https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/logo4.jpgwetlands
a publication of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve


 

Vol 14 No 2

A project by the ‘Nature Nurtures’ Group

Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Flickr comes to SBWR

Nurturing the Sungei Buloh Forest and Mangroves

Earth Day Celebration

World Environment Day Celebrations

World Migratory Bird Day Celebrations

Not Merely an Entrance to a Nature Park

 

A project by
the ‘Nature Nurtures’ Group

By Jeanne Tan
Senior Outreach Officer


What do you get when you put together the colours of nature and creative young minds?

At the beginning of this year, when the “Nature Nurtures” programme was first introduced in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Iris Li, one of SBWR’s volunteers, suggested that it would be lovely to start a fabric project with volunteers and Chestnut Drive Secondary School (CDSS) as our partner school.

This project would allow these students to adopt a project that incorporated values such as team work, perseverance, creativity, patience and respect, as well as learn a new art.

Ultimately, our end objective was to let these students from such a programme have a sense of achievement and ownership over what they have started. It was important that they know their achievements were acknowledged.

With logistics planned out by Iris and the outreach team at SBWR, this collage of fabrics and colours took place almost immediately. The fabric project was completed and showcased on World Environment Day, 5 June & 17 November 2007 during the students’ graduation day.

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-1b.gif


Lovingly hand-made by students, teachers and volunteers under NParks’ ‘Nature Nurtures’ programme, this project was sponsored by Shell Eastern Petroleum Pte Ltd. All the fabric pieces were painstakingly stitched together by Iris herself. The fabric collage featured the diversity of wildlife and patterns of nature at the Wetland Reserve.

All in all, the fabric took 11 weeks and 40 pairs of hands to complete. A variation of felt pictures, appliques, and different types of beads, buttons, ribbons and fabric paints were used for the collage. In line with the theme of reduce, reuse and recycle, many pieces were created from old pieces of cloth. All designs were an inspiration made possible by an appreciation and understanding of this wetland reserve and our environment. It reminds us that there is precious biodiversity in our nature reserves and we hold the future of these species in our hands.


https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-1a.gif

 

 


© Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

 

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/logo4.jpgwetlands
a publication of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

reserve homepage
all past issues
search the site


 

Vol 14 No 2

A project by the ‘Nature Nurtures’ Group

Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Flickr comes to SBWR

Nurturing the Sungei Buloh Forest and Mangroves

Earth Day Celebration

World Environment Day Celebrations

World Migratory Bird Day Celebrations

Not Merely an Entrance to a Nature Park

 

Wireless Learning Trail
@ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

First of its kind in Singapore
and the region

By Linda Goh
Senior Outreach Officer
and Ng Sock Ling
Assistant Director


The wireless learning trail at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve was inspired by the desire to enhance learning experience for students at the reserve. It is a new way of reaching out and delivering educational programmes that will appeal to the young and technology-savvy Singaporeans.

What is it?

Using webcams installed on Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPC), students are able to receive information by scanning the 2-D barcodes that are located strategically along the wireless learning trail. They can listen to birdcalls or observe behaviour of mudskippers. Students are also prompted with stimulating questions on what they can see along the trail and even participate in various educational activities provided on their UMPC.

There are 20 barcodes or stations along the Mangrove Boardwalk. It takes about 2 hours to finish the entire learning trail. After completion, students can include their thoughts and observations to build their own personal learning trail, and share the information with their classmates. This promotes learning in the ‘outdoor classroom’.

How to book the Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh?

The Wireless Learning Trail at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is currently open to students only. Schools that are interested to book the trail can contact iCELL Network Pte Ltd at Tel: 6309 4520 for general enquiries and bookings.

What are the charges?

A nominal fee of $3 is charged per student, payable to iCELL, which is managing the learning trail. This is to cover administrative charges and maintenance of the wireless network. Schools are advised to take good care of all equipment that is on loan to them. There are currently 40 Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPC) available for rental. Students can use them individually or in small groups.

Wireless @ Sungei Buloh

What is Wireless @ Sungei Buloh?

From 25 August 2007, visitors can enjoy free wireless connectivity at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve when equipped with a Wi-Fi enabled device, such as a laptop, a web browser and a registered Wireless@SGaccount with iCELL Network Pte Ltd.

Where can I go wireless?
Free wireless broadband is accessible from the Visitor Centre and the Mangrove Boardwalk. By early next year, the service will be extended to other parts of the reserve, namely, the Main Hide, Aerie and Outdoor Classroom.

