Free nature and sustainability tours to be introduced at Gardens by the Bay
Beginning in January and slated to run until 2025, the tours will take place every Saturday and Sunday.
Beginning in January 2023 and slated to run until 2025, the hour-long nature and sustainability tours at Gardens by the Bay will take place every Saturday and Sunday. (Photo: Gardens by the Bay)
SINGAPORE: A new series of tours at Gardens by the Bay will educate visitors on nature and sustainability while revealing hidden gems at the attraction.
Beginning in January and slated to run until 2025, the hour-long tours will take place every Saturday and Sunday, Gardens by the Bay said in a media release on Thursday (Dec 15).
Led by professional guides, the tours will be free for all Singaporeans and Singapore residents. Some itineraries will include access to the cooled conservatories.
"The nature and sustainability tours leverage on Gardens by the Bay as a working model for sustainable development and conservation," Gardens by the Bay said.
"The series will use real – and often little known – examples at the Gardens to illustrate sometimes complex concepts to the layman."
January's tours will have the themes Carbon and Climate as well as Urban Wetlands, while February will see visitors embarking on the Biodiversity and Ecosystems, and Seeds and Senses (Smell) tours.
An Energy and Water tour will also be introduced at a later date along with Touch, Sight and Taste variations of the Seeds and Senses tour.
Tour themes
Carbon and Climate
Visitors on this tour will learn how the different colours of the "carbon rainbow" impact the environment. They will also find out about Gardens by the Bay's sustainable energy, waste and resource management practices.
Urban Wetlands
This tour is centred on the role of urban wetlands in the face of climate change. It will take participants to the Kingfisher Wetlands, where they will learn about native flora and fauna, and the sustainable features that have been incorporated in the area.
Biodiversity and Ecosystems
Participants on this tour will explore different habitats from around the world and learn about adaptive features that enable organisms to survive in harsh conditions.
Seeds and Senses
Split into four different routes that cover smell, touch, sight and taste, these tours will challenge participants to rethink their perceptions of plants.
Energy and Water
This tour will give visitors a closer look at the engineering and architectural features incorporated around Gardens by the Bay which were designed with sustainable energy and water use in mind.
HIDDEN GEMS
In addition to educating visitors on sustainability, the tours will also highlight hidden gems that they might not notice without a guide.
"One example is a spot in Flower Dome that exposes the chilled water pipes under the ground slabs, an energy-saving alternative to air conditioning that keeps the areas nearest the ground cool," Gardens by the Bay said.
"Another example is a plant that smells like root beer, a property that is both anti-microbial as well as repellent to pests."
Registration for January’s tours will open on Dec 17, with members of the public able to sign up on a first-come-first-served basis on the Gardens by the Bay website.
Registration for subsequent runs of the tours will open every first Wednesday of each month for the following month.
Supported by the Keppel Corporation, which has pledged S$300,000 to the programme, the tours are expected to reach more than 28,000 people.
