According to oxford dictionary, green spaces are “An area of grass, trees, or other vegetation set apart for recreational or aesthetic purposes in an otherwise urban environment.” Based on the Singapore conversation of Green spaces conducted by NTUC, the general public had a consensus that areas which are natural, free from pollutants and habitats for wildlife are considered ‘green spaces’. However not all green spaces are equal! Some green spaces are created for recreational use, these tend to be parks and gardens while other are wildlife habitats such as forests and wetlands which not constructed by mankind, but rather exists spontaneously. These are viewed as more valuable and many feel that they should be protected because they cannot be replaced.

Infographic created by blog author using Canva

Green spaces are teeming with biodiversity that enriches the community, provides a place for social gathering and adds to the aesthetic appeal of the place. Such environments often have an abundant of trees and vegetation that aid with water and air purification. Removing pollutants produced by human activities, livening the city and producing oxygen are some of the vital services trees provide us with. You are probably familiar with urban green spaces and perhaps even frequent them! 

Here are the different types of green spaces!

Recreational parks and gardens

Recreational parks and Gardens are usually an open space, grassy areas interspersed with cycling lanes/ walking paths and these places are intended for leisure and recreation. Often decorated with ornamental trees and plant species which adds to the aesthetic appeal. Neighbourhood parks and gardens provide the opportunity for social interaction and fosters a community spirit. To encourage community ownership some gardens are managed by residents who have a say.

East Coast park, a recreational park that can be found in Singapore. Source

Nature Reserves

Nature Reserves are protected regions of forests that is conserved for various ecological purposes. Its sole purpose is for conservation of wildlife species to prevent habitat destruction and extinction. These reserves are home to many native species of flora and fauna, is rich in biodiversity and therefore of interest to research scientists. These places provide opportunities man to interact with nature and gain a newfound sense of appreciation of the natural world.

 Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Source

Urban Greenery

Street trees line our pavements and surround buildings. The government has set aside a designated area measuring 2-5m as a green buffer for planting of roadside vegetation. These buffers integrate roadside greenery to induce a more pleasant environment. Skyrise Greenery makes it possible for us to integrate greenery into our urban landscape despite land constraints. Using special reinforcements, plants can be anchored to the surface of buildings and thrive there to create a ‘green wall’. These plants help to insulate the buildings and reduce overall energy costs.

More urban buildings are covered in skyrise greenery. Source

Wetlands

Wetlands are regions where water covers the soil for most parts of the year often populated by aquatic species such as crabs and mudskippers. Plants that grow here are specially adapted to the anaerobic conditions of the hydric soil. These plants are known as hydrophytes. An example of a wetland would be the Mangrove forests which is a form of Coastal wetlands. Mangrove wetlands such as the Sungei Buloh Wetland in Singapore provide many benefits such as, buffering coastlines from waves during storms, purify our waters by filtering pollutants as well as preventing soil erosion.

Mangrove trees in the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Source