ASSESSMENT OF THE BISHAN FARM PROJECT

Abstract

Lately, there has been a growing awareness and appreciation among Singaporeans for the environment. They are more appreciative of greenery, as observed by the increased demand for landscaping around new buildings and housing developments. There is an increasing interest of HDB residents to incorporate nature into their living environment, a trend unheard of before. Under the National Parks board (NParks) adopt-a-park scheme and the Bishan Town Council, a farm was started at Bishan Park. The management of the farm was later passed on to RC. Its size is equivalent to three basketball courts and there are all sorts of plants like heng chai, chai sin, long beans, chilli, and even sunflowers. The setting up of this farm is primarily a response to calls to incorporate nature into the living environment as well as creating a conducive environment to encourage social interaction. The study examines the organisational features of the farm, behaviour, preferences and characteristics of the users in general and the maintenance implications involved in running a farm. Survey results show that the users are generally quite satisfied with the farm in aspects such as being a venue for interaction with other residents and a good learning place for children. On the other hand, there are suggestions for the RC to improve the quality of the farm to accommodate user requirements, in terms of the cleanliness of the farm and a bigger farm area.