How do I sign up ?
To access the free wireless broadband network, visitors can log on to http://www.icenetwork.com/registration.php to sign up for an account. They can also get their User ID and password on the spot by sending the below SMS to 963i-CELL (9634-2355) NRIC number Email address Name

Wi-Fi in Other Parks
Besides Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, visitors can also enjoy free wireless broadband access at these parks and gardens in Singapore:
• Singapore Botanic Gardens
• Woodlands Town Garden Park
Ang Mo Kio Town Garden East Park
• Toa Payoh Town Park
Pasir Ris Park
• West Coast Park
• East Coast Park (from October 07 onwards)
• Fort Canning Park (from October 07 onwards)
• Admiralty Park (from October 07 onwards)


How many students can go on the trail?

As time is required to complete the activities at each station, students are advised to spread themselves out on the trail instead of concentrating on one location. This will also ensure that the UMPCs are operating at its most optimal level.


Getting the most out of the Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh
To enhance the learning experience for students, teachers can carry out the following activities:

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-2a.gif

Before the field trip
A pre-trip checklist can be downloaded at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve website at www.sbwr.org. It includes a list of activities and tasks that students can do, and information on the reserve. Teachers can also inculcate in students important values and attitudes through understanding the importance of preserving our unique natural heritage.

On the Trail
Three different field activities have been integrated into the learning trail, namely field-recording observation, annotation and sketching activities. Students will be able to go through these activities at different locations along the trail. Teachers can go through with students details on how to use the recording templates before embarking on the trail.

After the Trail
Students can share what they have experienced or learnt with their peers. Through these interactive activities, students can develop a better appreciation of the natural environment.

 

 


© Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

 

 

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/logo4.jpgwetlands
a publication of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

reserve homepage
all past issues
search the site


 

Vol 14 No 2

A project by the ‘Nature Nurtures’ Group

Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Flickr comes to SBWR

Nurturing the Sungei Buloh Forest and Mangroves

Earth Day Celebration

World Environment Day Celebrations

World Migratory Bird Day Celebrations

Not Merely an Entrance to a Nature Park

 

Flickr comes to SBWR

Colleen Goh
SBWR Volunteer Photographer

 

I used to work in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR) as an Education Officer and it did not take me long to fall in love with it. I may have left SBWR as an employee 10 years ago but my heart remains. I have since made countless visits back to SBWR.

Recently, I have taken up photography in a more serious vein, and have also joined flickr.com. For those not familiar with flickr, it is a photo sharing website and web services suite. It is an online community platform and is a popular website for users to share personal photographs, and is also widely used by bloggers as a photo repository.

It struck me that flickr could be the medium to marry my love for SBWR and photography. So, together with my husband (who is also an avid photographer) and two other like-minded friends, we started the SBWR Group on flickr. This group can be readily accessed at http:// www.flickr.com/groups/sbwr/.

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-3a.jpg

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-3d.jpgThe primary purpose of this group is for people who have visited SBWR to share the photographs they have taken there. From this, I hope to generate interest amongst all nature lovers of the hidden secrets of Sungei Buloh.

Photographers often have the knack of seeing things and capturing images in unique perspectives. So, who better than photographers to showcase SBWR in all of its glory? I am sure if you visit the site now, you will realise what I mean!

Since I started this group about 4 months ago, I have had many enquiries from overseas flickr members marveling at the sheer diversity of wildlife captured by the photographers in this group. Many of them cannot wait to visit Singapore and SBWR is likely to be a first stop for them!

Through this group, we have run three photographic tours of SBWR for its members – all of which have been warmly and enthusiastically received.

Due to overwhelming response, we will be conducting more of such tours. You can see photos of us having fun during those tours on the site and the fantastic pictures taken by the flickr members. So what are you waiting for? Come visit the SWBR flickr site and spread the word around that SBWR is one fantastic place to visit and take great photos. Just take a look at the contributions to the photo spread in this issue of Wetlands.

“It was fun shooting at SBWR. Initially I thought I won’t be able to get any good photos but I was wrong… I am going to fill the flickr site with all my SBWR photos soon!”
Wilson Low

"It was the most fun and rewarding outing. We were lucky that it was sunny and the lighting was great ... overall it was a great outing and I would love to do it again!"
Lenkline

“Just wanted to thank the organizer for this morning’s tour. Enjoyed myself. It was my first time ever to SBWR. Will want to be back another time!”
Click Cluck

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-3b.jpg
https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-3c.jpg

