The NParks’ Trees.sg portal launched today revealed the identify of the cluster of trees at the western end of the pond in Kent Ridge Park which we walked past during the Battle of Pasir Panjang Anniversary Walk. They turned out to be Calophyllum soulattri, a critically endangered (CR) species native to Singapore. [Thanks Ivan Chew for the head’s up this morning!]
A click of the species name calls up the relevant page in the NParks Flora & Fauna Web where more information is available about the plant.
Trees which are not along a public road may not be included as those may be privately managed and not in the main database. I looked up trees in NUS immediately but no joy – as yet. The portal does advise patience as there are subsequent phases.
Ohhh the pruning schedule is included! [Thanks Joys Tan for highlighting that!]
Trees.sg has an option to indicate if a tree is flowering, but I imagine Facebook or Instagram may still be an easier and quicker way for most to share information. It could be a supplemental tool for students are wondering about the identity of a tree a hornbill landed on, or if a tree has a wide enough tree trunk to tie a camera trap around to monitor roadkills.
Meanwhile, friends online have already come up with a wishlist to provide as feedback for future revisions to improve useability. For now, though, we’re really happy to be able to confirm identities and look up details of some of our carbon-sequestering friends in Singapore.
Fung Tze Kwan said on fb,
“I went to click a couple [of trees] in my neighborhood to double check [their identities]. Can send treemail & give virtual hugs too lol. I found my fav kapok tree and gave it a hug. I used to visit it every weekend for a year when I was doing forest work there.”
Fung Tze Kwan with her favourite kapok tree in 2012
Lots of people are happy about this, thanks NParks!
Otterman speaks... 