket in Singapore where Nature and Man co-exist in peace and harmony. Bird enthusiast and nature photographer Ong Kiem Sian shares her bird sanctuary with our readers.

NSS’s Brave Heart President, Prof Khoo Hong Woo

By Yap Wee Kian

The man who leads the Society in these challenging times is much like a man at the head of a team of fire fighters. Yap Kian Wee talks to the NSS President and finds that his heart is in the right place to lead the fight for Nature.

Expectant Ioras Build Their Nests

By Raymond Poon

In a park amid heavy human traffic. Raymond Poon was as anxious for their safety as the fine feathered expectant parents.

Is Our Oldest Forest Dying?

By Ayesha Ercelawn

For hundreds, maybe even thousands, of years Bukit Timah regenerated itself. But now many of the fruit-eating birds and mammals are gone. Ayesha Ercelawn reports on a Tree Census of more than 13,000 trees in Singapore’s oldest forest to ascertain whether the ancient forest is still capable of replicating itself.

Gorillas, How I Miss Them!

By Goh Yue Yun

Goh Yue Yun pines for the infant gorilla she adopted after a vsit to Rwanda (Africa) and Dian Fossey’s threatened gorilla sanctuary.

Ode To Tree Birds

By Amy Tsang

A poem by Amy Tsang.

Volume 6 No. 2 (Apr – June 1998)

Marvels Of The Migratory Monarch, Subscription Form, The Keropok Tree – In Our Backyard, Why The Forest Garden?, My Food Forest, No Bats, No Durians.

Marvels Of The Migratory Monarch

By Alan Ernst & Steven Neo

Do you know that fragile butterflies – the Monarch is one – undertake migratory flights across continents?

The Keropok Tree – In Our Backyard

By A H B Loo & Hugh T W Tan

Most of you must have savoured a slightly bitter keropok that garnishes ‘gado gado’. Did you know that this keropok comes from the starchy seed of the belinjau tree and it is growing in Singapore?

Why The Forest Garden?

By Betty L. Khoo

The only real answer to the colossal harm that out present industrial society is causing to the global environment is to replace it with a sustainable system. Enter – The Forest Garden.

My Food Forest

By Betty L Khoo

Betty L Khoo walks us through the herbs and vegetables she has planted in and among the native eucalyptus trees growing in a forest strip behind her homestead in rural Darwin.

No Bats, No Durians

By Lim Gaik Kee

The Dawn Bat pollinates durian flower which is why farmers say, ‘No Bats, No Durians’. Yet this useful creature has been hunted down. Lim Gaik Kee awakens us to very real harm we are doing by killing off fruit bats.

Volume 6 No. 3 (Sept – Dec 1998)

No Insects, No Breakfast!, Our Lifetime – The forgotten Pollinators, Of Aliens That Follow In Man’s Footsteps..and The Harm They Can Do!, Vegetable Or Weed, The Toddy Palms In Front Of Singapore’s Medical College, Bird Collecting 120 Years Ago

No Insects, No Breakfast!

By betty L. Khoo

An eye-opener on the importance of all insects to humans.

Our Lifetime – The forgotten Pollinators

By Betty L Khoo

Summery and review of a book that explains our connection with the insect worlds by Betty L Khoo.

Of Aliens That Follow In Man’s Footsteps… And The Harm They Can Do!

By Lim Kim Seng

Lim Kim Seng discusses the deliberate and accidental ‘Introduction’ of Plant and Animal species into places they’ve never been in before and the harm they can do. Unfortunately there appears to be ‘‘No Winners in the war against ‘Aliens’.’’

Vegetable Or Weed

By Tan Woei Yng & H T W Tan

There’re good reasons for ‘taming’ weeds (‘yea-kok-choi’) by potting, growing and eating it too.

The Toddy Palms In Front Of Singapore’s Medical College

By E H Wu & Y C Wee

Bird Collecting 120 Years Ago…

By Richard E Halle

Some things have actually changed for the better after a century.

Volume 7 No. 1 (Jan – Apr 1999)

Note: 3 issues only

Some ‘Peacocks’ Are Forest Giants, Close Encounter With Nightjar And Chicks, Subscription Form, Playing Modern-Day Noah Is Highly Dangerous, Singapore Water Beetles Tell A Story, Doing the Dois, Montane Birding Heaven, Leafless Liverworts – Ancient Tiny Flora In Our Forests.

Some ‘Peacocks’ Are Forest Giants

By Adrian H B Loo & Hugh TW Tan

Other members of the fascinating Peacock Flower family are shrubs or climbers.

Close Encounter With Nightjar And Chicks

By Werner Peters

Werner Peters describes an exciting and unusual morning encounter with a mother Nightjar and her two cute little chicks in Sungei Buloh Nature Park.

Playing Modern-Day Noah Is Highly Dangerous

By Lim Kim Seng

Lim Kim Seng on Reintroduction of animals into our forests.

Singapore Water Beetles Tell A Story

By Michael Balke & Lars Hendrich

Do you know that water beetles are among the world’s most ancient pollinators? And streams in Bukit Timah forest are homes to some newly named water beetles!

Doing the Dois, Montane Birding Heaven

By Morten Strange

Intrepid birdwatcher and photographer, Morten Strange takes us on a birds photography spree around the summit road of Doi Inthanon National Park, on the highest mountain in Thailand.

Leafless Liverworts – Ancient Tiny Flora In Our Forests

By Benito Tan & Dennis H Murphy.

Volume 7 No. 2 (May – Aug 1999)

Celebrate Our Oceans, Dance Of The Regal Rajahs Of Malaysia, The Red Constipation Plant… And Other Medical And Useful Plants, Our Smallest Woodpecker, Humans Are Part Of Nature, Book Review.

