Changi Airport can handle traffic growth: Transport Minister
Changi Airport's total capacity of 73 million passenger movements per year is sufficient to cope with traffic growth in the near to medium term.
Transport Minister Raymond Lim said this in a written reply to MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Dr Lam Pin Min's question on Changi Airport's growth.
He said this is about 45 per cent more than the 40 million passenger movements that the Changi Airport Group (CAG) expects in 2010.
Changi Airport handled more than 34 million passengers in the first ten months of this year, which is a 15 per cent year-on-year increase over 2009.
Changi also handled over 1.5 million tonnes of cargo in the same period this year, a 13 per cent year-on-year increase.
The International Air Transport Association has projected strong traffic growth of about 35 per cent for the Asia Pacific region over the next four years, driven by the robust economic growth of major economies like China and India.
"Building capacity ahead of demand has been a key driver for the success of Changi Airport, and the regulatory framework will ensure that post-corporatisation, there will continue to be sufficient capacity at Changi Airport to handle future increases in traffic," Mr Lim said.
Changi Airport was corporatised in July last year, and with it came a regulatory framework to provide investment by CAG in airport infrastructure, runways and other facilities.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Cable-car passengers stranded
Cable-car passengers stranded
SOME 20 cable-car passengers got more than they paid for yesterday afternoon when they were left stranded in their cabins for about 15 minutes, following a bout of bad weather.
The Mount Faber Leisure Group which operates the cable-car system between Mount Faber and Sentosa said that a bolt of lightning caused the 67 cable-car cabins, 110m in the air, to come to a standstill at about 12.45pm.
A spokesman clarified that there was no blackout during the incident. An independent back-up system was kick-started to get the cabins moving again at about 1pm.
The next 45 minutes were spent ferrying the affected passengers to safety, before the service resumed about an hour later after the all-clear was given.
The disruption, a first since the revamped cable cars were open to the public in July, was triggered by lightning sensors in its safety system, said the spokesman.
The cable-car system, which underwent a $36-million makeover, has a lightning protection device that stops cabins from moving when a certain amount of lightning activity is detected, she said.
Yesterday, the National Environment Agency's Meteorological Services Division said that Sentosa recorded moderate rainfall and high winds of up to 23kmh.
All 20 passengers had their fares refunded, the spokesman added. To ensure the safety and comfort of passengers, each cabin is equipped with a one-way communication system and ration packs are placed under cabin seats. In an emergency, the interior of the cabin will light up automatically.
-News courtesy of OMY-
SOME 20 cable-car passengers got more than they paid for yesterday afternoon when they were left stranded in their cabins for about 15 minutes, following a bout of bad weather.
The Mount Faber Leisure Group which operates the cable-car system between Mount Faber and Sentosa said that a bolt of lightning caused the 67 cable-car cabins, 110m in the air, to come to a standstill at about 12.45pm.
A spokesman clarified that there was no blackout during the incident. An independent back-up system was kick-started to get the cabins moving again at about 1pm.
The next 45 minutes were spent ferrying the affected passengers to safety, before the service resumed about an hour later after the all-clear was given.
The disruption, a first since the revamped cable cars were open to the public in July, was triggered by lightning sensors in its safety system, said the spokesman.
The cable-car system, which underwent a $36-million makeover, has a lightning protection device that stops cabins from moving when a certain amount of lightning activity is detected, she said.
Yesterday, the National Environment Agency's Meteorological Services Division said that Sentosa recorded moderate rainfall and high winds of up to 23kmh.
All 20 passengers had their fares refunded, the spokesman added. To ensure the safety and comfort of passengers, each cabin is equipped with a one-way communication system and ration packs are placed under cabin seats. In an emergency, the interior of the cabin will light up automatically.
-News courtesy of OMY-
Sunday, 14 November 2010
AirAsia introduces S'pore-Miri route
AirAsia introduces S'pore-Miri route
Malaysian low cost airline AirAsia is enhancing its connectivity from Singapore with the introduction of a new route to Miri, Sarawak, and increased frequencies to Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
AirAsia will be flying four times a week - Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday - from Singapore to Miri.
