WETlands a publication of Sungei Buloh Nature Park park homepage other 1998 issues all past issues search the site

Vol 5 No 2 Aug 98 Copper-throated Sunbird's Nesting Habitat Flowers of the Swamp Ubin Lifestyle Bird Sightings (Mar-May 98) Launch of "A Guide to Sungei Buloh" Commonwealth Regional Youth Seminar Story-telling at Sungei Buloh Earth Day 98 Mangrove Seedling Programme Swarming to the Swamp: Sivasothi's introduction to mangroves		Mangrove Mania & Launch of A Guide to Sungei Buloh Nature Park The dark sky made way for a fine morning on 10 June 1998 at the Sungei Buloh Nature Park. The birds were chirping happily as we welcomed our many guests to the Mangrove Mania and launch to "A Guide to Sungei Buloh Nature Park", an event jointly organized by the HongkongBank as part of the year-long celebration to countdown the Park's 5th anniversary. The Guest-of-Honour, Associate Professor Low Seow Chay, MP for Chua Chu Kang and Deputy Chairman, GPC for the Environment, was in the company of Professor Leo Tan, Chairman, National Parks Board, Mr David Dew, Deputy CEO, HongkongBank, Dr Tan Wee Kiat, CEO, National Parks Board and Mrs Lee Wai Chin, Deputy CEO, National Parks Board. The guests and 120 youths from the Regional Youth Seminar on Youth Participation in Environmentally Sustainable Development were at the Outdoor Classroom to witness the launch of the new guidebook and unveiling of the new location map by the Guest-of-Honour, Associate Professor Low Seow Chay. The easy-to-use guidebook and signages have been designed with the aim of enriching the experience for visitors. Containing flora and fauna found at the Park and a colourful birdchart, the guidebook will enable even first-time visitors to identify the Park's aviary residents. In line with our theme "Mangrove Mania", the Guest-of-Honour also potted a mangrove seedling, the Bruguiera cylindrica, for nurturing to be planted at the end of the year. I am certain that when people can attain a better understanding of the Park's precious ecosystem and its remarkable myriad of living creatures and plants, they will also gain a fuller appreciation of the uniqueness and value of Sungei Buloh Nature Park to our living environment. I am confident that this will lead Singaporeans to become even more appreciative of the environment as a whole. Which is why I am very pleased to be here this morning to witness and contribute towards this commendable initiative by National Parks Board and HongkongBank to inject even more value into this national treasure of ours and enrich the experience for all visitors to Sungei Buloh Nature Park. If for no other reasons, the many young faces I see here this morning offer a useful reminder to us that we are using our living environment on borrowed time from our children and the generations that follow them. We are as such obligated to our children to take good care of our environment lest, we leave nothing but a trail of problems for them to contend with ... Associate Professor Low Seow Chay MP for Chua Chu Kang and Deputy Chairman, GPC for the Environment After the launch, the guests took a leisurely walk along the Mangrove Arboretum and boarded the clubcars to view the breeding herons of the Park before returning to the Visitor Centre. All of them left feeling that much had been done to protect this ecological jewel and that we must continue to take good care of this invaluable treasure Mother Earth has entrusted to us.
		© Sungei Buloh Nature Park