[ 1 ] The Star by Mendis Tan
[ 2 ] Fly's Eyes by Francis Gementiza "As a macro shooter, I have always been fascinated by the compound eyes of insects"
[ 3 ] Hoverfly by Lim Soo Ching “Hoverflies mimic wasps by having the same yellow and black colouration. They are, however, harmless and do not sting.”
[ 4 ] An Aperitif in the Sunset by Lia Brand “I shot this when I was taking a visiting friend around the reserve.”
[ 5 ] Lynx Spider by Lynn Khine “This is one of the most elegant spiders around.”
[ 6 ] Killer Looks by Mendis Tan “I have always loved shooting damselflies because their gentle form and beautiful colouration contrast so sharply with their fierce, predatory behaviour.”
[ 7 ] My Aunt Mildred by Colleen Goh “Strange how insects remind us of people sometimes.”
[ 8 ] Sac Spider by Colleen Goh “Apparently, this spider delivers quite a nasty bite. If I had know earlier, I may not have gotten this shot!”
[ 9 ] Reaching Out by Bernard Tan “I was attracted to the stark contrast of the dark poles against the azure blue sky.”
[ 10 ] It’s the Season to be Mating by Shawn Low Here, two flies were perched very still on a blade of grass, sharing a tender moment. They were so engrossed in what they were doing that they did not even notice me when I moved in close to get this shot!
[ 11 ] Stork-billed Kingfisher by Mendis Tan

 

 


© Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

 

 

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/logo4.jpgwetlands
a publication of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

reserve homepage
all past issues
search the site


 

Vol 14 No 2

A project by the ‘Nature Nurtures’ Group

Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Flickr comes to SBWR

Nurturing the Sungei Buloh Forest and Mangroves

Earth Day Celebration

World Environment Day Celebrations

World Migratory Bird Day Celebrations

Not Merely an Entrance to a Nature Park

 

Nurturing the Sungei Buloh Forest and Mangroves

Chan Su Hooi
Conservation Officer
Ramakrishnan Kolandavelu
Assistant Conservation Officer
James Gan
Senior Conservation Officer

 

The largest block of mangroves in Singapore totalling more than 100 hectares can be found in Sungei Buloh.

This site is under legal protection as Sungei Buloh was conserved for this habitat, a key indigenous ecosystem that the government has committed to safeguard for us and for future generations.

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-4a.jpg

At Sungei Buloh, works is in progress to reforest parts of the wetland are. Over the past few years, forest tree planting and mangrove enrichment planting with species such as Rhizophora mucronata, Avicennia alba and Sonneratia alba have taken place in partnership with the community with good results.

The epiphytes and climbers have not been forgotten. As they add value to the structure of a forest, epiphytes such as orchids (Family: Orchidaceae) and hoya (Family: Asclepiadaceae) are being sourced and we continue to add them in Sungei Buloh to enrich the existing populations. They include the Cymbidium bicolor which has been tissue cultured and propagated from seeds collected from existing plants in the wetland forest. Some epiphytes have been brought in for planting such as the Cymbidium finlaysoniana, Bulbophyllum apodum and Vanilla griffithii.


https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-4b.jpg

Efforts to increase the quantity and species of hoya at Sungei Buloh are also in progress. Sungei Buloh is now home to a clump of Hoya diversifolia that had been salvaged from a nature lover. It is through this network of cooperative and dedicated nature lovers that the Hoya from various parts of Singapore have now converged to find a place at Sungei Buloh. Hoya verticillata, Hoya coronaria and Hoya latifolia could all find refuge and thrive peacefully on trees in the wetland one day.

Apart from these plants, a ginger Alpinia aquatica, a climber Adenia macrophylla, a shrub Gmelina elliptica and Abutilon indicum, a shrub from the Hibiscus family that can naturally be found in the back mangrove areas are some of the plants that have been planted within the wetland.

With much positive human intervention, and in another decade or two, the mangrove ecosystem at Sungei Buloh could one day closely resemble a pristine ecosystem that was once common in ages past. The challenge lies for all of us as a community of nature lovers to manage, nurture and grow the existing mangrove so that the range of species, species composition, stand maturity and zones of back mangrove are in harmony even as the wetland management continues to provide recreational and educational opportunities for visitors.

This year the Straw-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus) has, for the first time, made its presence felt daily in the wetland with its exquisite warble of bird song that can uplift the spirits of urban people like us. We certainly look forward to further nurture and grow Sungei Buloh to be a wetland where more of these plants and animals can thrive. When stenotopic species such as the Mangrove Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis rufigastra) and Mangrove Pitta (Pitta megarhyncha) take up residence in Sungei Buloh, we would know that our efforts have been realised. Let’s work together and make this happen!

 

 


© Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

 

 

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/logo4.jpgwetlands
a publication of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

reserve homepage
all past issues
search the site


 

Vol 14 No 2

A project by the ‘Nature Nurtures’ Group

Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Flickr comes to SBWR

Nurturing the Sungei Buloh Forest and Mangroves

Earth Day Celebration

World Environment Day Celebrations

World Migratory Bird Day Celebrations

Not Merely an Entrance to a Nature Park

 

Earth Day Celebration
at Sungei Buloh

On 21 Apr 2007, Miss Earth 2006, Miss Hill Hernandez joined hands with 70 students and teachers from Zhonghua Secondary School to salvage young mangrove saplings from Sungei Buloh’s mudflats.

This effort will keep the mudflats available for this season’s migratory shorebirds to feed from, while the mangrove saplings are transplanted elsewhere to enrich the mangrove habitat.

