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  allafrica.com 12 Jul 07
Zambia: Lessons Can Be Drawn From Singapore in the Bid to Keep the Country Clean And Healthy
The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
Kelvin Kachingwe

FINALLY, there is national recognition about the need to keep the environment clean.

All too well! But can nothing more be added to the much-talked about keep Zambia clean campaign which has received Presidential attention and is seemingly in full swing? How about keeping the environment clean that will come out of the campaign green? Or if you like, how about creating a garden city within the country?

Just imagine a city where the saplings outnumber the citizens, where you cannot see the buildings for the trees; a cool, shady metropolis where the cliche "urban jungle" has taken on an entirely new meaning: Typical tree-hugger fantasy? Perhaps.

But it might also be wise city planning. Contrast that with an "urban forest" with cities growing asphalt, not trees; are concrete farms, auto zoos, forests only of skyscrapers and power poles.

Honestly, who would not want a greenery near them?

For a start, Zambia can look to Singapore, which enjoys luxuriant greenery. But make no mistake, this green environment is no accident of nature. Neither did their Garden City happen overnight.

It actually took some 40 years of strong political will and the sweat and toil of many to sustain the effort. The country's development into a Garden City started four decades ago with the establishment of the greening programme.

The driving force behind this was former prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, who identified a green Singapore as a key competitive factor in attracting foreign investments to the country.

It was Lee who launched the Tree Planting Campaign in 1963. In 1976, the Parks and recreation department under the ministry of national development was formed to take on the task of greening Singapore.

As much of Singapore's streetscape and developments were devoid of greenery, the key focus was to green up the island in the shortest time possible.

Fast-growing indigenous trees were thus selected with Angsana trees taking the lead because they are shady, fast-growing, easily available and easy to maintain. Other species were the Rain tree, Yellow Flame and Ketapang.

Planting of free-flowering trees and shrubs such as the colourful Bougainvilleas then followed as part of efforts to adorn the green landscape with swathes of colour.

At the same time, road codes were developed to ensure that adequate planting areas were provided along new roads. This ensured planting verges along major and minor roads.

Not to be overlooked were paved areas such as car parks which were required to be planted with trees to attenuate the heat of the extensive asphalt surfaces.

In addition, concrete structures such as flyovers, overhead bridges and retaining walls were covered with creepers such as Ficus pumila and climbers, and screened with shrubs and transplanted trees to provide visual relief from the built environment.

In the city, parks were developed to provide "green lungs" for people working in the urban commercial areas.

Meanwhile, developers of residential areas were required to plant roadside trees and set aside land for open space.

The island-wide park development programme was also accelerated to cater for the diverse recreational needs of the population. Under this programme, existing old parks were improved upon and many new ones were developed.

By the 80s, Singapore was enjoying the fruits of their government concerted efforts to green up the island.

It made considerable progress on the economic front, so did its reputation as a Garden City. Meandering tree-lined roads interspersed with lush parks and gardens created a unique green ambience that drew accolades far and wide.

Not one to rest on its laurels, the government then embarked on a programme to fine-tune the green programme for quality as well as ensure efficient management of resources in maintaining this tropical oasis.

As part of on-going efforts to enhance the island's green ambience, planting policies were focused on provision of shade along walkways and roadsides.

To create a garden effect, fruit trees, flowering and fragrant plants were planted in parks, residential suburbs, schools and in the grounds of institutions such as hospitals, police stations and community centres.

Due to competing land uses for residential, industrial and commercial developments, creative urban planning came into play to ensure optimal usage of land. Park planning had to factor in elements such as location of population centres and accessibility.

At the same time, park designs had to be innovative, stimulate creativity as well as capture the imagination of the community.

Where natural assets existed, they were capitalised upon and enhanced. Where they were lacking, much effort was put into creating an identity to provide a point of differentiation that will appeal to a wide spectrum of the population. This included installation of sculptures, challenging playgrounds and creating habitats to attract wildlife such as birds to the parks.

Today, the National Parks Board (NParks) is the agency spearheading the maintenance of the Garden City, managing 1,763 hectares of parks, connectors and open spaces, including some 300 parks and playgrounds. According to NParks website, they also manage 3,326 ha of nature reserves, plus 4,278 ha of roadside greenery and vacant state land. NParks is also the Singapore's scientific authority on nature conservation and monitors and coordinates measures to ensure the health of designated nature areas.

Despite competing land needs, the Government has set aside space for parks, trees and greenery.

Under the Concept Plan 2001, 4400 ha of parkland will be set aside when Singapore's population reaches 5.5 million.

"NParks continues to improve upon a quality urban environment. NParks is in the process of developing the Streetscape Greenery Master Plan aimed at accentuating and providing distinctive landmarks in our future landscape.

"To complement the lush streetscape greenery, NParks' greening approach is now moving upwards through the greening of rooftops and sides of high-rise buildings which helps to ensure optimal land use as well as improves the environment for quality living," the website reads.

However, even as Singapore moves towards greater urbanisation, the country regards it imperative that the green ambience that has played a significant role in the social and economic development of this island is preserved.

For instance, the Heritage Trees Scheme is aimed at conserving the trees that have been maturing gracefully while the Heritage Roads Scheme seeks to preserve roadside landscapes with beautiful mature trees and greenery.

In tandem with the growing needs of an increasingly sophisticated population, NParks continues to develop new parks and upgrade existing ones to ensure that they remain relevant to park users.

As part of their efforts to ensure that parks and open spaces are within easy reach of the community, a comprehensive network linking major parks and nature areas is currently being developed.

When completed, the park network system of parks and park connectors will span some 360 km and enable the population to explore the island through one continuous green network.

Now, this may sound completed. But believe it or not, Singapore has been doing it. And for about 40 years now.

Simply put, the challenge is to emulate!
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