NParks’ Tropical Forest Ecology Research programme maintains set of long-term research plots in Singapore’s forests where ecological research can be co-located to maximise potential synergies between projects.
A 2-ha plot was established in the primary forest patch of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve in 1993, while a second 2-ha plot was later established in secondary forest in 2004. These plots are part of the Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO) network of permanent forest dynamics plots.
Open for applications for 2026.
Under this project, 160 small plots are maintained throughout the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and four Nature Parks (Bukit Batok Nature Park, Bukit Batok Town Park, Thomson Nature Park, Windsor Nature Park). See Er et al. (2023) for more details on these plots.
Closed for applications until 2027.
A ~6-ha lowland dipterocarp forest was retained unlogged within the grounds of the Singapore Botanic Gardens since the Gardens was established in 1859. Trees in the forest were surveyed in the 1990s (see Turner et al. 1996), and since 2009 the trees will be re-censused every 10 years.
Closed for applications until 2029.
Our intern(s) will assist in the census of woody stems in these permanent forest plots. At the end of this internship, the student will have gained some ability to identify the common forest trees in Singapore.
These are full-time internships open year-round and long durations (>10 weeks) are preferred. Limited places are available. Interested students can directly email your CV to Dr Chong Kwek Yan at chong_kwek_yan[AT]nparks.gov.sg, CC: kwek[AT]nus.edu.sg.