Mr Kee Kuan Yew Planting Tree (source: somethingaboutsingapore.wordpress.com)

When Singapore government first gained its independence in the 1960s, its first Prime Minster Mr Lee Kuan Yew has the intention to turn this small country into a Garden City. He believed that if the Garden City is created and well maintained, it will benefit the citizens and also increases the ability of Singapore in attracting foreign investors. Ever since then, organisations are set up, rules and regulations are passed, conservation programs are carried out, and conservation efforts by the government became prominent in the country.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew then spearheaded the initiative to green up Singapore, where many trees are planted. Fast-growing species are selected so that they are able to provide shade and soften the concrete landscape in the shortest time.After these trees are planted, flowering species are also introduced. At the same time, parks were created in the city, road codes were introduced to ensure that trees are able to be planted along new roads. This is to first step to the green Singapore today.

The Parks and Recreation Department was set up in 1975, under the Ministry of National Development, where they merged the specialist Parks & Trees Unit that was set up in 1967 and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The Parks and Recreation Department was then renamed as the National Parks Board (NParks) in July 1996. Not only does NParks continue to maintain our roadside greenery, introducing new parks and enhancing existing ones, it also started its plan to developing a extensive network of park connectors to link all our parks and green spaces together.