Green Models (A Case Study) [Part 1]

Hi everyone!

This is the 2nd week after the Recess break. Here is another quote to keep you going through the difficult times.

“Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” – Joseph Campbell

From the previous post, I have shared about what are some of the examples which shows untouched greenery. From the survey, I found it will be good to compare the green spaces located in Jurong Lake Gardens and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Let us take a trip down the Jurong Lake Gardens!

 

Background

The Jurong Lake Gardens comprises of 4 different gardens, including the Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden (Nparks, 2020)[1]. Recently opened in April 2019, as the third national garden in Singapore, the development took a very long process to get to where it is now (Yohannan, 2019)[2]. From this venue, we will scope down to the Lakeside Garden as it holds the largest area in Jurong Lake Gardens.

Features

From a stone’s throw away from my flat, this park is very accessible, especially when you are a Jurong resident. I would say this park is the one that suits almost all aspects which you can think of. Want to grab a bite? There is a Fusion Spoon restaurant there. Would you like to gather your friends for a barbecue party? Sure thing! Would you want to immerse yourself into Nature’s experience? Absolutely! While the Lakeside Garden provides various amenities, there are man-made habitats that Nparks have developed to simulate different environments (e.g. Alstonia Island)[3] and attracting the rich biodiversity coming to this green gem. If you are lucky enough, you might be able to spot the Oriental Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros albirostris) in action!

Alstonia Island (Source:© Lee Wee Meng)

My Thoughts

The question is whether the Lakeside Garden is a good example of being a green space filled with untouched greenery. While it provides amenities that people could dream about, the development in the process could destroy some of the natural habitats. The wildlife could indeed return to roam after the development phase. The possible impacts made to the freshwater and forest habitats during the development, however, cannot be ignored. Moreover, when there are physical features made (e.g. Risau Walk) over the Jurong Lake, they become more accessible. This could be where the lake is becoming susceptible to pollution, with litter being thrown around the lake. If we are not conscious of the beauty that this park has to offer, we might see another park becoming a wasteland.

Litter that could be found on the banks of the lake, from the boardwalk (Top) to the Risau Walk (Bottom) [Source:© Lee Wee Meng]

What are your thoughts about this park? Do you think it’s a good example of a green space with untouched greenery?

In the next mind,

Wee Meng

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