Come join us at the Festival of Biodiversity (26 & 27 May 2012)

Calling all nature lovers! Whether you are an avid animal or plant enthusiast, or simply looking for an enriching way to spend the weekends with your family, you are in for a fabulous treat! Next weekend, the inaugural Festival of Biodiversity will bring you a whole line-up of exciting programmes and activities that feature the best of Singapore’s biodiversity.

The Festival of Biodiversity will be held at the Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens on 26 & 27 May 2012 from 9.00am to 6.00pm. This event marks a major milestone for biodiversity conservation in Singapore and is jointly organized by NParks and the Biodiversity Roundtable. The theme of this event is to create awareness and promote efforts in conserving and enhancing our local biodiversity.

You may not be aware that Singapore is home to more than 400 species of marine fishes, 250 species of hard corals, as well as native species such as the smooth-coated otter and the banded leaf monkey. Fret not, as the line-up of programmes are certainly able to facilitate your learning journey of Singapore’s rich biodiversity!

There will be a myriad of activities targeted at different age groups during the festival. Families can revel in the plethora of specimens and informative exhibits featured at more than 14 interactive booths set up by schools, corporate groups, non-governmental organisations, nature-interest groups, volunteers and public agencies. Besides the wealth of information displayed at the booths, children can also participate by exercising their creativity at the various hands-on art and craft workshops such as painting and creating origami animals or their very own bookmarks! Alternatively, they can find joy by listening to the wonderful stories of “The Giving Tree”, “The Lorax” and more at the storytelling sessions. These eye-opening activities will certainly leave you and your family enthralled.

Let your children’s creative juices and imagination flow at the Art and Craft Workshops.

The fun continues at the Function Hall as a wide range of talks, featuring unusual topics, such as animal forensics and biodiversity iPhone applications, are open to you! The ‘Conserving our Biodiversity’ Symposium also promises a deeply insightful experience. This symposium will take place from 9.00am to 12 noon at the Function Hall of the Botany Centre and is ideal for school teachers, principals, community leaders, corporate groups and NGOs. Alternatively, you can attend the various thrilling film screening sessions to broaden your perspectives of the importance of biodiversity conservation.

Enjoy “The Return of the King”, a film featuring the return of the Oriental Pied Hornbills to our urban landscape.

Interested in wildlife photography? Then rejoice at the sight of flora and fauna as you explore the guided rainforest tour or simply visit the “BiodiverCity” Photography Exhibition.

With so many exciting activities in store for all at the festival, the event is not to be missed! By participating in the vivacious festival, you will be rewarded with a deeper understanding and appreciation of Singapore’s rich biodiversity, its benefits and relevance to us in Singapore. So join us this weekend at the Festival of Biodiversity; we look forward to seeing you!

Getting to the Botany Centre at Singapore Botanic Gardens

By Foot:
Entrance to the Gardens is easy through the Gardens’ major entrances: Tanglin Gate, Burkill Gate, Nassim Gate and Cluny Park Gate, and through the Bukit Timah Entrance.

By Car:
Car Parking Facilities are available at the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Visitor Centre, Bukit Timah Car Park at Bukit Timah Core, Botany Centre, Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden and Public Parking along Tyersall Avenue.

For more information on the Festival of Biodiversity, please visit:
http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/ or
http://www.nparks.gov.sg/festivalofbiodiversity/