Celebrate Our Oceans

By Chua Sek Chuan

A visual feast of vivid images of the amazing underwater life seen through the lenses of some of Singapore’s finest underwater photographs.

Dance Of The Regal Rajahs Of Malaysia

By Simon Chan Kee Mun

Simon Chan Kee Mun gives a descriptive personal account of his impressions and encounters with the regal Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing Butterfly of Malaysia.

The Red Constipation Plant…And Other Medical And Useful Plants

By Michelle WK Goh & Hugh TW Tan

Some of these plants, of the Connaraceae family, are still found in our forest in Singapore.

Our Smallest Woodpecker

By Ong Kiem Sian

The hen-pecked spouse of our smallest woodpecker by Ong Kiem Siam, veteran birder and photographer who refers to herself as nature’s perpetual student.

Humans Are Part Of Nature

By Betty L Khoo

Ouotations from some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers who share their love and view of Nature.

Book Review

By Chua Sek Chuan

Chua Sek Chuan reviews the book ‘‘Marine Parks of Thailand…’’, the first of a series of books which will cover other marine parks in the other Asean countries.

Volume 7 No. 3 (Sept – Dec 1999)

The Fan Palms Are Waving At You, Unstoppable Sutari, A ‘Mindful’ Walk Round The Thale Sap Songkhla, Learning To Fly, The ‘‘Green Of Earth’’ Bird, Looking Into The Eye Of A Tiger… In Tiger Land, Awakening To MacRitchie’s Forest Riches.

The Fan Palms Are Waving At You

By Adrian H.B. Loo & Hugh T.W. Tan

Armed with this comprehensive and informative article on the fan palms, readers should be enticed to go out to identify them in our nature areas and the Botanic Gardens.

Unstoppable Sutari

By Betty L. Khoo

Readers will be effused with the energies of this talented indefatigable nature artist.

A ‘Mindful’ Walk Round The Thale Sap Songkhla

By Peter Burt, Ted Mayer & George Jacobs

This is a peaceful 135km walk to highlight the serious adverse effects of pollution, over-fishing, industrialisation and deforestation on Lake Songkhla. Participants learn how the villagers try to solve these difficult problems.

Learning To Fly

By George Jacobs

In this brief book review, George Jacobs believes that the book will inspire us to do some flying of our own, with our course set towards enjoying and protecting nature.

The ‘Green Of Earth’ Bird

By Christian Artuso

Christian Artuso narrates his determination, despite much discomfort, to photograph the attractive Verditer Flycatcher in Fraser’s Hill.

Looking Into The Eye Of A Tiger… In Tiger Land

By A. Bastion

A. Bastion wrote this exciting account of the travels of five ‘girls’ through three national parks in India to look for tigers and they come away jubilant!

Awakening To MacRitchie’s Forest Riches

By Goh Si Gium

Goh Si Gium takes us on a walk to explore the depth of MacRitchie’s worth – its rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.

Volume 8 No. 1 (Jan – Mar 2000)

Dolphins And Us, Watching Dolphins For Pleasure And Study, Paradise In The Winds, Madagascar, Land Of The Baobabs and Lemurs, Making Their Homes Among The Orchids, An Indispensable Ingredient Of Indian Curries, Like-Minded Meet To Protect Future For Birds.

Dolphins And Us

By Daniel Goh

We can learn more from these intelligent mammals left in the wild than in captivity. Daniel Goh from Jalan Hijau gives us the cold hard facts about dolphins in showcase.

Watching Dolphins For Pleasure And Study

By Catherine Brassaud

Catherine Brassaud tells how you can contribute towards the long-term protection of wild dolphins.

Paradise In The Winds

By Assoc Prof Ng Soon Chye

The Endau-Rompin National Park is worth visiting. Find out what Assoc Prof Ng Soon Chye experienced when he went to make a short film on birds.

Madagascar, Land Of The Baobabs and Lemurs

By Dr Wee Yeow Chin

The fourth largest island in the world is a treasure trove for nature lovers. Dr Wee Yeow Chin shows he unique wonders of ‘‘one of the world’s highest conservative priorities’’.

Making Their Homes Among The Orchids

By Raymond Poon

Raymond Poon captures the Copper-throated Sunbirds at close range.

An Indispensable Ingredient Of Indian Curries

By Tan Wee Kee & Hugh T W Tan

Tan Wee Kee & Hugh T W Tan reveal the many secret properties of the humble curry leaf plant.

Like-Minded Meet To Protect Future For Birds

By Lim Kim Seng

Nature Society (Singapore) is a full partner of BirdLife International, and sent its representatives to participate at the Global Partnership meeting last year.

Volume 8 No. 2 (Apr – June 2000)

Conserving Singapore’s Biodiversity, Nature’s Gallery Of Art, Nature In The City, A Tale Of Two Tailorbirds, Kakadu Kaleidoscope.

Conserving Singapore’s Biodiversity

By Lim Kim Seng

The precious remaining natural habitats in Singapore are in jeopardy if urgent steps are not taken to preserve the flora and fauna in these unique pockets of biodiversity.

Nature’s Gallery Of Art

By Hugh T W Tan

Hugh T W Tan captures with his photo-lens the beauty of endangered native plant species in Singapore.

Nature In The City

By Shawn Lum

Interest in nature is well and alive as a three-day ‘‘enviro-fest,’’ organised by NSS was anything to go by.

A Tale Of Two Tailorbirds

By Ong Kiem Sian

A fascinating eye-witness account of how the aptly-named Common Tailorbirds stitch their nests.