To celebrate the new addition to its route network, the Malaysian budget carrier has launched promotional fares from Singapore to Miri from S$39 per way. The travel period is from 21 January 2011 - 30 June 2011.
AirAsia will also increase the frequencies of flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
Flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur will be raised to 10 times daily, effective 17 December 2010, from the current eight times a day.
For the Singapore-Penang route, with the addition of another frequency from 21 January 2011, the number of flights will increase to 3 times daily.
Kathleen Tan, regional head of commercial, AirAsia, said: "AirAsia is committed to connecting people and the new addition of Singapore to Miri route as well as increased frequencies from Singapore reiterates that commitment as Singapore is our virtual hub with 401 weekly flights to 13 cities internationally.
"This new route is definitely sustainable as Singapore is an international gateway, while Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak with a significant number of expatriates and international students.
"With this new route, Singapore is now connected to six cities in Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and now Miri."
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Malaysian low cost airline AirAsia is enhancing its connectivity from Singapore with the introduction of a new route to Miri, Sarawak, and increased frequencies to Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
AirAsia will be flying four times a week - Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday - from Singapore to Miri.
To celebrate the new addition to its route network, the Malaysian budget carrier has launched promotional fares from Singapore to Miri from S$39 per way. The travel period is from 21 January 2011 - 30 June 2011.
AirAsia will also increase the frequencies of flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
Flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur will be raised to 10 times daily, effective 17 December 2010, from the current eight times a day.
For the Singapore-Penang route, with the addition of another frequency from 21 January 2011, the number of flights will increase to 3 times daily.
Kathleen Tan, regional head of commercial, AirAsia, said: "AirAsia is committed to connecting people and the new addition of Singapore to Miri route as well as increased frequencies from Singapore reiterates that commitment as Singapore is our virtual hub with 401 weekly flights to 13 cities internationally.
"This new route is definitely sustainable as Singapore is an international gateway, while Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak with a significant number of expatriates and international students.
"With this new route, Singapore is now connected to six cities in Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and now Miri."
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Sg-Jakarta flights cancelled due to volcano
Singapore-Jakarta flights cancelled due to volcano
Several major airlines, including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, AirAsia, Valuair and Tiger Airways, cancelled their flights between Singapore and Jakarta on Saturday, citing volcanic ash from Mount Merapi.
Changi Airport Group said 11 out of 35 flights to the Indonesian capital were cancelled.
Volcanic ash can affect flight visibility and cause an aircraft's engine to fail.
Jakarta lies some 430 kilometres away from the volcano in central Java.
But with the adverse movements of the ash clouds, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it was in the interest of safety that its flights were cancelled on Saturday.
SIA's vice-president for public affairs, Nicholas Ionides, said: "We've been monitoring the situation very closely. The decision was taken at about 3 o'clock to cancel all subsequent flights for the day. There were four outbound flights from Singapore and four return flights from Jakarta.
"That was a precautionary measure based on the information that we had from the volcanic ash advisory centre in Darwin...the latest was that the ash cloud was moving in a manner that made it prudent for us to cancel those flights."
Some passengers were unhappy over the flight cancellation.
An affected passenger said: "I have come here to see the doctors. And today I have (to go back) to continue my medical treatment in Indonesia. So I really hope it (the flight) would not be cancelled. And they haven't decided any compensation for us, or new arrangements, because they are still waiting for the news from Jakarta."
But another affected passenger said: "It's pretty good that they are not taking the risk to fly to Jakarta."
Still, there were those who still insisted on making their way to the Indonesian capital.
They turned to Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air to fly to Jakarta.
SIA has also cancelled flights scheduled for Sunday.
The flights affected are:
SQ952, Singapore-Jakarta, scheduled to depart at 0740 hours;
SQ956, Singapore-Jakarta, scheduled to depart at 0930 hours;
SQ951, Jakarta-Singapore, scheduled to depart at 0615 hours;
SQ953, Jakarta-Singapore, scheduled to depart at 0920 hours; and
SQ957, Jakarta-Singapore, scheduled to depart at 1140 hours.
Singapore Airlines said it will waive cancellation/change fees for confirmed tickets to and from Jakarta issued on or before 6 November 2010 for travel between 6 November and 13 November 2010.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Several major airlines, including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, AirAsia, Valuair and Tiger Airways, cancelled their flights between Singapore and Jakarta on Saturday, citing volcanic ash from Mount Merapi.
