Singapore is a stunning city unlike any other place in the world. An incredible blend of nature and city, it’s been nicknamed “The City in a Garden.” It is one of the world’s greenest cities, with 47% of Singapore being covered by gardens or parks. This was evident right away, with buildings everywhere having trees and plants all shapes and sizes growing on them!
It came as no surprise that the Cloud Forest we visited would also be a lesson in sustainability. The Cloud Forest is one of Singapore’s most famous attractions, and with good reason! A giant domed conservatory, this green paradise creates a stark contrast to the skyscrapers outside the windows.
A Magical Wonderland
This breathtaking world struck awe in me as soon as we entered. Whether it was the sudden drop in temperature when we walked through the doors (a welcome relief from Singapore’s endless humidity), the 115 -ft waterfall that greeted us, or the tropical plants cascading down from the mountain, I immediately fell in love with the Cloud Forest.
The “Cloud Forest” isn’t just a magical name for this conservatory–it’s actually a type of ecosystem that exists on the tops of mountains. This extremely rare type of forest makes up just 2.5% of our world’s tropical forests. Endangered plant species thrive in these misty mountaintops.
As we started our journey around the mountain, there were sobering signs posted to remind us of how the climate crisis is starting to destroy this frail ecosystem. Due to global warming, clouds are starting to form higher and higher, which means the plants and animals who live here will be left high and dry. I couldn’t help but wonder how long it will be before this man-made mountain is the only trace left of cloud forests.
As we took the lift up to the Cloud Walk, the mysterious world we entered became even more shrouded in mist. The higher up the mountain you are, the rarer the plants are that grow. This walkway through the clouds offered us views of the exotic plants on the mountain next to us and the dense canopy of trees below.
Mother Earth is in trouble.
Since these fairy-tale forests are so sensitive to small changes in the climate, they act as an early warning signal for the rest of us. In just 25 years, 60-80% of these cloud forests will begin drying and thinning out.
The last room we visited had TVs mounted on the walls. Each one played a different video clip showing the destruction that mankind is inflicting on our planet. One sign on the wall sticks with me–it had all of the different mass extinctions throughout history listed on it. The final portion read something like:
We are in the middle of the sixth mass extinction. Is mankind next?
Visiting the Cloud Forest struck a chord with me in so many different ways. The beauty of the plants and the mountain invoked such wonder in my soul. It reinforced how connected I feel with Mother Earth.
I feel your pain, Great Mother.
Learning more about the severity of the climate crisis brought tears to my eyes. It made me despair for our planet’s future. Yet under all of that despair, there is a glimmer of hope that shines through. It’s the same hope that I get when I watch Greta Thunberg give speeches. It is the hope that visiting a green and sustainable city like Singapore gives me.
Singapore made me realize that there are some places where protecting the environment is a key priority. I have no doubt that in the very near future, other countries and cities will be looking to Singapore as a blueprint for a more sustainable tomorrow.
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You have a Singapore fan here! 🙂