Kakadu Kaleidoscope

By Tan Chung Lee

Wildlife abounds in the wetlands and woodlands of the vast Kakadu Natioanl Park, a World Heritage Site, located deep in Australia’s Northern Teritory.

Volume 8 No. 3 (July – Sept 2000)

Unveiling The Seas, Irian Jaya – Paradise For Birds, Return Of The Plain-pouched Hornbills, Flare Of The Fireflies, Deep In The Danum Valley.

Unveiling The Seas

By Chua Sek Chuan

The wonders of the seas of Singapore and their myriad underwater creatures and unravelled in this fascinating account of marine life.

Irian Jaya – Paradise For Birds

By Morten Strange

The birds of paradise have to be seen to be believed. Their impossibly long and colourful plumes have given the enchanting birds a mystical quality and made them a quarry for years by tribesmen conveting their beautiful feathers.

Return Of The Plain-pouched Hornbills

By Sutari Supari

The rarely sighted Plain-pouched Hornbill is alive and well and can be seen at Belum, Perak. A group of bird lovers watch spellbound at the flights of thousands of colourful pouched birds.

Flare Of The Fireflies

By Nick Baker

The spectacle of twinkling fireflies in a darkened forest is a sight to behold as a bedazzled Nick Baker finds out on a recent visit to Kuala Selangor Nature Park.

Deep In The Danum Valley

By Ong Kiem Sian

The lush Danum Valley is one of Sabah’s best-kept secrets – the perfect place for a nature romp.

Volume 8 No. 4 (Oct – Dec 2000)

Leaping Frogs And Toads!, Mawai Kem-eco, How A Friendship Flowered, Ring Of Bright Water, Bukit Batok’s Musical Wonders, Birds Of Bharatpur.

Leaping Frogs And Toads!

By Leong Tzi Ming

These amphibious creatures have a fascinating tale to tell. Heard more often than seen, they play an important role in the ecological food chain, but their survival is being threatened worldwide.

Mawai Kem-eco

By Trixie Tan

Right on Singapore’s doorstep is a rustic camp tucked amid mangroves and located near a jungle where elephants and tigers are said to roam. Here, urban folks can commune with nature and go on guided walks to learn about the local flora and fauna.

How A Friendship Flowered

By Ilsa Sharp

NSS has a new clubhouse. Read about how it came about.

Ring Of Bright Water

By Nick Baker

Watch the playful antics of the adorable Smooth Otters of Sungei Buloh as they wallow in the mud and swim in the river.

Bukit Batok’s Musical Wonders

By Ong Kiem Sian

An old granite transformed into a scenic park has become home to a variety of birds.

Birds Of Bharatpur

By Tan Chung Lee

When migratory birds stop over in India, they head straight for the Keoladeo Ghana National Park in Bharatpur, joining its feathered residents in waiting out the winter. Many of the rare and spectacular birds found here include the Siberian Crane.

Volume 9 No. 1 (Jan – Mar 2001)—Out of stock

Brunei’s Bountiful Forests, Wonderful Weeds, Mangrove Butterflies Of Pasir Ris, Conservation – British-style, Yunnan – A Botanists’s Paradise.

Brunei’s Bountiful Forests

By Nick Baker

The rainforest of Brunei are among the richest and most diverse eco-systems in the world. To find out more, NSS members recently made a field trip to the sultanate’s Ulu Temburong National Park using the Kuala Belalong Field Study Centre as their base.

Wonderful Weeds

By Leong Tzi Ming & Hugh T W Tan

Weeds are not always destructive – or ugly. Indeed, some like Cupid’s Shaving Brush can be pretty with lovely flowers. What’s more, they have their many uses as natural remedies.

Mangrove Butterflies Of Pasir Ris

By Simon Chan

Right next to the neighbourhood park of Pasir Ris is a pocket of mangroves that has become a habitat for some unusual butterflies.

Conservation – British-style

By Trixie Tan

Trixie Tan goes on her first field outing in Britain and feeds back on the British attitude to, and style of conservation.

Yunnan – A Botanists’s Parsdise

By Wee Yeow Chin

China’s eco-tourist province of Yunnan enjoys an amazing diversity of plants, some of which are endemic and found nowhere else in the world.

Volume 9 No. 2 (Apr – June 2001)

Observing Singapore’s Nature, Nature Conserving By The Communtiy, An Aquarium In The Wild, A Peek At Java’s Herpetofauna, Rain Water Harvesting In Urban Areas.

Observing Singapore’s Nature

By Jimmy Chew

Take time to observe the beauty and variety of Nature around us and feel empowered to help preserve it, urges Jimmy Chew, who captures for posterity the wonders of Nature with his lens.

Nature Conserving By The Community

By Trixie Tan

London may be one of the world’s most swinging urban cities; yet, it is also a true advocate of nature conservation. Woodlands, parks, commons and other green spaces have a place in the capital city where biodiversity is more than just a convenient label.

An Aquarium In The Wild

By Yong Ding Li

Singapore’s forest streams teem with some of the most colourful species of freshwater fish species.

A Peek At Java’s Herpetofauna

By Leong Tzi Ming

Java’s national parks and reserves are wonderful havens for some of the world’s most exotic reptiles and amphibians.

Rain Water Harvesting In Urban Areas

By D Kumaran Raju

Water is a man’s lifeline. D Kumaran Raju takes a look at how this precious resource in the form of rainwater can be harvested.

Volume 9 No. 3 (July – Sept 2001)—Out of stock

Tanjung Chek Jawa – A Treasure To Behold, Get Close With Geckoes, Nature – Free For All To Enjoy, Nature Day 2001, On the Tiger Trail, Tigers Of Ranthambhore.

