Maintaining Singapore Botanic Gardens' UNESCO Status

Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what is the Government's commitment to maintain the status of the Singapore Botanic Gardens as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; and (b) how can the public play a role in this process.

The Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Lawrence Wong): Madam, we are fully committed to protecting the Singapore Botanic Gardens as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And all Singaporeans have a part to play in this.

On the Government's part, we have robust measures in place to protect the Gardens and to ensure that it remains a peaceful green oasis in the city.

For example, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)'s comprehensive, integrated and transparent land use planning framework ensures that new developments in the vicinity of the Gardens are compatible with it. For example, the Gardens has a Height Control Area defined by the area contained within a 1-km radius centred from the Bandstand in the Gardens. Within this buffer, no new development would be allowed to be visible from the Bandstand.

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We have also put in place measures to protect the more vulnerable heritage trees. Future developments will be designed and sited carefully to spread the visitors more evenly across the Gardens.

We will continue to engage UNESCO closely in our efforts to protect the Gardens. We will adopt a transparent and proactive approach, and seek advice from their experts to ensure the site is well protected. For example, last year, UNESCO's expert advisory body, the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), visited Singapore to inspect the Gardens. One of their recommendations was to have more frequent inspections for historical buildings within the premises of the Gardens. NParks took in their feedback, and has increased the frequency of these inspections by professional engineers from every five years to every two years.

Ultimately, the Gardens belongs to all Singaporeans. It is our shared responsibility to upkeep it. We have formed a World Heritage Site Management Committee that includes residents, experts and volunteers. Any future developments within the boundaries of the site which are not flagged up in our Nomination Dossier to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will be discussed by this Site Management Committee. NParks also has a comprehensive volunteer scheme covering a wide range of areas, including gardening, conducting guided tours and assisting in the curation and documentation of different herbarium specimens.

Beyond this, we all have a part to play in ensuring that the legacy of the Gardens is passed on to future generations. We can visit often with our families and friends, so that it can forever be cherished both as a place of historical significance and fond personal memories. We have a collective responsibility to keep the Gardens clean and well-preserved.

Prof Tan Tai Yong (Nominated Member): In addition to maintaining and managing the Gardens, are there plans for a sustained public education effort to highlight the significance of this particular historical site, the history of our country, so that people can understand what this means to be us, and it is not just about maintaining a place but preserving the significance of the place and appreciating what the place means for Singapore?

Mr Lawrence Wong: Madam, that certainly is something we intend to do. In fact, the National Parks Board (NParks) has already stepped up its heritage tours and public outreach efforts. The visitorship to the Gardens has increased by 35% after the announcement that the Gardens was inscribed as a World Heritage Site. So, in the last few weeks, we had seen a sharp increase in visitorship. Many Singaporeans are curious about the Gardens and its history and heritage. So the heritage tours have been very popular and NParks will be making available more of such tours and also doing even more to reach out to Singaporeans about the historical significance and the rich heritage in the Gardens.

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