Despite its small size and nearly 6 million residents, Singapore is a leader in urban greening and vegetation restoration earning its reputation as one of the world’s finest “bio-friendly” cities. Since its colonization in 1819, Singapore lost 95 percent of its vegetation. The nation’s rapid growth led to significant loss of flora and fauna, but innovative efforts like rooftop gardens and vertical plant walls have reclaimed green spaces.
In the early 1990s, the Singapore Green Plan was created to transform it into a garden city, focusing on air quality, water, clean land, and nature restoration to improve public health. In the last 15 years, more than 100 buildings have been fitted with green roofs and walls and edible gardens, which improve air quality and reduce the urban heat effect. Singapore is an example of how densely populated cities can blend nature into urban spaces.