Tanjung Chek Jawa – A Treasure To Behold

By Chua Sek Chuan & Shawn Lum

A unique ecosystem, found nowhere else in Singapore, thrives along the South-east coast of Pulau Ubin. Alas, this rich pocket of biodiversity is being threatened with extinction because of impending plans for land reclamation. Chua Sek Chuan & Shawn Lum make an impassioned plea to save this area – an important part of our natural and cultural heritage – for future generations to enjoy.

Get Close With Geckoes

By Leong Tzi Ming

They are commonly viewed as household nuisances but geckoes are actually very interesting creatures with unique characteristics. They also play a vital role in Nature’s food chain.

Nature – Free For All To Enjoy

By Trixie Tan

Nature thrives even in so-called wastelands. Left untouched, they regenerate and become pockets of rich flora and fauna which deserve to be preserved.

Nature Day 2001

By Trixie Tan

The annual Nature Day, organised by the Nature Society (Singapore), invariably attracts large crowds. This year was no exception as Nature Day pulled in nature lovers and those wanting to know more about the environment and our natural heritage and how they can help to conserve it.

On the Tiger Trail

By Tan Chung Lee

India is acknowledged as one of the best places to go tiger watching and Corbett National Park, with its high population of tigers and an active conservation programme, is a well known sanctuary for this big cat.

Tigers Of Ranthambhore

By Wee Yeow Chin

Another tiger habitat in India is Ranthambhore National Park. It may not be as well visited as Corbett but, says Wee Yeow Chin, the chances of sighting tigers are greater, and he was not disappointed.

Volume 9 No. 4 (Oct – Dec 2001)—Out of stock

Heavenly Hoyas, Baya Weavers – Builders Extraordinaire, Singapore’s Top Birds, Book Review, Plight Of The Gurney’s Pitta, Exploring The Wildlife Behind The Gold.

Heavenly Hoyas

By Leong Lup San

The beauty of hoyas is striking. The 200 recorded species of these twirling vines – many of which can be found in Singapore and Malaysia – have their own characteristics flowers which never fail to delight the eye.

Baya Weavers – Builders Extraordinaire

By Graeme Guy

The small and industrious Baya Weaver is a perfectionist when it comes to building nests.

Singapore’s Top Birds

By Lim Kim Seng

In the recently conducted mid-year bird census, the Java Myna came up tops as Singapore’s most common brid.

Book Review

By Betty L Khoo

‘Rebels with a Cause’ is how the eco-thriller, Redheads, which contains valuable lessons in saving our declining tropical rainforests, has been described.

Plight Of The Gurney’s Pitta

By Lim Kim Chuah

The destruction of rainforest for timber and land cultivation has threatened the survival of the Gurney’s Pitta – the world’s rarest Pitta, laments Lim Kim Chuah who had the chance to glimpse the splendour of this gem of a bird in Khao Nor Chuchi in Thailand where only 23 survive.

Exploring The Wildlife Behind The Gold

By Kakali Majumbar

Sowing the seeds of a love for nature in children is not as difficult as it seems, as Kakali Majumbar finds out during a family vacation in a Queensland wildlife sanctuary.

Volume 10 No. 1 (Jan - Mar 2002)

Rewards Of Reforestation, Ali’s Walking Stick, Twilight For Bidadari, Beautiful Bukit Brown, Kangaroo Island: Hopping With Wildlife, Plant Fact Sheet. A Botanist In Madagascar.

Rewards Of Reforestation

By Leong Tzi Ming

A regenerated forest can be no less inferior to a primeval one, as Leong Tzi Ming discovers during a visit to Kepong where FRIM (Forest Research Institute Malaysia) planted more than 700 species of trees on abandones, worked-over lands several decades ago. The result, today, is a vibrant forest rich with flora and fauna where the visitor feels truly in touch with Nature.

Ali’s Walking Stick

By Tay Pei Yun & Hugh T W Tan

It is a humble plant, thriving even on poor soils in forests. Yet, it has been acclaimed as a wonder folk medicine, able to cure a long lost of aliments. Effective, too, as a male aphrodisiac. Fact or fiction?

Twilight For Bidadari

By Goh Si Guim

Few people would wander into cemeteries to look for wildlife. Yet, Bidadari, one of Singapore’s oldest cemeteries, was a haven for a wide variety of birds, lizards and other creatures, as Goh Si Guim found out to his delight. Alas, all this will soon be gone when the graves of Bidadari make way for housing and other developments.

Beautiful Bukit Brown

By Liz McKenzie

Spared the fate of Bidadari is Bukit Brown, another – smaller – cemetery that habours not only a pocket of nature but it is also a treasure trove of Chinese culture.

A Botanist In Madagascar

By Wee Yeow Chin

Long recognised as a naturalist’s paradise, Madagascar is home to many unique plants of which the baobab is, perhaps, the most fascinating. Of the world’s eight species of baobab, seven grow on the island and of these, six are endemic, found only on Madgascar and nowhere else on earth.

Kangaroo Island: Hopping With Wildlife

By Tan Chung Lee

One of the Australia’s best-kept secrets is Kangaroo Island, where some of the world’s rarest wildlife species are thriving, thanks to an unspoilt environment and a lack of predators.

Plant Fact Sheet—Indian Birthwort

By Wee Yeow Chin

Get to know your plants in this first of a series by Wee Yeow Chin who profiles, in this issue, the intriguing Indian birthwort.

Volume 10 No. 2 (Apr – June 2002)

Kranji Kaleidoscope, Mangroves And Homes Can Co-exist, Wetlands Alive, Choosing The Right Road, Animals Of Langkawi, Plant Fact Sheet.

