30,000 trees to help beat the heat on Jurong Island

Businesses raise over $500,000 so far for 3-year greening initiative by JTC and NParks

Above: An artist's impression of trees lining Banyan Avenue on Jurong Island, under a greening initiative to plant 30,000 trees on the island. Left: The existing road. PHOTOS: JTC, NPARKS
An artist's impression of trees lining Banyan Avenue on Jurong Island, under a greening initiative to plant 30,000 trees on the island. PHOTO: JTC, NPARKS
Above: An artist's impression of trees lining Banyan Avenue on Jurong Island, under a greening initiative to plant 30,000 trees on the island. Left: The existing road. PHOTOS: JTC, NPARKS
The existing road. PHOTO: JTC, NPARKS

Thirty thousand trees will be planted on Jurong Island over the next three years in a greening initiative announced by JTC Corporation and the National Parks Board (NParks) yesterday.

To fund the initiative, businesses in the industrial estate have raised more than $500,000 so far, with oil and gas company ExxonMobil being the largest contributor with $120,000 and the Association of Process Industry - comprising mainly small and medium-sized enterprises - raising more than $90,000 among its members.

NParks said the additional greenery should help cool temperatures on the man-made island off the south-western coast of Singapore that currently is home to more than 100 petroleum, petrochemical and speciality chemical companies.

The greenery would also benefit the ecosystem and enhance the attractiveness of working on Jurong Island, said NParks group director of streetscape Oh Cheow Sheng.

Mr Oh said NParks would monitor the effects of the additional greenery on Jurong Island as the trees mature in 15 to 20 years.

A diverse range of tree species will be planted, such as the Neolitsea cassia (Shore Laurel) and Planchonella obovata (Yellow Teak), which have been selected for their hardiness, drought tolerance, aesthetics and shade provision.

"The trees will be planted along the roadside and open spaces in a multi-tiered manner, mimicking a forest structure," said Mr Oh.

Since March, about 2,000 trees have been planted on Jurong Island, which currently has about 10,000 trees in total.

  • 2,000

  • Number of trees that have been planted on Jurong Island since March; there are currently about 10,000 trees in total on the island.

Director of energy and chemicals at JTC, Ms Cindy Koh, said there has been an increasing focus on environmental sustainability in the manufacturing sector.

"Since we own 80 per cent of industrial land in Singapore, we see the need to co-create with our business community industrial estates that are more sustainable and attractive for businesses and talent," she added.

The initiative was announced at the launch of the Clean and Green Singapore 2019 campaign by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Mr Teo Chee Hean, yesterday.

Speaking at the event, Mr Teo said that, as a small city-state with no natural resources, Singapore will need to continue to put sustainability at the centre of everything it does.

The linear economy model of production and consumption is no longer sustainable, and Singaporeans will need to shift their mindset to view waste as a resource that can be reintroduced into the production cycle, he added.

Singapore can do this in three key ways: Managing its waste better, investing in science and technology to create new products from waste, and by adopting sustainable lifestyles, said Mr Teo.

The event also saw the launch of the renewed sustainability masterplan for the South West District, called Sustainable South West.

Ms Low Yen Ling, Mayor of South West District, said in a statement that sustainability will continue to be the district's core goal, and that the masterplan reflects its residents' ownership of their environment.

"While our youth are integral in the plan, we need every resident to chip in, and together we will be a concerted force for change to realise a greener, cleaner and more sustainable South West," she added.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on November 03, 2019, with the headline 30,000 trees to help beat the heat on Jurong Island. Subscribe