02 Nov 2019
SINGAPORE – Thirty thousand trees will be planted on Jurong Island over the next three years in a greening initiative announced by JTC and the National Parks Board(NParks) on Saturday (Nov 2).
To fund the initiative, businesses in the industrial estate have raised more than $500,000 so far, with oil and gas company ExxonMobil being the largest contributor with $120,000 and the Association of Process Industry (Aspri) -comprising mainly small- and medium-sized enterprises – raising more than $90,000 among its members.
NParks said the additional greenery should help cool temperatures on the man-made island off the south-western coast of Singapore that currently is home to more than 100 petroleum, petrochemical and specialty chemical companies.
The greenery would also benefit the ecosystem and enhance the attractiveness of working at Jurong Island, said NParks group director of streetscape Oh CheowSheng.
Mr Oh said NParks would monitor the effects of the additional greenery on Jurong Island as the trees matured in 15 to 20 years.
A diverse range of tree species will be planted, such as the Neolitsea cassia (ShoreLaurel) and Planchonella obovata (Yellow Teak), which have been selected for their hardiness, drought tolerance, aesthetics and shade provision.
“The trees will be planted along the roadside and open spaces in a multi-tiered manner, mimicking a forest structure,” said Mr Oh.
Since March, about 2,000 trees have been planted on Jurong Island, which currently has a total of about 10,000 trees.
Director of energy and chemicals at JTC, Ms Cindy Koh, said there has been an increasing focus on environmental sustainability in the manufacturing sector.
“Since we own 80 per cent of industrial land in Singapore, we see the need to co-create with our business community industrial estates that are more sustainable and attractive for businesses and talent,” she added.
Mr Gan Seow Kee, chairman and managing director of ExxonMobil Asia Pacific said the company was committed to protecting biodiversity and the natural surroundings wherever it operated.