Changi Airport Group said 11 out of 35 flights to the Indonesian capital were cancelled.
Volcanic ash can affect flight visibility and cause an aircraft's engine to fail.
Jakarta lies some 430 kilometres away from the volcano in central Java.
But with the adverse movements of the ash clouds, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it was in the interest of safety that its flights were cancelled on Saturday.
SIA's vice-president for public affairs, Nicholas Ionides, said: "We've been monitoring the situation very closely. The decision was taken at about 3 o'clock to cancel all subsequent flights for the day. There were four outbound flights from Singapore and four return flights from Jakarta.
"That was a precautionary measure based on the information that we had from the volcanic ash advisory centre in Darwin...the latest was that the ash cloud was moving in a manner that made it prudent for us to cancel those flights."
Some passengers were unhappy over the flight cancellation.
An affected passenger said: "I have come here to see the doctors. And today I have (to go back) to continue my medical treatment in Indonesia. So I really hope it (the flight) would not be cancelled. And they haven't decided any compensation for us, or new arrangements, because they are still waiting for the news from Jakarta."
But another affected passenger said: "It's pretty good that they are not taking the risk to fly to Jakarta."
Still, there were those who still insisted on making their way to the Indonesian capital.
They turned to Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air to fly to Jakarta.
SIA has also cancelled flights scheduled for Sunday.
The flights affected are:
SQ952, Singapore-Jakarta, scheduled to depart at 0740 hours;
SQ956, Singapore-Jakarta, scheduled to depart at 0930 hours;
SQ951, Jakarta-Singapore, scheduled to depart at 0615 hours;
SQ953, Jakarta-Singapore, scheduled to depart at 0920 hours; and
SQ957, Jakarta-Singapore, scheduled to depart at 1140 hours.
Singapore Airlines said it will waive cancellation/change fees for confirmed tickets to and from Jakarta issued on or before 6 November 2010 for travel between 6 November and 13 November 2010.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Friday, 5 November 2010
SIA resumes A380 flights
SIA resumes A380 flights after precautionary checks
Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it has begun resuming A380 flights following precautionary checks. The checks were carried out following advice from engine manufacturer Rolls Royce and aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
SIA delayed its flights operating the A380 aircraft Thursday evening.
This followed Thursday's incident in which a Qantas A380 Sydney bound flight encountered engine trouble.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it has begun resuming A380 flights following precautionary checks. The checks were carried out following advice from engine manufacturer Rolls Royce and aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
SIA delayed its flights operating the A380 aircraft Thursday evening.
This followed Thursday's incident in which a Qantas A380 Sydney bound flight encountered engine trouble.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Changi Airport raises airport charges
Changi Airport Group raises airport charges
Airlines and travellers using Changi Airport will have to pay more from April next year, following the revision of airport charges announced by the Changi Airport Group on Wednesday.
The revision includes service and security charges for transit and transfer passengers, and an increase in landing fees for airlines, which analysts said will also result in budget travellers paying more.
Departing passengers using Changi Terminals 1, 2, and 3 will not be affected.
Changi Airport handles about 37 million passengers a year - with 30 per cent on transit or making a transfer.
From April 1 next year, such travellers will be subjected to a passenger service charge of S$9 and a security service charge of S$3, which will be added to the price of the air ticket.
Changi Airport Group said transit and transfer passengers also have access to the facilities and services within the transit areas in Changi. These include the holding rooms, transfer counters and free Internet access. So it is only appropriate for them to share the costs of providing these facilities.
It added that investments in security since the September 11, 2001 attacks have resulted in higher costs.
It said fees for such transit and transfer passengers are already levied in major airports in Europe and Asia.
Travellers that Channel NewsAsia spoke to had mixed reactions.
One traveller said: "I guess S$12 is too much for a transit passenger."
However, another said: "The things you can do - eat and shop - so for me, I will be ok with it."
Changi said following a S$20 million upgrading last year, budget travellers have enjoyed an improved experience at the terminal, and there is a need to recover part of the cost of operating the terminal.
The passenger service charge for budget travellers will be raised to S$7.80 per trip, from S$4.80. The passenger security service charge, however, remains unchanged at S$8.
"As a whole, if you compare the total amount, the S$3 (increase) is not very significant," a traveller said.
"I would not think it's expensive, it's fine for me," another added.
The new fees will apply to all air tickets purchased from February 1 next year for travel on or after April 1.
Analysts said it is still too early to tell how much ticket prices will be affected, as airlines - especially those with smaller aircraft - will have to pay more landing fees.
Airlines will see a 15 per cent average increase in their landing, parking and aerobridge (LPA) bill.
Changi said expenses have increased significantly with major enhancements to infrastructure, and the current landing fees for narrow body aircraft is also disproportionately lower compared to larger aircraft types.
Low-cost carriers are no doubt unhappy with the move as it will hit them harder, but analysts said they are unlikely to see a loss of business.
Siva Govindasamy, managing editor, Asia, Flightglobal, said: "It is far easier for the full service carriers to pass on higher costs to their passengers, simply because fares are higher.
"This will affect the low cost market a lot more because it will mean higher fares for the passengers ...
"The low cost carriers which operate on the principle that you have to keep your cost base low - they are going to face higher cost and they will have no choice but to pass it on to their customers.
"So will it affect their business? Unlikely, because the low cost model is growing and there will continue to be a lot of demand for low cost travel in this part of the world."
As for full-service carriers, Singapore Airlines said that in general, any cost increase is of concern, given the fragility of the economic recovery.
Nicholas Ionides, vice president of public affairs at Singapore Airlines, added: "Where increases in fees are applied, they should be fair and equitable so that all airlines compete on a level playing field.
"Our common objective is the sustained success of Singapore as a leading aviation hub. We are appreciative of the fact that CAG consulted stakeholders as part of its review of aeronautical charges."
Jetstar said it is concerned that its cost base will rise in "this extremely competitive environment".
Both Tiger Airways and Jetstar said they will take cost adjustments into consideration when determining future capacity.
Tiger Airways added that Asia continues to hold a lot of growth potential for low cost carriers. To keep up with the region's growth potential, it is looking to expand its fleet from 21 to 26 by next March, and to 33 by the following March.
Tony Davis, president and group CEO, Tiger Airways, said: "We're saying to airports - you've got to make your facilities affordable. If we're pushing fares down and reducing our costs, we expect airports to do the same.
"We want simple basic infrastructure at a low price, and airports that deliver that to us are going to get the most growth."
The impact of the fee increase may be cushioned as Changi extends its landing fee rebate of up to 10 per cent for all airlines until 31 March 2012.
Changi said even with the landing fee revision, the airport will remain competitive.
Since the airport's opening in 1981, landing fees have been adjusted twice - in 1993 and 1995.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Airlines and travellers using Changi Airport will have to pay more from April next year, following the revision of airport charges announced by the Changi Airport Group on Wednesday.
The revision includes service and security charges for transit and transfer passengers, and an increase in landing fees for airlines, which analysts said will also result in budget travellers paying more.
Departing passengers using Changi Terminals 1, 2, and 3 will not be affected.
Changi Airport handles about 37 million passengers a year - with 30 per cent on transit or making a transfer.
From April 1 next year, such travellers will be subjected to a passenger service charge of S$9 and a security service charge of S$3, which will be added to the price of the air ticket.
Changi Airport Group said transit and transfer passengers also have access to the facilities and services within the transit areas in Changi. These include the holding rooms, transfer counters and free Internet access. So it is only appropriate for them to share the costs of providing these facilities.
It added that investments in security since the September 11, 2001 attacks have resulted in higher costs.
It said fees for such transit and transfer passengers are already levied in major airports in Europe and Asia.
Travellers that Channel NewsAsia spoke to had mixed reactions.
One traveller said: "I guess S$12 is too much for a transit passenger."
However, another said: "The things you can do - eat and shop - so for me, I will be ok with it."
Changi said following a S$20 million upgrading last year, budget travellers have enjoyed an improved experience at the terminal, and there is a need to recover part of the cost of operating the terminal.
