Maintaining the status of Singapore's first UNESCO site

Question

Mr Baey Yam Keng: To ask 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.

Response

1. Minister Lawrence Wong: 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.
   

2. 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.
   

3. For example, 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 1km radius centred from the Bandstand in the Gardens. Within this buffer, no new development would be allowed to be visible from the Bandstand.
   

4. 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.
   

5. 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 experts to ensure that the site is well protected. For example, last year, UNESCO's expert advisory body ICOMOS (International Council of Monuments and Sites) visited Singapore to inspect the Gardens. One of their recommendations was to have more frequent inspections for the 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.
   

6. Ultimately, the Gardens belongs to all Singaporeans. It's our shared responsibility to upkeep it. So 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.
   

7. 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.