City in a garden. This is the vision Singapore has been striving towards. Greening efforts in Singapore were started by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, our prime minister then, in 1963 when a Mempat tree was planted (Nparks, 2015). This marks the start of a national-wide movement to introduce greenery into our surroundings. Interestingly, the campaign began with the intention to beautify the country and attract investors and tourists:
‘(Mr) Lee (Kuan Yew) argued that creating a garden-city image would convince visitors and investors that Singapore, emerging from colonial rule, was a well-governed place subject to the rule of law. Planting trees island-wide also countered an inequity of British rule, when only wealthy areas enjoyed gardens.’
An extract taken from citiscope, How Singapore makes biodiversity an important part of urban life (2015) by Grace Chua
However, there is no doubt that the benefits greenery has brought are much more than just aesthetics. In this blog, Plantiful Bounty, I will be exploring greening efforts in Singapore and hopefully at the end of this journey, you and I will be able to gain valuable insights and grow a greater appreciation for greenery! 🙂
Before we begin, let me introduce myself!
Hello, I am Johanah and I am currently a year 1 student majoring in Environmental Studies (Biology) in the National University of Singapore. My interest in greenery came about from the ‘mini garden’ that I have at home.
I find these plants to be an essential part of my life as they are important stress relievers to me. Whenever I am anxious, the simple act of looking at them can help me relax and clear my mind. It made me realised that greenery that we see around us, likewise, is able to lift our spirits in one way or another. Sometimes, we could be so used to seeing greenery around such that they have naturally integrated into our everyday lives and we might not take much notice of them. However, I really cannot imagine living in an environment filled with concrete buildings without the greens. Therefore, I wanted to research more about the efforts behind these greens and hopefully be a part of greening movement in the future.
Now that I have shared a bit of myself and my interest, follow me on my blogging journey as we uncover the rewards that greenery has to offer! 🙂
References:
Nparks (2015 January 15). City in a Garden. Retrieved on 15 August 2016 from: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/about-us/city-in-a-garden
Chua, G (2015, January 23). How Singapore Makes Biodiversity an Important Part of Urban Life. Retrieved on 15 August 2016 from: http://citiscope.org/story/2015/how-singapore-makes-biodiversity-important-part-urban-life
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