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-5a.gif


https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-5b.gif

Giordano staff and customers also replanted mangroves at Kranji Nature Trail on 22 Apr 2007, as part of Giordano’s Earth Day effort. This is the first time that Giordano has come on board as a Garden City Fund (GCF) sponsor, having raised at least $20,000 for GCF through its Earth Day campaign.

 

 


© Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

 

 

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/logo4.jpgwetlands
a publication of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

reserve homepage
all past issues
search the site


 

Vol 14 No 2

A project by the ‘Nature Nurtures’ Group

Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Flickr comes to SBWR

Nurturing the Sungei Buloh Forest and Mangroves

Earth Day Celebration

World Environment Day Celebrations

World Migratory Bird Day Celebrations

Not Merely an Entrance to a Nature Park

 

World Environment Day Celebrations
at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve


In celebration of World Environment Day, a group of Hillgrove Secondary School students organized a fundraising sale at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on 2 June 2007 in support of the wetland’s conservation efforts. They sold terrariums, painted stones and batik bookmarks. They managed to raise $300 for the wetland’s Conservation Fund.

On 5 June 2007, HSBC organized a half-day programme for some 80 staff children as part of World Environment Day celebration. The children went on a guided walk led by a team of HSBC Green Volunteers. This were followed by a tree planting activity. The children planted some 30 Calophyllum inophyllum, Dolichandrone spathacea and Melastoma malabathricum around the wetland reserve.

 

 


© Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

 

 

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/logo4.jpgwetlands
a publication of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

reserve homepage
all past issues
search the site


 

Vol 14 No 2

A project by the ‘Nature Nurtures’ Group

Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Flickr comes to SBWR

Nurturing the Sungei Buloh Forest and Mangroves

Earth Day Celebration

World Environment Day Celebrations

World Migratory Bird Day Celebrations

Not Merely an Entrance to a Nature Park

 

World Migratory Bird Day Celebrations
at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve


Sungei Buloh celebrated World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) on 12 and 13 May 2007.

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-6a.gifThe activities started with the simultaneous international launch, (in Bangladesh, Philippines and Singapore) of the publication for Wetlands International’s book “Numbers and distribution of waterbirds and wetlands in the Asia-Pacific region - Results of the Asian Waterbird Census 2002-2004” by David Li and Taej Mundkur at the wetland’s theatrette. A public talk by the author, David Li, on the results of the book and on migratory waterbirds followed. Forty people attended the talk

Other highlights of the 2 days celebration included a photo exhibition, a display of seven full colour posters featuring shorebirds at the wetland and the release of the wetland’s latest newsletter issue highlighting migratory bird count data and trend analysis as well as three public talks. On the internet, the bird ecology blog (BESGroup@ yahoogroups.com) carried an article on migratory birds from the wetland’s newsletter. More than 800 people experienced the WMBD celebrations at the wetland.

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-6b.gif
Mr David Li representing a copy of the book to Mr Ramakrishnan Kolandavelu

 

 


© Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

 

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/logo4.jpgwetlands
a publication of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

reserve homepage
all past issues
search the site


 

Vol 14 No 2

A project by the ‘Nature Nurtures’ Group

Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Flickr comes to SBWR

Nurturing the Sungei Buloh Forest and Mangroves

Earth Day Celebration

World Environment Day Celebrations

World Migratory Bird Day Celebrations

Not Merely an Entrance to a Nature Park

 

Not Merely an Entrance
to a Nature Park

By Lim Swe Keng
Visitor to SBWR
M (MIT) MBA (Law)
an engineer, an inventor

 

What you are about to enter you are yet to see the entrance

What you are seeing you are yet to fully discover

People, who just left the bustling city Shut you eyes and discern

Take a deep breath and feel even it is not blossom season, without the fragrance of flowers, you feel freshness

Rest a step and hear even if it is not a theatre constructed by man, harmonized by conductor you hear music and songs shuffling of leaves, songs of birds, yearnings of animals, weaved together by the wind

What you see, you need not open your eyes

What you have, nature nurture for you for free

https://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/photos/142-8a.gif


You are here not because of human might, raw strength human raw strength can step this place barren in moments

Few wise who labored to preserve the raw beauty of nature many who will soon discover more intricate order of nature in the steps you are setting from here that diversity bring vibrancy that natural order is orderly that harmony exist among different species that this will inspire you even nature, plants, animals can bring you inspiration, wisdom then fellow human, even different from us shall bring us more, strength, inspiration, wisdom and joy

What you will be entering is not a park but an entrance to appreciate, comprehend the vast order of nature that will make you leave richer, wiser, joyful may you bring this new sight back to the bustling city, conflicting world and soon you will sow seeds, if not seeing the blossom of harmony among man, man-made and nature

 

 


© Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve