PUBLISHED 31 MARCH 2017
SINGAPORE – A majestic 100-year-old Jurassic Park-like forest, complete with freshwater wetlands, was opened at the Botanic Gardens on Friday (March 31).
Called the Learning Forest, the $30 million venture re-molded a wild, thick and generally blocked off extremely old secondary forest into the primary space in Singapore where people in general can encounter two natural surroundings – wetland and lowland forests – in one setting.
Visitors will get the opportunity to stroll under the shadows of the forest giant trees and lie over a rope bed to look up into a canopy of crowns.
The site, with its network of boardwalk and raised walkways, was opened by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
PM Lee said the Learning Forest expands on the Gardens’ legacy of conservation and improvement.
He noticed that the territory frames another protection center in the Gardens, including that it is “an essential reference for work on preservation and reclamation environment as well”.
“Many Singaporeans like myself have been looking forward to visiting this, and discovering about our rich natural heritage,” he said.
The National Parks Board’s (NParks) put in 2.5 years on the exertion, taking reference from maps going back to the mid nineteenth century to shape the space.
It led examinations of the soil, geography and hydrology of the site. Taking after studies, the habitats there were reestablished to conserve a wider variety of native flora and fauna.
The majority of the native and nature trees inside the site were either retained or transplanted close to their unique spots.
The size of 15 football fields or 10ha, the Learning Forest is now home to over 700 species of plants – up from 100 originally.
About 100 species of birds and 20 species of amphibians and reptiles can also be found in the forest now.
The entire Learning Forest has been divided into five sections: The SPH Walk of Giants; the Lowland Rainforest; Keppel Discovery Wetlands; Bambusetum; and Wild Fruit Tree Arboretum.
The first is an elevated, 8m-high footpath where guests can encounter what it resembles being up in a tree. It grandstands a collection of enormous trees – the majority of which can develop to no less than 60m or around 20 stories high.
Singapore Press Holdings cooperated the Gardens by promising $1.2 million towards the advancement of effort projects for the walk.
The Keppel Discovery Wetlands revolves around the restoration of the area’s existing water sources by creating a connected series of five waterbodies that connect to Swan Lake. It include orchid islands, a boardwalk featuring plants discovered by botanists and the Gardens’ directors, as well as marsh plants.
It is the first project in South-east Asia to recreate a freshwater swamp forest.
NParks said the Learning Forest fortifies the protection of plants native to the region and will make extra natural surroundings and fill in as a shelter for l for native wildlife.
It will likewise help the rainforest regenerate.
The new nature territory will likewise take some weight off the Unesco heritage segment of the Gardens, by spreading visitors more uniformly over the bigger space. It will likewise frame a cradle against the urban development surrounding the Unesco World Heritage Site.
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