Parklands and the City

The National Parks of Singapore are a uniquely Singaporean construct- these are protected green areas of varying sizes, including a large and dense tropical rainforest and an extensive reservoir network, in one of the most built-up and dense cities in the world. These have surely made Singapore a sensually pleasing and very liveable place. The National Parks were created as deliberately thought of commons where biodiversity would flourish, people would enjoy themselves and natural resources would be protected and nurtured. Having provided the spaces, it has been critical that people engage with these spaces and build their own consciousness about the environment. It is reasonable to argue that there has been considerable progress in this direction. This alone may be taken as a considerable achievement in environmental management. Without doubt, there is much more to be done. Yet Singapore's unique model of harmonious and constructive dialogue has worked-and there is enough evidence to show that. In time, it may be hoped that the National Parks will become not only national landmarks but international ones as well-icons through which people identify Singapore and draw their own lessons for the cities of the future.