Kranji Kaleidoscope

By Ho Hua Chew

They may only be marshes but they are habitats to a wondrous world of plants and animals. For a time, it looked as if our marshes would have to make way for a golf course until a compromise was reached to preserve part of them. Good news for nature lovers as the Kranji Bund Marshes are rich in biodiversity.

Mangroves And Homes Can Co-exist

By Diane Tan

Mangroves in Singapore are often reclaimed when they get in the way of residential development. But they can be preserved; in fact, there are benefits to having mangroves around.

Wetlands Alive

By Martha Began

Learning how to treat the environment with care is best inculcated from a young age, writes Martha Began. As proof, at the Singapore American School, its Eco-Ed programme by high school students for their juniors turned out to be a most rewrding experience.

Choosing The Right Road

By Graeme Guy

Graeme Guy takes a look at Ding Darling Refuge in Florida, one of the most successful cases of wildlife conservation and is convinced that Sugei Buloh Nature Reserve, which has many similarities, is on the right road.

Animals Of Langkawi

By Morten Strange

The rainforests of Langkawi are brimming with wildlife even around resort areas.

Plant Fact Sheet—Blue Pea flower

By Wee Yeow Chin

Wee Yeow Chin reveals some fascinating little-known fact about Blue Pea Flower, commonly used to dye local Nyonya Kueh-kueh.

Volume 10 No. 3 (July – Sept 2002)

Nesting Secrets Of The Rufous-backed Kingfisher, Tale Of The Common Rose And The Dutchman’s Pipe, Save The Birds, International Coastal Cleanup Singapore, Plant Fact Sheet.

Nesting Secrets of the Rufous-backed Kingfisher

By Lim Kim Chuah

Hours of patient observation paid off for a group of NSS birders as they watched the nesting activities of a pair of Rufous-backed Kingfisher. Lim Kim Chuah gives a detailed fascinating account of their breeding process.

Tale Of The Common Rose And The Dutchman’s Pipe

By KF Yap

In nature, symbiotic relationship often happen over time and that between the Common Rose and the Dutchman’s Pipe is a good example. KF Yap takes a close look at how a lovely swallowtail butterfly and a straggly climbing plant get along.

Save The Bird

By Lee Liak Peng

An injured pitta bird found temporary sanctuary in the home of Lee Liak Peng who had the satisfaction of seeing it gain strength and fly away back into the wild.

International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

By N Sivasothi

An annual cleanup of marine litter on Singapore’s shores, conducted as part of an international campaign, netted three tonnes of rubbish in less then two hours, giving an insight into the trash problem at home and, hopefully, pointing out the way to a solution.

Plant Fact Sheet—Cork-stem Passionflower

By Wee Yeow Chin

The slender cork-stem passion flower has a religious significance for Christmas.

Volume 10 No. 4 (Oct – Dec 2002)

Sunbirds Of Singapore, Tree Of Time, The Dugong, Trees & Parks, Killing To Save Native Wildlife, Plant Fact Sheet.

Sunbirds Of Singapore

By Graeme Guy

Small and beautiful, the colourful sunbird is a joy to observe. They often pair for life, make good parents in preparing a comfortable home and in caring for their young. And they are meticulous in certain habits, especially when it comes to waste disposal.

Tree Of Time

By Joseph Lai, Angie Ng, Chiah Ai Lin & Marilyn Cheng

How did Changi get its name? From the ‘chengal’ tree, according to noted botanist Ridley. A group of NSS members - Joseph Lai, Angie Ng, Chiah Ai Lin & Marilyn Cheng – turn sleuths to try to solve the puzzle of Changi.

The Dugong

By Catherine Braussaud

Where there is seagrass, there is dugong, and a healthy fish population, to boot. Faced with declining numbers, Vietnam is stepping up efforts to ensure there is plenty of healthy seagrass to help ensure the survival of dugongs along the coast.

Trees & Parks

By Kakali Majumdar

Green spaces are great places to relax, unwind and distress. Most cities have these and Singapore is no exception. So, the next time, if you need to have quiet moments for contemplation, just make your way to your neighbourhood park for a breath of fresh air. You will also likely fing yourself learning more about nature in the process.

Killing To Save Native Wildlife

By Yvonne Chew

It sounds like a contradiction, but it’s true. Introduced animal and plant species in New Zealand’s pioneer days led to a destruction of much native flora and fauna. Now, New Zealand is trying to repair the harm by destroying the foreign ‘pests’.

Plant Fact Sheet—Asystasia intrusa

By Wee Yeow Chin

It may just be a common ‘‘weed’’, yet there is no denying that the delicate Asystasia is a pretty wildflower indeed. It is also a useful plant, thanks to its medicinal value.

Volume 11 No. 1 (Jan – Mar 2003)

Magical Mistletoes, Sulawesi – A birding Paradise, Community And Conservation In Australia, Africa’s Incredible Menagerie, Elephants Of Sri Lanka, Plant Fact Sheet.

Magical Mistletoes

By Joyce MY Foo

The yuletide season may be over but the mistletoe, so commonly associated with it, still thrives, especially the tropical varieties, found right here in Singapore.

Sulawesi – A Birding Paradise

By Alfred Chia

It was an adventure to remember – braving cold mists, early wake-up calls, jungle treks and getting lost. Best of all were the fabulous birds to be seen, of which 97 species are endemic and not found anywhere else outside Sulawesi.