The passenger service charge for budget travellers will be raised to S$7.80 per trip, from S$4.80. The passenger security service charge, however, remains unchanged at S$8.
"As a whole, if you compare the total amount, the S$3 (increase) is not very significant," a traveller said.
"I would not think it's expensive, it's fine for me," another added.
The new fees will apply to all air tickets purchased from February 1 next year for travel on or after April 1.
Analysts said it is still too early to tell how much ticket prices will be affected, as airlines - especially those with smaller aircraft - will have to pay more landing fees.
Airlines will see a 15 per cent average increase in their landing, parking and aerobridge (LPA) bill.
Changi said expenses have increased significantly with major enhancements to infrastructure, and the current landing fees for narrow body aircraft is also disproportionately lower compared to larger aircraft types.
Low-cost carriers are no doubt unhappy with the move as it will hit them harder, but analysts said they are unlikely to see a loss of business.
Siva Govindasamy, managing editor, Asia, Flightglobal, said: "It is far easier for the full service carriers to pass on higher costs to their passengers, simply because fares are higher.
"This will affect the low cost market a lot more because it will mean higher fares for the passengers ...
"The low cost carriers which operate on the principle that you have to keep your cost base low - they are going to face higher cost and they will have no choice but to pass it on to their customers.
"So will it affect their business? Unlikely, because the low cost model is growing and there will continue to be a lot of demand for low cost travel in this part of the world."
As for full-service carriers, Singapore Airlines said that in general, any cost increase is of concern, given the fragility of the economic recovery.
Nicholas Ionides, vice president of public affairs at Singapore Airlines, added: "Where increases in fees are applied, they should be fair and equitable so that all airlines compete on a level playing field.
"Our common objective is the sustained success of Singapore as a leading aviation hub. We are appreciative of the fact that CAG consulted stakeholders as part of its review of aeronautical charges."
Jetstar said it is concerned that its cost base will rise in "this extremely competitive environment".
Both Tiger Airways and Jetstar said they will take cost adjustments into consideration when determining future capacity.
Tiger Airways added that Asia continues to hold a lot of growth potential for low cost carriers. To keep up with the region's growth potential, it is looking to expand its fleet from 21 to 26 by next March, and to 33 by the following March.
Tony Davis, president and group CEO, Tiger Airways, said: "We're saying to airports - you've got to make your facilities affordable. If we're pushing fares down and reducing our costs, we expect airports to do the same.
"We want simple basic infrastructure at a low price, and airports that deliver that to us are going to get the most growth."
The impact of the fee increase may be cushioned as Changi extends its landing fee rebate of up to 10 per cent for all airlines until 31 March 2012.
Changi said even with the landing fee revision, the airport will remain competitive.
Since the airport's opening in 1981, landing fees have been adjusted twice - in 1993 and 1995.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Thian Hock Keng temple undergoes renovations
Thian Hock Keng temple undergoes renovations
The 160-year-old Thian Hock Keng temple in Telok Ayer is also home to a large number of bats.
Even though the temple is going through a year-long renovation programme, it said the bats will stay.
The temple has tried to chase out the bats because of hygiene problems, but it has been unsuccessful.
Some temple goers said the bats are good luck charms.
But the temple still needs to undergo maintenance as the last one was carried out 10 years ago.
There are bubbles on the wall, and the roof leaks when it rains. The pillars are getting hollowed out due to termites, which may cause the pillars to collapse.
Experts said these are signs that the temple's interior has too much moisture, and they plan to change the roof and some of its tiles.
They also plan to stop water from coming up from the ground.
James Kuah, representative of Thian Hock Keng Temple, said: "The water is always penetrating from the ground level to the top. So as a result, you see all the stains and bubbles on the wall.
"So the only way proposed by the consultant is that they can always drill a few holes along the bottom part of the wall, probably about 30 cm apart. Then they will inject certain water-proofing chemicals in the wall, so...the lower portion of the wall (will be sealed up). As a result, the water will not be able to penetrate further."
Mr Kuah said the renovation will be staggered and carried out in phases as there are many events held at the temple. The whole process is expected to take 12 to 14 months.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
The 160-year-old Thian Hock Keng temple in Telok Ayer is also home to a large number of bats.
