PICTURES

Start of 'greening' phase of first-of-its-kind $16 million eco-bridge

NParks volunteers Triffany Yeo Zhi Xiang (left), 23, and Koh Tiang Lip, 20, plant trees. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
NParks volunteers Triffany Yeo Zhi Xiang (left), 23, and Koh Tiang Lip, 20, plant trees. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Eighty guests from nature groups, government agencies and schools were on Saturday given a first look at a $16 million bridge for monkeys and other wildlife. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO

Eighty guests from nature groups, government agencies and schools were on Saturday given a first look at a $16 million bridge for monkeys and other wildlife.

Located about 600m north of Rifle Range Road, between the Pan-Island Expressway and Dairy Farm exits, Eco-Link@BKE is a 62m-long overhead bridge that reconnects the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Central Cachment area - forests separated by the Bukit Timah Expressway since 1986.

Led by Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee, the guests took part in a simple tree-planting ceremony at the site. This is the first part of the 'greening' phase of the project, which will see trees, shrubs and plants gradually introduced to the site to simulate a natural habitat that animals can seamlessly move through.

Mr Lee said: "This represents, at a symbolic level, a commitment to preserving what is precious about our biodiversity." He added that there was a lot of potential for collaboration between government agencies, passionate volunteers and nature groups here.

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