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Vol 8 No 1 Apr 2001 Breathing organs in mangroves Bird watching techniques A place in space: epiphytes Bird ringing in 2000 Gems of the park: volunteers Our long suffering "mother" Public talks at the park Reflections of a nature warden		Public talks are regular affairs at Sungei Buloh Nature Park. Speakers range from invited specialists from different fields to the Park's own staff. Various topics were raised and discussed, all in the hope of increasing nature awareness among our visitors. Here are extracts of the talks that took place. fabulous figs by joseph lai conservation officer Figs are fabulous plants possessing one of nature's strangest growth habits and handsome diversity of forms. The figs have a quiet but quintessential place in ancient civilizations, religion, mythology and traditions. Numbering about 800 species worldwide and distributed throughout the tropics and temperate regions, figs are well recognized especially the massive rooting banyans. Like rays of divine light, the banyan roots stream earthbound with seemingly reckless abandonment, filling not only the soft earth but also the fertile imagination of man. But here lies the paradox. Loved and revered by many, yet to some it is hated and condemned as a strangler of other trees or destroyer of buildings. However, not all figs are stranglers or destroyers. This talk held on 10 Dec 2000 helped to increase public awareness of how fabulously beautiful figs are, how interesting they are in many aspects and most importantly, how vital figs are in the world. encounters with places and plants by ali ibrahim conservation officer From the rare Rafflesia to the giant Redwood, plants are fascinating to look at. Often as you encounter plants or gain some kind of understanding about them, you will be keen to read or travel to places far and remote to further discover their special beauty. In this talk, Ali Ibrabim shared his encounters with places and plants to the public.
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