Community And Conservations In Australia

By Jan Carey

The involvement of a community is vital for conservation efforts to succeed. Samphire Coast off South Australia is a case in point. Jan Carey document how an action plan designed by the local community succeeded in safeguarding 50km of its precious coastline – home of pristine mangroves, saltmarsh and magnificent shorebirds.

Africa’s Incredible Menagerie

By Wee Yeow Chin

The Ngorongoro crater is no ordinary volcanic crater. Half the size of Singapore and home to an incredible variety of wildlife, it offers spectacular scenery, to boot.

Elephants Of Sri Lanka

By Tan Chung Lee

Elephants have always played an important role in Sri Lankan culture. Yet, the elephant faces possible extinction if nothing is done to save it. The setting up of special sanctuaries and, to a limited extent, a breeding programme can ensure the survival of the species.

Plant Fact Sheet—Pick-a-back

By Wee Yeow Chin

The Phyllanthus amarus or a pick-a-back, a weed that grows easily in gardens and by roadsides, has many uses in native medicine throughout Southeast Asia where it is regarded as a herb.

Volume 11 No. 2 (Apr – June 2003)

Portsdown Road – The End Of An Era, Taiwan Building, The Baobabs of Africa and Madagascar, Ah…The One-Horned Rhinos Of Assam, Plant Fact Sheet.

Portsdown Road – The End Of An Era

By Nick Baker

A wildlife haven in the quiet residential enclave of Portsdown Road will soon be no more if the plan to build a six-lane highway in the area bears fruit. A resident, Nick Baker, reports on the potential loss of nature’s plentiful visitors to his neighbourhood.

Taiwan Birding

By Lim Kim Seng

Taking the opportunity to discover Taiwan’s wonderful birdlife after attending an ecotourism conference in Kaoh-siung, Lim Kim Seng and Sunny Yeo scoured the island’s bird-watching sites. They were rewarded by sightings of many Taiwanese endemic bird species, as well as the globally-endangered and spectacular Black-faced Spoonbill.

The Baobabs Of Africa And Madagascar

By Wee Yeow Chin

Baobabs are truly spectacular trees – and the best place to see them is Madagascar. Mesmerised by the tree’s magnificence, Wee Yeow Chin, makes a return visit to this Indian Ocean island for an in-depth field study and finds out that Madagascar has seven of the world’s only eight baobab species. Out of these, six are endemic to the island. He also compares the baobabs of Madagascar to those of Kenya and Tanzania.

Ah, The One-Horned Rhinos Of Assam

By Tan Chung Lee

The once abundant Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros – hunted almost to extinction by the 1900s that it was considered a ‘‘vanishing race’’ – thrives in the sanctuary of Kaziranga National Park in the foothills of Assam in northeast India, one of only three places in the world where the species now survives. Over 1,500 Indian rhinos roam the park and a glimpse of these creatures can set the pulse racing.

Plant Fact Sheet— Peperomia pellucida

By Wee Yeow Chin

A member of the pepper family, Peperomia pellucida is a South American plant that has made many tropical countries its home. Though an introduced weed, it is a useful herb that, apparently, provides effective relief in treating a wide range of aliments such as gout, rheumatism and abdominal pains in various parts of Southeast Asia.

Volume 11 No. 3 (July – Sept 2003)

Bioluminescence – Light In The Dark, Raptors Galore, Taman Negara, The Ospreys Of Rottnest Island, Nature Areas Face Great Uncertainty In Future, Nature In The High Country, Plant Fact Sheet, Parting Tale.

Bioluminescence – Light In The Dark

By Goh Si Guim

Have you ever wonder why some mushrooms glow in the dark like fairy lights? This is another wonder of Nature known as bioluminescence, where light is emitted from living organisms without generating heat.

Raptors Galore

By Morten Strange

The spectcular movement of large, majestic birds across the Straits of Melaka is one of the annual highlights on the Malaysian birdwatching calendar. Morten Strange recounts the highlights on the day than 4,000 raptors flew across Tanjong Tuan.

Taman Negara

By Look Xinqi

Eleven-year-old Look Xinqi’s first encounter with the wonders of Taman Negara National Park is written with candour, bewilderment, fascination, awe and respect of Nature.

The Ospreys Of Rottnest Island

By Graeme Guy

The triumphs and tribulations of the graceful Ospreys of Rottnest Island are told here by Graeme Guy who spent many hours observing and photographing them.

Nature Areas Face Great Uncertainty In Future

By Ho Hua Chew

What is to become of our much-loved Nature Areas? Despite having a Singapore Green Plan to protect our plants and animals and ecological communities, our landscape is still threatened by development. Conservation Committee Chairman Ho Hua Chew presents a chilling synopsis of the current precarious situation.

Nature In The High Country

By Trixie Tan

The cool mountains of Malaysia is a boon to the urban lowland dweller who seeks peaceful sanctuary from a busy life. Nature Watch Editor Trixie Tan takes time out for a bit of a rest and recreation in Cameron Highlands and Borneo Highlands.

Plant Fact Sheet—Three-lobed Morning Glory

By Wee Yeow Chin

The Three-lobed Morning Glory is just one of more than 500 Morning Glory species found worldwide. Apart from being pretty, several species are food items such as the local vegetable Kangkong or Water Canvolvulus, and the humble Sweet Potato – both belonging to this family as you can see when they flower.

Parting Tale

By Leong Tzi Ming

As a foretaste of an article for the next issue, Leong Tzi Ming teases with a not-too-straight tale to come.

Volume 11 No. 4 (Oct – Dec 2003)

Wildlife in my Organic Food Garden, Lizard Tales, The Ubiquitous Yellow-Vented Bulbuls, Chek Jawa Revisited, Nature Parks as a Springboard for Technological Creativity and Business Innovation, With Illustrations from Tanjung Chek Jawa, The Bird Which Practises Equality of the Sexes, Plant Fact Sheet.

