Singapore’s Super Trees 1: Heritage Trees
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| Mt. Faber Walking Path Singapore Photo by Michael Wortman |
Welcome to a new week here on DDoA! After last week’s feature on Tokyo now we tour Singapore, where my family and I currently reside.
The first thing a visitor to Singapore notices is how green and wonderful the streets and highways look. It gives the impression of a country that respects and values nature. This week I bring you Singapore’s Super Trees. As I researched for this week’s post I found out about the island city-state’s unique program to help protect its natural historical landmarks.
Today, Day 1 of Singapore’s Super Trees, we look into Singapore’s efforts to protect its natural heritage- HERITAGE TREES– majestic mature trees that still abound in the garden city.
Here’s an Introduction to Singapore’s
Heritage Trees Scheme:
Heritage Trees Scheme:
“Majestic mature trees are the natural heritage of Singapore and serve as important green landmarks of our Tropical Garden City. They help us to identify with and stay rooted to the place we live in. Like our Garden City, these trees take decades to mature gracefully and beautify our landscape. As Singapore progresses, there is a danger of losing these mature trees. In view of this concern, the Heritage Trees Scheme was announced on 17 August 2001 with the objective of promoting conservation of our mature trees to the community. In support of this initiative, a Heritage Trees Fund was established then by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) to kick-start a conservation programme that safeguards our Heritage Trees and promotes appreciation of our natural heritage. Some of these programme initiatives now include installation of lightning conductors, interpretive signage, and putting in place a nomination scheme for the community.” Read more on nparks
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A Kapok Tree (Ceiba pentandra) (right)
and a Mengkulang (Heritiera elata) (left)
-two of the 34 Heritage Trees found in the Singapore Botanic Gardens–
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How does the Heritage Tree Scheme work?
Step 1- Anyone can nominate a tree he thinks is suitable to be endorsed as a Heritage Tree.*Nominations can be made via the online nomination form found on this website
Step 2- Nominated trees will be inspected by NParks arborists
Step 3- List will be submitted to the Heritage Tree Panel
Step 4- Heritage Tree Panel will determine which of these nominated trees will be endorsed as Heritage Trees.
Criteria for Heritage Tree Nomination
1. a girth (trunk circumference) of more than 5 metres
2. rarity of species
3. historical significance
Heritage Tree Activities
on the National Parks Singapore website
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with Singapore’s Heritage Trees in the Background
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| D.I.Y Tree Appreciation walks
This short walking trail takes you to seven magnificent mature trees in Singapore Botanic Gardens. Click here for Guide to Heritage Trees of Singapore Botanic Gardens Walking Trail
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Ever wonder how Singapore turned itself
into a city within a garden?
“In June 1963, Singapore’s then- Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew planted a tree to mark the beginning of a sustained campaign to enhance the city state’s appearance. No one could have anticipated the transformation that followed.
This is the story of that process. Now, 50 years later, highly urbanized Singapore enjoys a green network of nature reserves, large and small parks, tree-lined streets and community gardens that is the envy of other big cities…” Read more on “LIVING in a Garden” intro on Amazon
“Singapore has had to make tough decisions. Land is scarce. There are trade-offs between maintaining the island’s rich, natural biodiversity and public demands for housing and infrastructure appropriate to the 21st century. Nevertheless, the National Parks Board, and its partners in the public, private and civic sectors, continue to strive to keep Singapore green.
Lavishly illustrated, the book shows how Singapore aims to be a ‘City in a Garden’, reminding us that the community must engage with the greening ‘mission;, if this great achievement is to continue…” Check out this book on AMAZON
Singapore’s Heritage Roads
This passage is well-traveled, however it has never been widened nor the trees cut..ever wonder why? Let’s learn more about the HERITAGE ROADS Scheme of Singapore..
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“The Heritage Roads scheme was implemented in 2001 by the Singapore government to identify and protect roads whereby there are lush road-side trees, often so dense that they create “green walls” and even “green tunnels”. Concerns that rapid urban development will result in the removal of these trees especially due to the widening or realignment of these roads, the authorities identified 5 roads from a list of 55 suggested by the National Parks Board. Here are the 5 Heritage Roads of Singapore: Arcadia Road, Lim Chu Kang Road, Mandai Road, Mount Pleasant Road and South Buona Vista Road. The remaining roads were placed on a watch list to be closely monitored, and may be added to the scheme later…”Info from Wikipedia
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“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself.
Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air
and giving fresh strength to our people. ”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt
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