News

This year, as we celebrate 60 years of greening, one highlight seems to be the roll-out of a new greenery management model by the National Parks Board ( April 30). The tools and sensors allow for remote inspection, thus freeing up manpower. However, such digital tools and technological know-how do not address the need for workers to prune trees and maintain landscapes. The Housing Board’s landscaping efforts have evolved over the years, from simple tree-planting and providing shade in the 1960s and 1970s to more sophisticated and integrated landscaping to enhance communal spaces and facilities. The Woodleigh Glen housing project, for example, boasts six landscaped courtyards linked by garden bridges. Meanwhile, the Land Transport Authority is working on creating 50 Silver Zones by 2025 in estates with a high proportion of senior residents to reduce road accidents involving such residents. One key feature is the wider centre road dividers, which are landscaped. In 2020, NParks launched the OneMillionTrees movement to restore nature back into our city through the planting of a million trees across Singapore over the next 10 years. As Singapore introduces more trees and landscaping into our high-rise buildings and community spaces, these will need to be maintained. Someone needs to prune the trees and plants, clear dead leaves and pluck out weeds. I wonder if the authorities have considered how many workers will be needed for these tasks?