HOME
DOWNLOAD 
DOWNLOAD FINANCIAL
DOWNLOAD GARDEN CITY The development of industry capabilities and
talent will be crucial in achieving Singapore's goal to restore nature back
to the city and apply nature-based solutions to strengthen our resilience.
Upskilling the Industry
As Singapore transforms into a City in Nature, higher-value skills necessary for greenery and landscape management become even more essential. To this end, NParks launched Singapore's Landscape Sector Transformation Plan (LSTP) in May 2019. This tripartite effort led by NParks with companies from the landscape industry, institutes of higher learning, government agencies and the labour movement will elevate and grow the industry through digitalisation, mechanisation and professionalisation.
Besides enhancing core skills in horticulture and arboriculture through science and technology, training will focus on equipping employees with ecological knowledge to better manage natural landscapes. In total, it will upskill the existing 12,000-strong workforce and groom a new generation of landscape talent to manage green spaces in Singapore, expected to grow by 1,000 ha over the next 10 to 15 years.
As part of LSTP, a Skills Framework for Landscape was launched to provide companies and professionals with information on career progression pathways and the emerging and existing skills required in the sector. It also highlights relevant training that facilitates digitalisation and adoption of technology in the industry.
In other development initiatives, six landscape nursery and three orchid nursery land tenders were launched in the reporting year. To date, more than 18 plots have been awarded including the first orchid plot in the first quarter of 2020. This follows the announcement in January 2018 that NParks will have oversight of the whole orchid industry, so as to consolidate efforts and better develop policies to grow the sector.
Capability building and skills upgrading remain essential to grow the industry – CUGE offered more than 2,500 training and assessment places for Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) programmes, and over 2,200 training places for non-WSQ programmes, in the year in review.
CUGE has also worked with the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) to co-develop training for those managing animals and wildlife in our City in Nature. The certification programmes, some to be conducted in 2020, will equip participants with skills and knowledge on animal welfare, health, ecology and behaviour, helping to uplift the capabilities of the industry overall.
The Landscape Sector Transformation Plan will equip the landscape workforce with higher-value skills so as to lift the sector to another level, necessary to transform Singapore into a City in Nature.
Nurturing the Next Generation
Youths play a pivotal role in rallying the community to be active participants in Singapore's greening journey to strengthen ecological and climate resistance.
To invigorate the industry with a pool of skilled younger talent, NParks signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) in May 2019. The use of technology for arboriculture and horticulture management will be emphasised and students will learn about planting and reshaping landscapes to include native flora to support fauna. Taken together, students will gain higher value-added skills and ecological knowledge, necessary to grow our City in Nature.
As part of the MOU, students gain hands-on experience in managing a park. Since July 2019, selected ITE students have been managing Bedok Town Park. This includes conducting lawn maintenance and tree inspections using technology such as drones and the micro drill. They can also access Maven, the NParks database, to get essential information on trees and parks while on the go. Following the success of this pilot, the Student-Run Park initiative has been expanded to Clementi Woods Park, led by students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
In a further boost for NParks' plans to nurture professionalism and stewardship among youth, the $10 million NParks-Peter Lim Horticulture and Animal Science Scholarship was set up to support deserving youths from less-privileged backgrounds pursue their interest, support their skills development and build capability in the landscaping, horticulture, ecology, veterinary and animal science sectors.
Broadening Knowledge
NParks hosted NTUC Health staff from several nursing homes to impart design fundamentals of therapeutic gardens so that their residents can be more immersed in nature. Community in Bloom ambassadors were also trained in basic therapeutic horticulture skills while the third run of the Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Workshop was conducted in June 2019, attracting 40 staff participants.
Similar to therapeutic horticulture, NParks is studying the positive effects pets can have on human mental, physical and emotional health. Trials are ongoing in 2020 with selected community groups with plans for a more comprehensive review.
In the area of aquatic animal health, bacteriology, pathology and virology, NParks collaborated with local partners such as DSO National Laboratories and Duke-NUS Medical School and overseas organisations like the Irish Equine Centre and Animal Health Trust in the United Kingdom in areas contributing towards maintaining Singapore's animal disease-free status.
Plans are underway for the setup of a national facility for wildlife forensics to boost capability in this science. Apart from building physical and electronic reference libraries and developing diagnostic test kits for rapid identification, staff will collaborate with international experts to advance knowledge in wildlife forensics analysis.
And to raise standards in the veterinary and welfare needs of companion animals and wildlife, NParks is setting up an animal rehabilitation centre. Besides rescuing, reuniting, rehoming, and rehabilitating animals, the centre will also conduct research for knowledge sharing.
In the field of arboriculture, more than 200 practitioners also gathered to learn and share about current trends and challenges in urban tree management at the 9th Regional Arboriculture Seminar organised by CUGE in September.
Do you know what your pet is 'saying'? NParks has been working with specialists to study ethology, or the science of animal behaviour, to equip the public with a clearer understanding of their pets' actions for more harmonious human-animal interactions.
Interest in therapeutic horticulture continues to gain traction, with staff and members of the public joining our customised programmes that promote healing and recovery through plant and nature-related activities.
Harnessing Technology
The OCBC Arboretum at the Singapore Botanic Gardens adopts the Ecological Network of Tree Sensors (ENTS) monitoring system. Three main parameters are tracked – the environment the trees are exposed to, their growth and their health – and employs the Internet of Things, environmental sensors and remote sensing (using LiDAR and multispectral imagery) to do so.
NParks continues to tap on technology and digitalisation as a booster for operational efficiency and effectiveness.