Wildlife In My Organic Food Garden

By Betty L Khoo

Living close to nature at the lush, tropical Top End of Australia, Betty L Khoo shares her thought and techniques on eating and living sensibly, in rhythm with the ways of nature.

Lizard Tales

By Leong Tzi Ming

Why do some lizards lose their tails when threatened? Is this appendage unwanted because it is so easily discarded? Leong Tzi Ming presents a brief but comprehensive of the usefulness of this extra ‘‘limb’’ to lizards from all over the world (In previous issue, the easer page showing a photo of a curly tail belongs to Cyrtodactylus elok – here at right, a Bent-toed Gecko!)

The Ubiquitous Yellow-vented Bulbuls

By Dr Wee Yeow Chin

The habits of garden birds make for fascinating study. So much so that even botanist Dr Wee Yeow Chin has made observations of our feathered friends in his own urban garden.

Chek Jawa Revisited

By Dr Chua Ee Kiam

Dr Chua Ee Kiam has just released a book about this very special and distinct nature area called ‘Chek Jawa – Discovering Singapore’s Biodiversity’. His intimate knowledge of its flora and fauna makes him an excellent guide to wonders of this unique ‘tidal-scape’.

Nature Parks As A Springboard For Technological Creativity And Business Innovation, With Illustrations From Tanjung Chek Jawa

By Dr Chia Eng Hock

One of the most interesting definitions of creativity comes form Albert Gyorgi, who says that "discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has thought." In this article, Dr Chia Eng Hock will share with readers some secrets from a cognitive scientists’ notebook, and five specific ways Chek Jawa is a unique facility for technological creativity and business innovation.

The Bird Which Practises Equality Of The Sexes

By June-Maie Lin

The fascination and wonder associated with observing living creatures in the wild is an experience which cannot be replaced by David Attenborough on the box. Birdwatcher June-Marie Lin tells about her thrilling afternoon in the company of a nesting fantail couple.

Plant Fact Sheet—Purple Cleome

By Dr Wee Yeow Chin

Look closer at the wildflowers underfoot, surviving in pavement cracks and by the wayside, and one of them would most likely be the Purple Cleome. Apart form its attractive whiskey flowers, the whole plant is used medicinally to treat a host of ailments, from earache and ulcers, to rheumatism and bronchitis.

Volume 12 No. 1 (Jan – Mar 2004)

Special Edition on Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

From Backwater To Nature Reserve, The Genesis Of Sungei Buloh, Sungei Buloh As A Refuge For Birds, Kids Have Fun With Nature At Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve!, A Jewel In Our Island’s Crown, Helping To Preserve A Precious Commodity, The Sungei Buloh Volunteers, ‘Fossil’ Fern Found, Sungei Buloh Wetlant Reserve: Some Ecological Management Considerations After The First Ten Years.

From Backwater To Nature Reserve

By Richard Hale

2003 marked the 10^th anniversary of Singapore’s first nationally protected wetland reserve. Former Nature Society (Singapore) Vice-President Richard Hale played a crucial role in the campaign to preserve Sungei Buloh as a protected migratory wader feeding site. He recounts how the challenge started and succeeded, more than 15 year ago, to create a nature conservation park that will educate and increase environmental awareness.

The Genesis Of Sungei Buloh

By Clive Briffett

Sungei Buloh may have just been prawn and fish ponds in the late 1980s, but it was an important rest stop for migrating birds from Siberia to Australia. With sound ecological management, this irreplaceable wetland will continue to be a source of joy to both birds and humans. Clive Briffett who now resides in the UK, and was closely involved with the beginnings of the reserve, relives it gain in the retelling.

Sungei Buloh As A Refuge For Birds

By Lim Kim Seng

Plunging bird members and species point to the fact that Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve cannot do the job of conservation alone. More wetland and mangrove habitats must be protected. Lim Kim Seng explains why surrounding areas adjacent to Sungei Buloh should also be preserved to ensure the long-term safe passage for migratory birds and least disturbance to resident birds.

Kids Have Fun With Nature At Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve!

By Vilma D’Rozario

Kids see and touch plants and animals up close and personal when they attend the NSS Education Group’s Fun With Nature programmes. And there’s no better outdoor classroom than the mangroves and wetlands of Sungei Buloh. Dedicated volunteer Vilma D’Rozario shares her group’s many fun eco-educational activities, projects and programmes for schools and various other groups.

A Jewel In Our Island’s Crown

By Linda Goh Mei Ee

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve started out as humbl prawn and fish ponds. Oday, it is a popular local destination for young and old, local and visitors. National Parks Board’s Linda Goh Mei Ee writes about the important role it plays in conserving biodiversity in a populous Singapore and educating people about the need to protect fast-vanishing ecosystems.

Helping To Preserve A Precious Commodity

By HSBC Singapore

Among the many parties in the community collaboration which have worked quietly on the conservation of the Sungei Buloh wetlands and contributed to its remarkable development into the Wetland reserve it is today, HSBC has been a steadfast supporter.

The Sungei Buloh Volunteers

By Keith Hillier

Keith Hiller is one of the many dedicated voluntary nature guides who spends countless weekends in Sungei Buloh showing off its natural wonders to the ‘‘rapturous hordes’’. Volunteers are an essential part of the Reserve as they have the special role of informing and demonstrating the importance of one of the last intact wetland ecosystems to migratory birds and other organisms. Sungei Buloh is the only mangrove habitat in Singapore that is legally protected from destruction.

