Evolving Singapore into a City in Nature
Lena Chan International Biodiversity Conservation Division, National Parks Board
Global Platform for Sustainable Cities Bringing Nature to Cities
11 November 2020 The Singapore Context: City – State – Island
A small island with limited land resources to meet the needs of both a city and a country
Land Area: 722 km2 High population Population: 5.6 mil Population Density: density in Singapore 2 7, 804 persons/km coexists with rich biodiversity
Need to cater to and balance the needs of both A list of Singapore’s native biodiversity • • • • • • • • • • • 200 255 12 35 more than 122 334 85 109 414 2145 seagrass mangrovetrue tree species freshwater fishspecies spongespecies hardcoral species dragonfly species butterfly species reptile species birdspecies native vascular plant species 800 species spider species From “City in a Garden” to “City in Nature“ Restoring nature back into the city for liveability, sustainability and well-being
Garden City to City in Nature – City in a Garden A New Paradigm
Truly unique value 50 yrs of greening proposition where people and nature • Intensifying tree come first: planting • Integrate ecology into the urban • Strengthened landscape connectivity of parks • Create sustainable and greenery with ecosystems for PCN nature and people to thrive • Integrated greenery • Provide immersive with built experiences with environment nature for improved health well being • Build communities of stewards Singapore’s “City in Nature” Framework Applying Nature-Based Solutions
Outcomes Social layer
Sustainable Economic Growth Ecological layer
High Liveability systems and designand systems
Ecological Recreation layer
Resilience biophilic
Climate Resilience Greenery layer
Social by Underpinned Green Cover Resilience (base layer) Safeguard and strengthen core areas Safeguard and strengthen core areas Safeguard and strengthen core areas
Sisters’ Islands Marine Park Wildlife in the City Migratory Birds Spawning of hard corals Marine Turtles Develop ecological connections Develop ecological connections
Roadside trees Develop ecological connections
East Coast Parkway Develop ecological connections
Kampung Admiralty Develop ecological connections
ParkRoyal@Pickering Habitat Enhancement and Restoration
Learning Forest, Singapore Botanic Gardens Habitat Enhancement and Restoration
Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Community Stewardship Nurturing a Biophilic Community – Citizen Science in Action – Community In and With Nature
Citizen Scientists • NParks Garden Bird Watch Schools Families • NParks Butterfly Watch • Green schools • Heron Watch for biodiversity • Nature Outreach • Family • Malayan Water Monitor • Ecotoxicology Workshops Nature Lizard Count Marine Bio- • Biodiversity week Pledge • Shorebird Sighting Records monitoring for schools • Seagrass Monitoring with programme • Seashore TeamSeaGrass • Nature Way Ambassador • Reef Monitoring with Blue monitoring Programme Water Volunteers • NParks BioBlitz • Intertidal Monitoring Singapore (iTideSG) Community Stewardship and Outreach in Nature Everyone has a Role to Play One Million Trees Campaign led by Community City in Nature – a more Gracious and Caring Society
HortPark Nature Playgarden SINGAPORE INDEX ON CITIES’ BIODIVERSITY (CITY BIODIVERSITY INDEX) – AN UPDATED VERSION WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
- Self monitoring tool for cities to evaluate their urban biodiversity conservation efforts
- Developed in collaboration with SCBD and Global Partnership on Local and Subnational Action for Biodiversity THANK YOU
Singapore – A Biophilic City in Nature