Trekking Through Nature with the National Geographic Channel Young Explorer's Programme

Both Noey and I bounced out of bed bright and early on Saturday morning for an adventure which was a contrast to our sometimes slow Saturday mornings: a trek through Bukit Timah Nature Reserve with the National Geographic Channel.

Ready to hike the nature reserve!

Living in highly urban Singapore, I've often lamented the lack of opportunities for children to get out and get into nature. This is the gap that the National Geographic Channel Singapore hopes to bridge with its Young Explorer Programme. With the aim of creating enjoyable and meaningful learning experiences as well as invoking the spirit of exploration, this annual programme hopes to inspire kids to enquire and be curious about the world around them. Into its second year here in Singapore, the National Geographic Channel's Young Explorer Programme this year will bring children beyond what can be found in their surroundings to learn about the more uncommon flora and fauna in Singapore, and the need for conservation of these areas for the enjoyment of future generations.

Noey and I were invited to a preview of the "Discover the Flora and Fauna of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve" workshop and enjoyed a 1.5 hour trek along part of the South View trail at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. We joined a group of very friendly guides from Ecofrenz and were led by Mr KS Wong, surely one of the most experienced and knowledgeable nature guides around. I did have some concerns that Noey might not be able to keep up with walking for 1.5 hours, but I needn't have worried -- he managed just fine, since we proceeded at a leisurely pace, but also because there was actually so much to see. On top of the actual live specimens before our eyes, our friends from Ecofrenz also brought along insect and plant specimens, as well as charts with explanations, so it was not hard to hold Noey's attention.

The moult from a cicada nymph and a cicada! Noey was pretty fascinated to see a cicada up close, though he steadfastly refused to touch it. In case you're wondering, the cicada isn't alive or you'd definitely not catch me holding it!

A stinkbug specimen. Isn't all that detail amazing? It looks just like a little mask!

Mr KS Wong pointing out the route we would be taking.

I think much of the diversity of the nature reserve would normally be lost on me, but the trekking really opened my eyes. I learnt so much in just that short session! Here are some interesting sights and facts that we picked up that morning:

• Here's a plant that I think is more Singaporean than I am: the Kiasu Plant! Also known as the Leaf Litter Plant, it was given its Kiasu alias because of its unique feature of obtaining nutrients from more than one source. In addition to gathering them from the soil, this plant with the spindly stem also gets nutrients from the dead leaves it traps in its foliage. 

• When you see these leaves, you might not think they belong to a fern as, unlike ferns we usually encounter, these do not have a compound leaf structure. Yet a quick check of their underside will reveal the tell-tale spore sacs. This is the Paku Biawak or Monitor Lizard Fern. Interestingly, its scientific name bears the name of Singapore: it is known as the Tectaria singaporeana.

• An arresting sight that you'll come across early in the trail -- that of a Liana twisting its way across the path as it climbs, using trees and other means of support to grow upwards towards sunlight. An interesting fact about Lianas is that virtually all of them twist upwards in a counterclockwise direction. Apparently scientists also have no idea why this is so and it remains one of the mysteries of nature.

• That rather nondescript tree that Mr Wong has his hand on in the picture below? That is a young version of none other than the Cheng Tng Tree! The tree bears little brown fruit about the size of a 50 cent coin, which have a boat-shaped "wing" to help with its dispersal by air. When submerged in water, the fruit expands two or three times its size and bursts open, releasing that characteristic jelly-like substance you find in cheng tng. We got to see this expansion of splitting of the fruit through a live demo courtesy of Mr Wong. Mmm, would have loved to try some of that!

• Meet the real rattan growing in the forest. Think rattans which are used of discipline are scary? Wait till you see the mature versions -- complete with thorns.

• Did you know that the flowers of fig trees are actually inside there fruit? They also have a very unique pollination system that relies on a particular type of wasp, which enters through a hole in the base of the fruit and in so doing, helps to pollinate the fruit. The wasps also mate and lay their eggs in the fruit though, so, hmmm. I felt a little less keen on eating figs after hearing that!

By the end of the session, we'd learnt how to identify a number of the common trees of the rainforest, which I considered quite an achievement in itself.

The good news for those of you with children from 7 to 10 years of age is that your kids can also have the opportunity to learn more about the flora and fauna of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve by signing up for the National Geographic Channel's Young Explorer's Programme and joining this workshop. On top of being interesting and educational, this workshop and the others in the programme are FREE! You can register for these at www.ngcyoungexplorer.com.sg. Thereafter you can pick one of FIVE workshops to attend:

#1 -- Explore the Rainforests of the Singapore Botanic Gardens
#2 -- Delve into the Wonders of Wildflowers at Bidadari
#3 -- Discover the Flora and Fauna of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (the workshop we attended)
#4 -- Seek Out Nature at the Mangroves of Pasir Ris
#5 -- Relive the Old Kampung Days at the Bottle Tree Park
(Click over to read the reviews of this workshop by Cheekiemonkies and the Sengkang Babies.)

After attending the workshops, the children would complete a worksheet detailing what they've learnt and experienced, and 10 Young Explorers will also be selected based on their worksheet submissions and self-learning activities to attend a 4D3N Explorer Camp in Borneo with NGC wildlife expert Casey Anderson!

I'm only disappointed that my kids are underaged but you can be sure that I'll be signing Noey up next year. The closing date for registration is 31 January 2014, so do sign up soon if you're interested as there are only limited slots available.