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Over time, the nation has become more conscious of balancing various needs, recognising the need to be stewards of our natural heritage even as our economy continues to prosper. In the journey to economic stability and success, Singapore has long relied on its people as its most valuable and esteemed resource, so what better way to protect nature than to equip Singaporeans to take on the mantle of nature’s champions?
To nurture hearts and minds for nature, the Nature Society (Singapore) has implemented a flagship citizen science project and nature education programme.
Titled “Every Singaporean a Naturalist” (ESN), this initiative engages teachers and students through environment-related co-curricular activities and school programmes, allowing participants to explore, learn, understand, and grow their love for nature. This is achieved through several different components, such as the Biodiversity Monitoring Programme, which sees students monitoring species from assigned taxonomic groups in and around their school vicinities and reporting their findings onto the iNaturalist database. By connecting them with nature, ESN hopes to cultivate current and future generations of advocates for the conservation of natural environment in Singapore and beyond.
The ESN initiative started in 2016, and has seen active participation from schools in Singapore on a yearly basis. The programme has also seen increasing engagement among its participants, with more than 4,000 biodiversity records submitted in its fifth year, compared to 2,600 in the year before.
In addition, NSS continues to conduct other nature-related outreach and education activities including student training sessions, naturalist chatter sessions, guided walks, workshops, and a skills achievement programme.
The Nature Society (Singapore) is a non-governmental, volunteer-run organisation focused on instilling pride and appreciation for Singapore’s biodiversity and natural heritage. It has a long history of both environmental education and environmental activism and has been directly involved in the protection of four different conservation areas in Singapore, including Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve and the Lower Pierce area.