Fossil Fern Found

By Joseph Lai

The discovery of Dipteris conjugata on Pulau Sarimbun, Western Johor Straits on 4 March 2003 may have passed unnoticed by many, but amongst the fern fraternity, this was a much-cherished discovery. Jospeh Lai relates his passion and that of others about his wonderful find, and the need to preserve the ferns for posterity.

Sungei Buloh Wetlant Reserve: Some Ecological Management Considerations After The First Ten Years

By Ho Hua Chew

Sungei Buloh has changed tremendously from its humble beginnings as prawn and fish ponds. Ho Hua Chew is impressed with the reserve’s current infrastructure and educational facilities, and activities that promote nature appreciation for visitors. However, he also sees significant changes in landscape and bird-life that will be problematic to its long-term future as a major stopover for migratory shorebirds. Further management considerations and efforts need to be initiated now to maintain or enhance the Reserve’s viability as a shorebird haven.

Volume 12 No 2 (Apr – June 2004)

Birds on a Rock; In Search of the Endangered Birds of Cambodia; A Strange Thing Happened to a Common Iora’s Nest; Kite Spotting in Tuas; Extreme Sport—In Search of Schneider’s Pitta; It’s a Malkoha!; Truly Urban Hoya verticillata; Plant Fact Sheet

Birds on a Rock

By Graeme Guy

Graeme Guy spent many hours on a rocking boat with his long lenses off the Changi coast studying breeding Black-naped Terns. The colony of terns have been nesting on Squance Rock for many generations.

In Search of the Endangered Birds of Cambodia

By Ng Bee Choo

Cambodia is still a mystery to many of us – being a country which has had relatively little contact with the rest of the world until recently. Very little is known about the state of its biodiversity. Ng Bee Choo had the opportunity the visit Cambodia recently and she tells us about what she has learnt of its beautiful and scarce birdlife.

A Strange Thing Happened to a Common Iora’s Nest

By Raymond Poon

Raymond Poon tells us about a startling encounter while photographing birds in Taman Negara National Park.

Kite Spotting in Tuas

By Werner Peters

Between July 1999 to May 2000, Werner Peters observed six pairs of Black-shouldered Kites and 33 fledglings in Tuas. Five pairs had even two broods each during that period. Nestlings of two pairs were coded with coloured plastic rings. His story offers many new sights into the behaviour of this highly adaptable raptor.

Extreme Sport—In Search of Schneider’s Pitta

By Lim Kim Chuah

A trip of a lifetime to see rare and endangered Sumatran birds and enjoy the company of fellow enthusiasts, Lim Kim Chuah and his two energetic companions scour the slopes of Gunung Kerinci in search of elusive pittas and partridges, thankfully sharing more moments of fascination than frustration.

It’s a Malkoha!

By Ong Kiem Sian

This is a tale about the long-tailed Malkohas which took up residence in a garden. Patience paid off for Ong Kiem Sian, with a series of photographs documenting the daily life of this "suburban" Malkoha family.

Truly urban Hoya verticillata

By K F Yap

Despite land development and destruction of its habitat, this native hoya is just one of three that survive in highly urbanised Singapore. This is a "show and tell" by ardent plant enthusiast KF Yap of the characteristics of this hoya.

Plant Fact Sheet—Sea Holly

By Wee Yeow Chin

Wee Yeow Chin tells us about the Sea Holly, a mangrove plant which grows on the banks of estuaries close to the coast. There are a few species of which one is quite rare.

Volume 12 No 3 (July – Sept 2004)

Discovered, rare cliff-hanging fern in Labrador; Green Spaces in the City; Welwitschia mirabilis, the most Bizarre Plant in the World; From Bangalore to Chennai; Two Afternoons in Sri Lanka; The Unique Bowerbirds of North Eastern Australia

Discovered, rare cliff-hanging fern in Labrador

By Joseph Lai and Angie Ng

A walk through the park was all that was needed to make this discovery of a fern that was never recorded here before. Plant enthusiasts Joseph Lai and Angie Ng bring to life another jewel to Singapore’s native flora.

Green Spaces in the City

By Sreetheran Maruthaveeran

Parks, footpaths, trees, gardens, playgrounds, remnant forests, ponds and balcony gardens are the lungs of the urban landscape. Such ubiquitous features are the unnoticed saviours in an environment dominated by skyscrapers, noise, carbon monoxide and dirty air. But if such natural places would sorely missed by residents if they were to disappear altogether. Sreetheran Maruthaveeran from the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) emphasises the many benefits of green spaces.

Welwitschia mirabilis, the most Bizarre Plant in the World

By Wee Yeow Chin

Read about Wee Yeow Chin’s fascination with this incredible plant from the age of the dinosaurs. It is the only one left of its family and possesses very unique characteristics.

From Bangalore to Chennai

By John and Anna Arifin

Nagahore, Bandiphur, Mudumalai and Anamalai are major wildlife parks in South India. During a 10-day whirlwind visit, the Arifins have captured the essence of India’s natural and cultural heritage in the states of Kartanaka, Kerela and Tamil Nadu.

Two Afternoons in Sri Lanka

By Sabina Sahni and Peter Davison

Two newcomers feast their eyes and their souls on Sri Lanka's landscapes and wildlife. Sabina Sahni and Peter Davison give a personal account of their time spent off the beaten track.

The Unique Bowerbirds of North Eastern Australia

By Graeme Guy

Colourful, weird, uncharacteristic, idiosyncratic, delightful, unexplainable – the Bowerbirds show it all in their mating rituals. Graeme Guy’s observations are detailed, insightful and encapsulates his fascination with the Bowerbirds’ intriguing behaviour.

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