SINGAPORE – Formerly a network of kampung trails skirting an abandoned quarry, Rifle Range Nature Park was launched by the National Parks Board (NParks) on Saturday to make the forest and trails more accessible to the public.

With its rocky foot trails, bridges over natural streams, and even a viewing point perched atop the cliff of a granite quarry, the 66ha park is the eighth addition to the Central Nature Park Network, a ring of nature parks surrounding the Central Catchment and Bukit Timah nature reserves.

Accessed via an overhead bridge from Beauty World Centre in Upper Bukit Timah Road, the new park – about the size of 92 football fields – has the greatest length of trails of all the nature parks in the network, with more than 7km of trails and boardwalks.

Besides having recreational features, the ring of parks in the Central Nature Park Network plays a crucial role as a buffer for the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment nature reserves, protecting them from the effects of development as well as negative climate effects, said NParks group director of conservation Lim Liang Jim. 

Rifle Range Nature Park serves as a direct buffer to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, which has Singapore’s largest contiguous tract of primary forest untouched by human intervention.

This 163ha reserve contains at least 40 per cent of Singapore’s native flora and fauna, even though it makes up less than 1 per cent of the country’s area.

It is home to animals such as the plantain squirrel, the greater racket-tailed drongo and the Singapore freshwater crab – a very rare species of crab that is found only in Singapore.

The park network also shields the nature reserves against edge effects, such as vegetation drying out along the margins of an area, said Mr Lim. “By protecting the large forested area within the reserves, you will then be able to protect and provide a habitat for a great variety of species that can then reside within these habitats,” he added.

NParks said that although Rifle Range Nature Park was originally a site cleared for the old Bukit Timah Kampung and the Sin Seng granite quarry, its proximity to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve allowed the forest to regenerate.

After over 30 years, the forest had become verdant with life again, with more than 400 species of flora and over 300 species of fauna recorded within its perimeter, said Mr Lim. 

As a result, the enhancement of the park had to be done sensitively and sustainably to ensure minimal disturbance to wildlife, he added. 

Before the park’s development between 2019 and 2022, NParks conducted a nine-month-long biodiversity baseline study to identify areas and species of conservation significance. 

The study identified the types of native plant species to protect, and led to the design and construction of features such as aerial bridges for tree-climbing creatures in the park.

The community also had a hand in its enhancement, with members of the public invited to contribute through tree planting and removal of invasive species.

One such species was the zanzibar yam, or the purple yam plant, a herbaceous climber plant from the East African archipelago of Zanzibar that had grown aggressively and suffocated trees in the park.

At a media preview of the park on Friday, upon hearing the song of the critically endangered straw-headed bulbul, Mr Lim said: “The animals are moving in, and it’s really special, even as you’re still preparing for the park’s opening.”

Adding that a kingfisher has already made its home in the wetland restored from the quarry, Mr Lim said the park has been enhanced in a way that animals can accept.

Other than its natural elements, the park also has some educational opportunities for the public.

For instance, a replica of a rock-sorting machine has been set up to tell visitors how rocks from the quarry used to be sorted by size, alongside information boards describing the history of Singapore quarries.

Sustainability was also incorporated as a key element in the park, with a visitor pavilion run completely on solar power. 

A rain garden in the park purifies stormwater by passing it through an array of plants first before releasing it into a nearby stream.

At the park’s launch on Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said its development illustrates Singapore’s commitment to not compromising on natural spaces, despite the country’s land being limited and facing many competing demands.

“In fact, we have expanded our green spaces and green connectors, and we have protected our nature reserves – Singapore’s most ecologically diverse and important areas,” he said.

The new park is open daily from 7am to 7pm.

Highlights of the new park

1) Bridge from Beauty World MRT

Just an escalator away from Beauty World MRT, the bridge transports the public from the urban environment of Upper Bukit Timah Road directly into the heart of the forest. It leads to Rambai boardwalk, which is named after a critically endangered native tree.

As if crossing through a portal into a secret world, this is the only bridge in a nature park here to be built at this level of elevation into the canopy, said Ms Sharon Chan, director of development management in NParks’ conservation division.

This decision was made to ensure that lush parts of the forest were just a short walk away from the public, she said. The hope is to make it convenient for families to visit the park after a meal at the mall. 

2) Quarry wetland 

The old Sin Seng granite quarry, which is one of Singapore’s deepest granite mines, was closed in 1998 and backfilled with soil. Left abandoned, the site collected rainwater and turned into an undeveloped swamp-like environment.

The area has now been rehabilitated into a freshwater ecosystem. Known now as the quarry wetland, visitors can enjoy views of the craggy granite cliff hanging over a calm green pond. 

Granite slabs were speckled around the lake to remind visitors of the spot’s history as a former granite quarry. 

Additionally, a kingfisher has already made its home in the wetlands, which visitors may be keen to spot.

3) Colugo deck

Standing at 31m above ground, this is the only viewing point in mainland Singapore that perches on the edge of a cliff. The path up to the deck, made of steep irregular granite stones, offers a challenging climb for visitors.

Constructed in the shape of a colugo – a small tree-climbing mammal that glides from tree to tree with the help of its patagium – the deck provides a bird’s-eye view of the wetlands and its boardwalks.  

4) Stream crossing

Situated in the Banyan Trail deep in the park, visitors can get up close and personal with one of Singapore’s few natural streams. 

This freshwater stream flows through the forest from a natural groundwater source in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to Bukit Timah Canal and Marina Barrage, where it will be cleaned for consumption. 

Some long-tailed macaques frequent the area for access to clean water, so an intimate encounter with wildlife is possible. 

Also, keep a lookout for “claw” marks in the stone crossings, said Ms Chan. The stone crossings are made out of granite from the quarry. These cylindrical divots were used to hold dynamite back when mining was practised.