By Victoria Yim
Issue 92 - March 2010

EARTHWATCH

We’d like to hear from you on environmental topics.
If you have any comments or news to contribute, send an email to editorial@expatlivingsingapore.com.

Embracing Biodiversity
The United Nations has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB). Biological diversity – more simply, “biodiversity” – is the variation of life forms in a given ecosystem, or all of Earth. It’s everything that goes together to form our web of life, the result of billions of years of evolution, Earth’s natural processes and, increasingly, our own activities.  

An alarming 45 percent of the planet’s original forests are thought to be gone, an estimated 34,000 plant and 5,200 animal species face extinction, and coral reefs, coastal mangroves and ozone layer are dwindling rapidly.


IYB in Singapore

Some interesting facts:

• Singapore has more than 2,900 species of plants, 270 species of butterflies, 120 species of reptiles,
   75 species of mammals, 25 species of amphibians, 250 species of hard corals and 111 reef fish species.
• The island has 360 species of birds, around 60 percent of the total for the whole of the UK.
• Mangroves and seagrass meadows serve as nurseries for crabs, prawns, cockles and marine organisms.
   They also help protect the coastline from erosion.

In conjunction with the IYB, the National Parks Board (NParks) has organised an array of activities aimed at raising public awareness of Singapore’s rich biodiversity. Here are some activities worth participating in:

Plant-A-Tree
An initiative of the Garden City Fund, in association with the Singapore Environment Council, Plant-A-Tree offers individuals and organisations an opportunity to plant trees in designated areas.


BioDiverCity Photo Competition
Though it struggles to shake the tag of concrete jungle, Singapore is in fact richly brimming with biodiversity. For IYB 2010, NParks and the Photography Society of Singapore have organised a photo competition and exhibition for students and the public. Entries close on 14 May.

Guided Walks
Available in many locations on the island, NParks’ free, guided walks are a great way to explore Singapore’s rainforests. Also available are private walks for families and friends, with a maximum group of 15, at $60 for an hour.

For more information on NParks, Singapore’s biodiversity and the above activities, visit www.nparks.gov.sg.


Recycle your Rough Guide
Good news for travellers and trees alike is that you can now sell your used travel guidebooks on www.GuideGecko.com. Listing a guidebook is free and takes less than half a minute. Titles are listed immediately and are available to customers worldwide. As the seller, you decide on the price and you set the local or global shipping costs.

GuideGecko’s online travel bookstore carries guidebooks in more than 70 categories and for 169 countries, including well-known series such as Lonely Planet and the Rough Guides.

Visit www.guidegecko.com/sell-travel-guides to sell a guidebook.