To safeguard our nature reserves, NParks is developing a Forest Fire Detection and Monitoring System. Officers can view surveillance information drawn from cameras installed at strategic locations to quickly identify fire conditions and its location. A drone is then activated to provide real-time information on the fire's progress. This prototype system can differentiate varying fire conditions to pre-empt changing weather patterns and reduce the need for staff to physically patrol the nature reserves.
On the water, NParks saw the operation of the Oil Spill Forecast and Decision Support System at Sisters' Islands Marine Park. This system provides an accurate prediction of oil spill trajectories and is complemented with a current and tidal forecast prediction, and a water quality monitoring station.
Over at the turtle hatchery on Sister's Island, smart technology such as Bluetooth water level data loggers and temperature sensors are used to increase hatching success. Turtle eggs are very sensitive to temperature changes: female turtles hatch in warmer temperatures whereas males hatch in cooler environments. Hence nest temperatures are monitored remotely and the sand is kept at about 29 degree Celsius, so that a mix of male and female turtles is more likely to hatch from the clutch.
For the safe movement of wildlife, NParks and the Land Transport Authority launched a pilot trial of a Roadway Animal Detection System (RADS) along Old Upper Thomson Road in October 2019.
The system uses cameras equipped with analytics technology that "recognises" animals to reduce the occurrence of false triggers. Upon detection, linked LED Advanced Warning Signs flash to alert motorists to slow down and look out for animals crossing.
Another tool to monitor wildlife for biodiversity research is thermal imaging equipment. Used to conduct surveys to study Singapore's nocturnal fauna's habits and populations, the equipment enables researchers to observe animals in their natural habitats with minimal disturbance.
Following a period of testing of an electronic tilt sensor placed on mature trees to detect lean, about 200 of such wireless sensors were installed across the island in 2019. This alerts officers to movements of trees so they can assess structural stability under strong wind conditions and take prompt mitigation measures if necessary.
The use of tree-centric analytic models also helps when assessing a tree's structural health as well as in large-scale city-level planning. The large amount of data required for such models normally takes much time and effort, but by using a light detection and ranging sensor (LiDAR), which uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to gather physical dimensions of each tree across the island, this process is shortened and efficiency is improved.
Achieving Excellence
Visitors to the Beijing Expo held in China were greeted by over 5,500 orchids, comprising over 200 species, in the Singapore Garden display.
NParks' investment in staff development has been recognised nationally and globally, highlighting their expertise knowledge, hard work and creativity. NParks' digitialisation solutions in tree management were recognised with the Best Adoption (Public Sector) prize at the SG:D Techblazer Awards 2019. This is the nation's highest accolade for tech innovations and is jointly presented by the Infocomm Media Development Authority and SGTech.
Outside of Singapore, NParks picked up four awards at the International Federation of Landscape Architects Asia-Pacific Region Congress 2019 held in the Philippines. The event champions local and global issues related to landscape architecture such as climate change, cultural adaptation and community resilience.
And at the Beijing Expo 2019, held from April to October in China, NParks represented Singapore with an outdoor display that featured our orchid hybridisation programme and conservation efforts and showcased Singapore's strengths in horticulture as well as capabilities in smart city technologies, urban planning and ecological protection.
In November 2019, NParks received the third annual Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Award under the Community and Urban Scale category. This international award considers the application of biophilic design principles to the built environment and highlights our success in enabling residents to have immersive experiences with nature while developing new green areas.
NParks, as part of a multi-agency team, was also recognised with the United Nations Asia Environmental Enforcement Awards 2019 for the work in combating the illegal wildlife trade. Our officers shared intelligence information and carried out joint operations with their Singaporean and Chinese counterparts, leading to significant seizures of illegally-traded wildlife and the arrest and dismantling of cross-regional criminal networks.
Staff who deepen their professional expertise in core job areas by achieving certifications recognised under NParks' Vocational and Skills Allowance Framework are eligible for a monthly allowance. This revised allowance framework with enhanced quantum will begin in mid 2020 and is a boost to the organisation's continuous learning efforts.
NParks awarded seven undergraduate scholarships, three overseas merit awards and four postgraduate scholarships to in-service officers in 2019. Two officers commenced their professional exchange programme at Australia and the United States in August and September, respectively. Together, these will help to continually grow NParks' talent pool.
The exchange of knowledge by NParks' Hort Champs remains important to promote learning within the organisation. They conducted workshops on a wide range of topics such as the identification, management and conservation of native bees; mangrove ecology and management; managing pest and disease; and plant identification, effectively facilitating the flow of ideas. Hort Champs are staff who participate in such workshops and field trips and then share knowledge with staff and visitors to our parks and gardens.
The quarterly Hort Colloquiums continue to be a valuable platform for discussion and sharing. Over 350 staff attended the three seminars that were held during the reporting year. The themes included Learning Journeys and Developments, What's Trending in Landscape Industry, and Conservation and Biodiversity, reflecting the scope of work within the organisation.
The NParks Staff Conference in April 2019 saw a record turnout with over 1,000 staff gathering to celebrate NParks' achievements for FY2018, and gain insights into the strategic directions for the year ahead.
About 20 Hort Champs and staff gathered at Pang Sua Park Connector to reintroduce endangered native plants along this route in Choa Chu Kang. These activities enable staff to interact outside of the office and exchange knowledge with each other.
Community in Bloom Senior Manager Chai Weili readies a vertical wall display for the Orchid Extravaganza event at Longwood Gardens in the US. He was attached there for his six-month Professional Exchange Programme.
Parks Senior Manager Simon Soh explains to visitors at King's Park in Perth how bread was made by aboriginal tribes of the past. As part of his six-week attachment with the Botanic Gardens & Parks Authority in Western Australia, he assisted with the running of educational programmes for some 30,000 students.
