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Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan, officially opened the Dairy Farm Nature Park this morning. The 63-hectare nature park will be an important green buffer to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR). It was developed by the National Parks Board (NParks) to provide an alternative recreational venue to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, and to reduce visitorship pressure on the Reserve. Set in a rustic environment with trails for hiking and mountain biking, the park features special amenities such as the Wallace Education Centre which houses a learning lab and an interpretative centre, a nature trail where visitors can learn about the flora and fauna of the park through the eyes of English naturalist Alfred Wallace, and a former quarry which has been transformed into a wetland with a viewing platform for visitors to appreciate the freshwater flora and fauna.
Amenities at Dairy Farm Nature Park
Formerly a cowshed, the building that is now the Wallace Education Centre was restored and now houses the Wallace Environmental Learning Lab (WELL), and an interpretative centre where visitors can learn about the changing landscapes of Dairy Farm and BTNR through various exhibits.
Established by NParks and Raffles Girls' Secondary School, WELL is a holistic programme where primary and secondary school students will be able to discover Singapore's natural heritage through interesting hands-on activities. With materials developed by Raffles Girls' Secondary School, teachers will be able to self-conduct various educational programmes from half day workshops to overnight learning camps. This is the first time that such programmes are offered in parks. WELL will enable students to explore the trails of Dairy Farm, and conduct research such as water, soil, rock, and insect studies, and carry out data analysis at the Lab. Designed by a group of students and lecturer from the National University of Singapore Department of architecture, the Lab comprises three zones: an exhibition area at the entrance, a laboratory equipped with research apparatus, and an audio-visual library. The WELL programme was made possible by a $210,000 sponsorship from Glaxo Smith Kline.
The Wallace Education Centre, WELL, and the Wallace Trail have all been named after Alfred Wallace, to honour his contributions to natural science. A contemporary of Charles Darwin, Wallace is the other "father" behind the theory of evolution. Wallace had stopped over in Singapore in 1854 during his journeys to the Malay Archipelago, and collected many species of beetles in the vicinity of the Dairy Farm site.
At the south-western end of the park lies the Singapore Quarry, which now offers visitors a tranquil setting with a scenic view. In a short time, the transformation of the site into a wetland has attracted many fauna, including the Little Grebe, a critically endangered bird that was known to be found only in Lorong Halus, as well as many species of dragonflies, many of which are rare.
Environmentally-friendly features at Dairy Farm Nature Park
As part of NParks' commitment to environmental sustainability, some of the environmentally-friendly features of the park design include the use of recycled materials for the buildings, benches, feature wall; the use of bitumen milled off from roads and expressways for hiking trails; and maximising the use of natural sunlight for WEC. Solar panels have also been installed on its roof to generate electricity for the running of the centre.
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
The development of Dairy Farm Nature Park is part of a multi-pronged strategy to conserve the biodiversity of BTNR. Over the years, additional parcels of land have been gazetted to BTNR for protection. In addition, buffer zones abutting BTNR have also been created to enhance our conservation efforts. The first of these buffers is Hindhede Nature Park, which officially opened in 2001, and the second is Dairy Farm Nature Park. Both parks add to the exciting range of venues that provide interesting recreational and educational options and collectively, these efforts help to reduce visitorship pressure on BTNR by providing interesting alternative venues.
This holistic strategy is documented under the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), announced by Minister Mah at the event. One of the initiatives under the Sustainable Blueprint, the NBSAP sets out the plan to conserve our natural heritage and incorporates the initiatives from various public sector agencies, nature groups, and the community. It establishes policy frameworks and specific measures to ensure better planning and co-ordination in sustaining our natural heritage. More information on the NBSAP is available on the NParks website at www.nparks.gov.sg/nbsap.
Development of the Eco-Link
During the event, Minister also unveiled plans by NParks to develop the Eco-Link - an ecological corridor that will span across the Bukit Timah Expressway and re-establish the linkage between BTNR and Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR). The first of its kind in the region, the Eco-Link will enable an effective exchange of plant and animal genetic materials between the two reserves. In the longer term, the bridge will help restore the ecological balance in the fragmented habitats and reduce the loss of valuable biodiversity.
Linking two high points on opposite slopes, the overhead ecological bridge will be shaped like an hourglass and planted up like a forest habitat. Measuring 50 metres at its narrowest point, the Eco-Link will enable animals, birds, and insects to move freely within the vegetated areas along the bridge and travel between the two reserves. This will help the plant species to successfully propagate by way of pollination and dispersal by the animals.
A hiking track will be developed on one side of the bridge as a recreational green belt for human visitors to enjoy, and this will also serve as an alternative entry to the western part of CCNR.
A tender for the Eco-Link project will be called by the end of this year, and the development is expected to start by the 3rd quarter of next year. |
