SINGAPORE - The unmistakable glow of Christmas coming from 200 decorated trees now illuminates a 2km path at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
The trees were adopted and decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments by a range of organisations including schools and voluntary welfare organisations as part of Trees of the World - a month-long Christmas event launched by the National Parks Board (NParks) on Tuesday (Nov 29).
NParks also launched a new Give to the Gardens programme, which is aimed at raising funds that will go towards meeting the Singapore Botanic Gardens' research, education and other needs.
So far around 40 individuals and organisations have pledged close to $70,000.
Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Desmond Lee, who was guest of honour at the event, said: "The reality is that greenery requires careful maintenance. It is also vulnerable to the environment, and to competing needs for development. So it takes some effort to safeguard and grow what we have."
He added that this requires the support of the community, and that the new fund will give people another way to contribute to the continual greening of Singapore.
Donations to it can be made through the Garden City Fund website.
Mr Lee also launched the Singapore Garden Photographer of the Year 2017 competition, where participants will compete for $30,000 worth of cash and camera prizes.
This year's competition has three themes - Gardens and Landscapes; People and Nature; Our BiodiverCITY - and features an Instagram category.
Contest entries can be submitted on the NParks website or on Instagram with the hashtag #sgpy_[theme].
The works of past winners of past Singapore Garden Photographer of the Year competitions, and other photography contests, are also on display at the CDL Green Gallery located in the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
As part of the year-end festivities being held at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, free music performances are also being held from 7pm to 8.45pm at its Bandstand till Friday (Dec 2).
Correction note: The story has been edited for clarity and to correct the hashtag to submit contest entries on Instagram to #sgpy_[theme]. We are sorry for the error.
