RRP’s strong
partnership with the National University of Singapore and NParks is providing
excellent opportunities for applied learning for UWCSEA students and exciting
chances to share our work too.
Last weekend saw us participate in a Forest Restoration workshop kindly hosted by NParks at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Headquarters. The workshop was the initiative of Dr. Chua Siew Chin, a lecturer at NUS’ Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), an experienced researcher and key advocate for tropical forest restoration here on the island. As well as developing learning modules for her RVRC students, Dr. Chua has also been kindly supervising one of our own members in their I.B Extended Essay research. The workshop was an opportunity to showcase this learning as well as develop more community engagement in this important work.
RRP’s Naomi presented her experimental study of the performance of rainforest seedlings in degraded soil from secondary forest sites known locally as ‘Adinandra belukar forest’ for the dominant species that has populated these abandoned agricultural plots. As much of the reforestation work in Singapore will be enriching these relatively species-poor, nutrient deficient sites, Naomi’s research contributes to much-needed knowledge about the best strategies for ensuring successful regeneration of primary forest species. We are hoping that her study might eventually be published in one of Singapore’s scientific journals.
Last weekend saw us participate in a Forest Restoration workshop kindly hosted by NParks at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Headquarters. The workshop was the initiative of Dr. Chua Siew Chin, a lecturer at NUS’ Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), an experienced researcher and key advocate for tropical forest restoration here on the island. As well as developing learning modules for her RVRC students, Dr. Chua has also been kindly supervising one of our own members in their I.B Extended Essay research. The workshop was an opportunity to showcase this learning as well as develop more community engagement in this important work.
RRP’s Naomi presented her experimental study of the performance of rainforest seedlings in degraded soil from secondary forest sites known locally as ‘Adinandra belukar forest’ for the dominant species that has populated these abandoned agricultural plots. As much of the reforestation work in Singapore will be enriching these relatively species-poor, nutrient deficient sites, Naomi’s research contributes to much-needed knowledge about the best strategies for ensuring successful regeneration of primary forest species. We are hoping that her study might eventually be published in one of Singapore’s scientific journals.
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| Naomi shares her research from the Dover nursery |
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| RVRC students showcased a wide variety of studies |
RVRC students
likewise presented the preliminary findings from their ongoing research on the
reforestation site in Chestnut Park featured previously
on this blog. It will be interesting to follow the progress of the plots
that were subject to different treatments such as mulching, weeding and interspersed
planting with leguminous (nitrogen-fixing) species.
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| Mr Zhou Boyi shows us Nparks' plans to engage the community |
Alongside
Dr. Chua, NParks Conservation Manager Zhou Boyi led a discussion on how the
audience of educators and students could be involved in Singapore’s ambitious new
Reforestation
Plan that was introduced by Director of Conservation research, Dr. Adrian Loo.
The 10 year plan will see over 250,000 native trees and shrubs planted mainly in
the Nature Parks that act as buffer zones for the more biodiverse Central
Catchment and Bukit Timah Nature Reserves. Developing more campus nurseries such
as ours was seen as a key strategy to engage more young people, as well as provide
the saplings necessary to meet this target. We were very happy to meet more
interested schools at the event and invite them to UWC. Recent months have
already seen visits from Dulwich international, Hwa Chong, Commonwealth Secondary
and ACS(I) and more are planned.
Our big thanks
to Dr. Chua for arranging this very successful sharing session and to Naomi for
raising the profile of RRP in the academic community!
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| Naomi's poster presentation summarised her Extended Essay Research |
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| Dr Chua Siew Chin opens the discussion after an introduction to the primary forest in the reserve. George, Hermann and Anthony contributed for RRP too. |
