Do you know that Singapore is a member of Biophilic Cities since 2013? What does biophilic mean? What is the Central Nature Park Network? What can you see and do in Rifle Range Nature park? Read on.....
Biophilic Cities - Connecting Cities and Nature
Biophilic Cities partners with a network of cities, scholars, and advocates from across the globe to build an understanding of the value and contribution of nature in cities to the lives of urban residents. As a central element of its work, Biophilic Cities facilitates a global network of partner cities working collectively to pursue the vision of a natureful city within their unique and diverse environments and cultures. Partner cities include Barcelona, Los Angeles, Singapore, Toronto, Verona and Wellington.
An extract from Wikipedia - Biophilic design
The word “Biophilia” was first introduced by a psychoanalyst named Erich Fromm. He stated that biophilia is the “passionate love of life and of all that is alive…whether in a person, a plant, an idea, or a social group” in his book The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness in 1973. Some notable mentions of biophilia include Edward O. Wilson's book Biophilia (1984) where he took a biologist's approach and first coined the “Biophilia hypothesis” and popularized the notion. Wilson defined biophilia as “the innate tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes”, claiming a link with nature is not only physiological (as Fromm suggested) but has a genetic basis.
This idea is relevant in daily life – humans travel and spend money to sightsee in national parks and nature preserves, relax on beaches, hike mountains, and explore jungles. From a home perspective, people are more likely to spend more on houses that have views of nature; buyers are willing to spend more on homes with excellent landscaping, properties that look at water, and those that are waterfront.
Nature Reserves and Central Nature Park Network
The 4 nature reserves* safeguard Singapore's ecosystems. They are primary providers of ecosystem services, helping to clean the air and water. Nature parks are established at the edges of nature reserves to serve as green buffers from the impact of urbanisation in order to protect and safeguard the flora and fauna in the nature reserves.
The Central Nature Park Network provides ecologically interdependent habitats for the flora and fauna of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. It also supports the establishment of ecological connectivity throughout Singapore.
Rifle Range Nature Park
The nature park itself is located at the site of the former Sin Seng Quarry, which is part of a cluster of quarries in the Bukit Timah area, which also includes Hindhede Quarry and Singapore Quarry. Once part of Singapore's booming construction industry in the 1980s and 1990s, a number of these disused quarries are now incorporated into the following parks and nature parks: Rifle Range Nature Park is at the doorstep of Beauty World MRT. Nature guided walk is available. Please visit NPark page for booking of tickets. Let's go and enjoy nature with the convenience of the MRT.
References and pictures taken from :
Website: Wikipedia- Biophilic Design
Website: biophiliccities.org
Footnote:
*Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Labrador Nature Reserve
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