Even though the temple is going through a year-long renovation programme, it said the bats will stay.
The temple has tried to chase out the bats because of hygiene problems, but it has been unsuccessful.
Some temple goers said the bats are good luck charms.
But the temple still needs to undergo maintenance as the last one was carried out 10 years ago.
There are bubbles on the wall, and the roof leaks when it rains. The pillars are getting hollowed out due to termites, which may cause the pillars to collapse.
Experts said these are signs that the temple's interior has too much moisture, and they plan to change the roof and some of its tiles.
They also plan to stop water from coming up from the ground.
James Kuah, representative of Thian Hock Keng Temple, said: "The water is always penetrating from the ground level to the top. So as a result, you see all the stains and bubbles on the wall.
"So the only way proposed by the consultant is that they can always drill a few holes along the bottom part of the wall, probably about 30 cm apart. Then they will inject certain water-proofing chemicals in the wall, so...the lower portion of the wall (will be sealed up). As a result, the water will not be able to penetrate further."
Mr Kuah said the renovation will be staggered and carried out in phases as there are many events held at the temple. The whole process is expected to take 12 to 14 months.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
NParks launches 4 new DIY trail guides
NParks launches 4 new DIY trail guides
The National Parks Board (NParks) has launched four new Do-It-Yourself (DIY) trail guides, in conjunction with Clean and Green Singapore (CGS) 2011.
Members of the public will get more opportunities to learn about trees and appreciate their importance in making Singapore a highly liveable city through these guides.
The guides are available for trails at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin, Changi and Fort Canning Park.
They will highlight the interesting features of trees along these trails. For example, the Baobab (Adansonia digitata) at Fort Canning Park has an interesting bottle-like trunk, akin to a tree being flipped "upside-down".
The more-than-100-year-old Penaga Laut (Calophyllum inophyllum) at Singapore Botanic Gardens is more than a tree - its trunk plays host to a rich diversity of ferns, climbers and wildlife.
For those who prefer to participate in guided tours, NParks is also organising more regular tree appreciation walks in various parks in Singapore.
Simon Longman, Director (Streetscape) at NParks explained that the DIY guides and tree appreciation walks are an extension of its ongoing initiatives to reach out to the public to create awareness and appreciation of trees in shaping our Garden City.
"Besides promoting interest and understanding of trees, we also hope to share the importance of these living organisms in our environment."
The guides are currently available for downloading on the NParks website www.nparks.gov.sg/eguides
NParks also announced the dedication of Heritage Trees to Mrs Margaret Lien, ExxonMobil, FCL Pte Ltd and Kikkoman, in appreciation of their contribution to the Garden City Fund.
Collectively, they have contributed about S$3 million to the Garden City efforts.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
The National Parks Board (NParks) has launched four new Do-It-Yourself (DIY) trail guides, in conjunction with Clean and Green Singapore (CGS) 2011.
Members of the public will get more opportunities to learn about trees and appreciate their importance in making Singapore a highly liveable city through these guides.
The guides are available for trails at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin, Changi and Fort Canning Park.
They will highlight the interesting features of trees along these trails. For example, the Baobab (Adansonia digitata) at Fort Canning Park has an interesting bottle-like trunk, akin to a tree being flipped "upside-down".
The more-than-100-year-old Penaga Laut (Calophyllum inophyllum) at Singapore Botanic Gardens is more than a tree - its trunk plays host to a rich diversity of ferns, climbers and wildlife.
For those who prefer to participate in guided tours, NParks is also organising more regular tree appreciation walks in various parks in Singapore.
Simon Longman, Director (Streetscape) at NParks explained that the DIY guides and tree appreciation walks are an extension of its ongoing initiatives to reach out to the public to create awareness and appreciation of trees in shaping our Garden City.
"Besides promoting interest and understanding of trees, we also hope to share the importance of these living organisms in our environment."
The guides are currently available for downloading on the NParks website www.nparks.gov.sg/eguides
NParks also announced the dedication of Heritage Trees to Mrs Margaret Lien, ExxonMobil, FCL Pte Ltd and Kikkoman, in appreciation of their contribution to the Garden City Fund.
Collectively, they have contributed about S$3 million to the Garden City efforts.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
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