The Ministry, through National Parks Board (NParks), is responsible for providing and enhancing Singapore’s greenery. This is aligned with our goals under the Singapore Green Plan 2030 – our national movement to advance sustainable development and combat climate change.

Under the Green Plan, NParks is working closely with the community to transform Singapore into a City in Nature. This vision builds on what Singapore has achieved over the years as a biophilic City in a Garden. It seeks to further integrate nature into the city, strengthen Singapore’s distinctiveness as a highly liveable city while mitigating the impacts of urbanisation and climate change. It will also protect our biodiversity and give Singaporeans an even higher-quality living environment, with benefits to health and well-being.

Beyond green infrastructure, NParks is committed to enhancing the quality of life through creating memorable recreational experiences and lifestyles. Adding to this is the development of extensive streetscape, or roadside greenery, which forms the backbone of our garden city. An island-wide Park Connector Network also links major parks and residential areas.

MND also works closely with NParks to continually upgrade the landscape industry in Singapore and coordinates measures to ensure the health of Singapore's biodiversity. For instance, NParks is responsible for securing roadside greenery and helps ensure that development projects include trees for shade and to enhance the aesthetics of the environment. On top of that, the Streetscape Greenery Master Plan is aimed at accentuating and providing distinctive landmarks in our future landscape.

To complement the lush streetscape greenery, the greening approach is now directed at moving upwards through the greening of rooftops and sides of high-rise buildings. This not only helps to ensure optimal land use, but also improves the environment for quality living.

For more information, you may refer to the website http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

The Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves which spans about 3,200 hectares represent the last and only extensive pieces of Singapore's primary and mature secondary forests. NParks carries out active management of these nature reserves through reforestation programmes, removal of invasive creepers, and overseeing the overall health of these reserves.

The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore's first ASEAN Heritage Park which spans about 130 hectares, meanwhile, is located at the northwestern coast of the country. A site of international importance for migratory birds, it covers 130 hectares and was developed from vacated prawn farms into a nature park and bird sanctuary for both resident and migratory birds. Meanwhile, the 10-hectare Labrador Nature Reserve contains secondary coastal forest.

Several Nature Park Networks have been established to safeguard and extend our natural capital. For instance, the Central Nature Park Network surrounds the Central Catchment and Bukit Timah Nature Reserves. The habitats within these buffers have been sensitively enhanced so that they remain rustic and forested, while providing the public with alternatives to connect with nature. These buffers  protect the central nature reserves from developments that abut them. It also provides ecological inter-dependent habitats for the flora and fauna of the reserves, and are integral to the network of ecological connectivity being established throughout Singapore.

Furthermore, the Sungei Buloh Nature Park Network provides complementary wetland habitats to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. These complementary wetland habitats – which extend to the east, west, south, Kranji Marshes, and the Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat – strengthen the conservation of wetland biodiversity in the north-western part of Singapore.

NParks ensures the health of these designated nature areas, which includes the gazette of nature reserves. It monitors and documents the biodiversity of these nature areas which are conserved and promoted as wildlife sanctuaries, and as valuable resources for education and outdoor recreational activities.

For more information, you may refer to NParks’ website http://www.nparks.gov.sg/

The greening of Singapore is a national endeavour requiring the close involvement and support of the whole community. In this regard, NParks works closely with the Ministry to build community ownership by enhancing lifestyle experiences in parks, promoting the appreciation of greenery and nurturing a culture of gardening in Singapore.

NParks is working closely with the community under the OneMillionTrees movement, which aims to restore nature back into the city through the planting of more than a million trees in Singapore over the next 10 years.

Through the ‘Community in Bloom’ programme, NParks creates green awareness by involving the community in gardening projects to enhance their natural surroundings. Other outreach programs such as the Adopt-A-Park scheme and Park Watch scheme, allow volunteers to participate in various activities. These include guided walks and organising park activities. Cultural and artistic performances and other recreational events are also regularly held to draw more people to the parks.

For more information, you may refer to NParks’ website http://www.nparks.gov.sg/