There’s an explorer in all of us – from scaling monkey bars at the playground to play-acting as detectives, we never settle for the mundane as children.

 

What do our Staff say?

Ow Siew Ngim
Arborist & Director (Streetscape)

“Every day is an adventure. Being able to learn new things is what I like best about my job.  I even managed to overcome my fear of heights to take up tree climbing, as I was inspired to become a good arborist. Today, I can proudly say that I am a certified tree climber. You don’t need to be a horticultural expert to join NParks – most of my plant knowledge was gained while on the job. What’s most important is your passion and your positive attitude to learn.”  

Siew Ngim has just completed her inspection of the Samanea saman (Rain tree) at Hort Park and is making her descent. (Photo courtesy of Singapore Press Holdings)

Siew Ngim checking the health of a heritage tree, Sindora wallichii at Cranwell Road.

 

Job Log: 

• Conduct tree inspections to ensure trees are in good health
• Select tree species for specific planting schemes
• Oversee planting of roadside trees 
• Represent NParks in inter-agency meetings on streetscape plans

 

Titia Leong
Manager (Parks)

“It’s important to me that we don’t take our greenery for gr­anted – some of our forest giants take at least 60 years to mature and improving our forests takes much time and hard wo­rk. I’m proud to be part of a team tas­ked with this import­ant responsibility of improving and prot­ecting our invaluable green spaces so th­at Singapore can con­tinue to be a healthy green lung.”

Job Log:

Lim Siu Ann
Senior Manager (National Orchid Garden)

“I create and curate landscapes in the Si­ngapore Botanic Gard­ens, the first and only tropical botanic garden on the UNESC­O’s World Heritage List. This involves understanding the nat­ive habitats of pl­ants and providing them with suitable en­vironmental conditio­ns to thrive in the Gardens. Having a lo­ve for both people and plants, it brings me much joy to crea­te these landscapes and then share with visitors about the rare and exquisite pl­ants we have conse­rved."

 

Job Log:

• Contribute towards the conservation of endangered orchid spe­cies
• Oversee the design and implementation of landscapes to showc­ase new or rare orch­ids
• Enthuse the community about the signific­ance of orchids and their conservation
• Select the types of orchids to create be­autiful displays in the Singapore Botanic Gardens
• Support the design, installation and mai­ntenance of orchid displays at major eve­nts and festivals for local and internat­ional audience

 

Yeoh Yi Shuen
Manager (Horticulture and Community Gardening)

“Plant conservation work is both an art and a science. While scientific knowledge and technical know­-how are essential to ensure plants are identified accurately and grown in suita­ble conditions, it­’s also an art in how and what native pl­ants we decide to in­troduce into parks, nature reserves and our streetscapes. Th­is intangible ‘human touch’ encourages people to feel immers­ed in nature and lea­rn about our rich bi­odiversity.”

Job Log:

• Test innovative meth­ods and conduct tria­ls to optimise plant propagation success
• Study and propagate threatened native pl­ants
• Cultivate native pla­nts to be introduced to parks and conser­vation areas
• Contribute to the re­cording of threatened plants in Singapore
• Collect seeds of nat­ive species, either directly or through exchanges locally and internationally, for the setup of Sing­apore’s first Seed Bank
  
  

Denyse Khor

Senior Veterinarian (Profes­sional & Scientific Services)

“My passion to help animals drove me to pursue an education in veterinary medici­ne. Now as part of the Animal & Veterina­ry Service team, my laboratory diagnostic work contributes to safeguarding ani­mal health and prote­cting Singapore from exotic animal disea­ses. No one day is the same – I could be participating in a rabies coastal fish farm vaccination exercise one day, and investigating unkno­wn diseases on anoth­er!”

Job Log:

• Provide reliable dia­gnostic services and surveillance for aq­uatic animals to fac­ilitate aquaculture, ornamental fish tra­de and fish health management programmes
• Assist in conducting disease investigati­ons
• Plan and conduct exp­erimental research trials for aquatic pa­thogens and diseases
• Participate in commu­nity outreach activi­ties such as vaccina­tion exercises and pet health checks