MEDIA FACTSHEET C Factsheet on Biodiversity Week The United Nations has designated 22 May as the International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. Based on the overall IBD theme of sustainable tourism, NParks has developed a local theme, “Encountering and Exploring Singapore’s Biodiversity”, to encourage the community to not only explore and embrace our rich biodiversity, but also take ownership of our shared natural heritage by caring for our flora and fauna. The theme has two key objectives: To encourage people in Singapore to take notice of the urban biodiversity around them To take specific actions to care for our flora and fauna, so that everyone can enjoy our parks and nature areas for a long time to come To commemorate IBD, NParks has organised a suite of events and activities during Biodiversity Week (20 to 28 May) to encourage the community to explore and encounter nature in Singapore. These programmes are taking place in schools, and our parks, gardens and nature areas, and involves 330 partners from schools, research institutions, and nature- interest groups. Biodiversity Week for the Community Nationwide BioBlitz: 84 sites across Singapore consisting of parks, gardens, nature areas, Community in Bloom gardens, and schools Butterfly Watch: 45 parks and nature areas Habitat enhancement programme in 15 parks and gardens Nature education programmes: guided walks, talks and workshops across various parks, gardens and nature areas Biodiversity Week for Schools Green Wave Playtime with Hershie the Hermit Crab Schools BioBlitz 20,000 students participated Nationwide BioBlitz, a part of the NParks-Community in Nature Biodiversity Watch programme BioBlitz sessions took place in various locations across Singapore, including schools, parks and community gardens. Participants worked alongside naturalists and researchers to document the flora and fauna that can be found within a particular area. The data collected by citizen scientists will be used to formulate future park management strategies. BioBlitz is a popular citizen science movement worldwide. The term “BioBlitz” was coined by Susan Rudy, a naturalist with the US National Park service, in 1996. BioBlitz refers to a concerted effort by scientists and the community to record as many species of flora and fauna Page 1 of 9 For more information, please contact Clarissa Sih (9636 4385) Information accurate as at 27 May 2017 as possible within a specific location and timeframe. BioBlitzes have been conducted around the world, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong. There is a community involvement component to many of these BioBlitzes, and members of the public are invited to join scientists and naturalists in a concerted effort to inventory species that exist within a designated area, such as an urban park or nature reserve. NParks BioBlitz programmes have taken place across three locations – Pasir Ris Park, Pulau Ubin, and Kent Ridge Park. BioBlitz provides a unique opportunity for the community to interact with and learn from taxonomic experts during the surveys, and we hope that such programmes will encourage stewardship of biodiversity amongst Singaporeans. Biodiversity Week for Schools Green Wave (all schools) Green Wave is a multi-year global campaign that enables children and youths to make a difference – one school, one project, and one step at a time. The programme brings together children and youths from around the world to raise awareness about biodiversity, and the need to reduce its loss. As part of the campaign, students from all around the world will plant locally important trees in their school compounds annually at 10am on 22 May, the International Day for Biological Diversity. In Singapore, this programme is organised by NParks as part of the Community in Nature (CIN) initiative. Find out more about the Green Wave at https://www.nparks.gov.sg/biodiversity/community-in-nature-initiative/biodiversity- week-for-schools Through the programme, students can learn about the importance of trees, as trees provide a range of goods and ecosystem services, such as producing oxygen, improving air quality, providing habitats for other wildlife, reducing soil erosion and serving as a carbon sink to mitigate the effects of climate change. As Singapore continues to urbanise, we should all strive to keep our City in a Garden green and vibrant. Playtime with Hershie the Hermit Crab (Pre-schools) Preschool students learn about our intertidal wildlife by watching a video about a hermit crab named Hershie and his journey in search of a new shell. An interactive sticker book accompanies the video. The video and sticker book are based on the book, “A crab, a Shell and a Little Help”, which was produced as part of an NParks-CIN project in collaboration with Raffles Institution. Schools BioBlitz (Primary and Secondary schools) As part of the Nationwide BioBlitz, junior citizen scientists (primary and secondary school students) conduct a wildlife survey in their own school grounds, or at a nearby park to document our urban biodiversity. Page 2 of 9 For more information, please contact Clarissa Sih (9636 4385) Information accurate as at 27 May 2017 List of other Biodiversity Week activities Festival of Biodiversity Date/Time Programme Venue 27 - 28 May Festival of Biodiversity NEX shopping mall 10.30AM - Organised in collaboration with the Biodiversity 10.30PM Roundtable, the community-led Festival of Biodiversity celebrates Singapore’s biodiversity. Through games, crafts, interactive booths and exhibitions, the Festival aims to enthuse the general public about conserving our natural heritage. More details at: http://bit.ly/2qVt5SP 27 May - Festival of Biodiversity Speakers Series Programme Zone, 28 May Serangoon Public Despite being a small and urbanised island nation, a Library, NEX surprising variety of biodiversity can be found living in shopping mall Singapore. This Festival of Biodiversity, join our panel of guest speakers from the local biodiversity conservation scene, as they share fascinating insights gleaned from their journey to learn more about Singapore’s rich natural heritage. Session 1: 27 May (Sat), 2pm to 3.30pm Featuring Ms Helen Nash (Singapore Pangolin Working Group), Mr Philemon Foo (Fuchun Secondary School), Ms Heng Pei Yan (Sister’s Islands Marine Park Volunteer), Ms Joleen Chan (International Coastal Clean-up Singapore) Session 2: 28 May (Sun), 11.30am to 1pm Featuring Mr Sean Yap (Entomological Network of Singapore), Ms Gwendolyn Chow (Intertidal Watch), Ms Isabelle Lee (Nature Society (Singapore)), Mr Sankar Ananthanarayanan (Herpetological Society of Singapore) Session 3: 28 May (Sun), 2pm to 3.30pm Featuring Ms. Fung Tze Kwan (Common Palm Civet research), Dr. Neo Mei Lin (St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory), Dr. Andie Ang (Raffles' Banded Langur Working Group), Mr Jeffery Teo (Otter Working Group). More details at: http://bit.ly/2axa3cm Page 3 of 9 For more information, please contact Clarissa Sih (9636 4385) Information accurate as at 27 May 2017 Citizen Science Programmes Date/Time Programme Venue 20 - 26 May Nationwide BioBlitz 28 parks and 8.00AM - gardens across 11.30AM BioBlitz sessions will be taking place in various Singapore, 20 CIB locations across Singapore, including schools, parks gardens and 30 and community gardens. Participants will be working CIN schools alongside naturalists and researchers to document the flora and fauna that can be found within a particular area. This will aid in habitat enhancement for the various nature sites. More details at: http://bit.ly/2lfA4Uo 20 - 28 May Butterfly Watch Various sites 9.30AM - around Singapore 3.00PM The Butterfly Watch is a citizen science initiative organised as part of the NParks Community in Nature (CIN) Biodiversity Watch Series, to get Singaporeans involved in collecting valuable information about the butterflies in our parks, gardens and reserves. More details at: http://bit.ly/1VkpEOW Guided Walks Date/Time Programme Venue 20 May and Learning Forest Tour Visitor Services 27 May Counter - Tyersall Join us to explore habitats ranging from a freshwater Gate, Singapore 9.00AM - forest to a lowland rainforest at the Learning Forest via Botanic Gardens 10.00AM a network of boardwalks and elevated walkways. 20 May Gardeners’ Day Out - Nature Walk with Bian HortPark 9.00AM - Get up close and personal with nature in this garden 10.30AM trail and enjoy the scenery and biodiversity around you. 21-28 May Tour of Native Garden @ HortPark HortPark 9.00AM - Join us for a guided tour of the Native Garden @ 10.00AM HortPark to find out more about native plants, their & habitats and uses. 10.00AM - 11.00AM 20 May Southern Ridges Heritage & Nature Trail Southern Ridges - Telok Blangah Hill 9.30AM - Join us on a guided walk to discover the rich history of Park, Kent Ridge 11.00AM the Southern Ridges. The walk will begin from Telok Park Blangah Hill Park, pass through Henderson Waves and Page 4 of 9 For more information, please contact Clarissa Sih (9636 4385) Information accurate as at 27 May 2017 end at Faber Peak (Cable Car Station). Enjoy the spectacular views from the vantage points and encounter the variety of flora and fauna along the way. 20 May Figs of the Fort Trail Fort Canning Park 4.00PM - Come explore the ancient wonder of Figs in Fort 5.30PM Canning Park. Learn about one of nature’s most interesting plant families, along with its usage in modern day healthcare. 20 May Nature Appreciation Walk at Bukit Timah Nature Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Reserve, 9.30AM - BTNR Visitor 10.30AM Experience nature in its pristine form at Bukit Timah Centre's Front Nature Reserve, which is a mere 12 km from the Courtyard bustling city centre. By virtue of Singapore’s location on the equatorial belt, the reserve has one of the richest and most diverse ecological systems. Join us for a Guided Nature Appreciation Walk to find out more about the flora & fauna that can be found in the reserve! 20 May What's in my mud? Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, 9.30AM - Join us for an interesting guided walk featuring our Wetland Centre.