SINGAPORE — A new nature park network was launched on Tuesday (April 12) to enhance the connectivity between Labrador Nature Reserve and various surrounding pockets of green space, including some new areas.

In all, the Labrador Nature Park Network will span more than 200ha, including more than 25ha of new green space, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said on Tuesday.

Mr Lee noted that the combined area of the park network will be almost 1.5 times the size of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

It will include habitats such as Labrador Nature Reserve and secondary forests along the Southern Ridges, including Kent Ridge Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park and Mount Faber Park.

It will also include green spaces that surround Labrador Nature Reserve, such as Labrador Nature Park, Berlayer Creek Nature Park and the Pasir Panjang Park.

Green spaces set aside at the Keppel Club site, which is slated for housing redevelopment, will also be part of the new nature park network, Mr Lee said.

“The new Labrador Nature Park Network will add close to 30km of new nature trails, park connectors and nature ways for residents and visitors.

"This will provide a total of 40km of such spaces for Singaporeans to explore in that area,” he said to the media at its launch.

Nature park networks refer to a network of green buffers that protect Singapore’s nature reserves against developments next to them.

The buffers take the form of nature parks and other green areas and also function as ecological corridors.

Singapore has two other nature park networks.

They are the Central Nature Park Network that surrounds Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Sugei Buloh Nature Park Network surrounding Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Labrador Nature Reserve, which is located along the southern coast of Singapore, is the nature reserve closest to the city centre.

It features two habitats — a coastal hill forest and a rocky shore. Both boast a rich variety of flora and fauna, including more than 100 bird species, 41 butterfly species, 15 mangrove species and four seagrass species.

Mr Lee said that an island-wide study to map out the ecological profile and connectivity of green spaces across Singapore had identified important ecological connectors between the Southern Ridges and the Labrador Nature Reserve, across parts of Alexandra Road through Keppel Club and the forested area at Berlayer Creek.

“We will strengthen these corridors through the Labrador Nature Park Network — northward from Pasir Panjang Park to Southern Ridges, and westward towards West Coast Park,” Mr Lee said.

To accomplish this, the Government will introduce more than 25 ha of new green spaces.

They include a new nature park along Alexandra Stream, which will be completed around 2025; a new park at King’s Dock to be completed by 2024; and a new extension of Pasir Panjang Park to be completed this year.

A new nature park at Berlayer Creek, and green spaces set aside at the Keppel Club site, will be completed in tandem with the development of public housing flats in the area.

“We will also restore and enhance existing habitats at the Labrador Nature Reserve, including the coastal hill and coastal beach forest,” Mr Lee added.

He also said that the Government will work closely with the community to design and plant up these green spaces.