10
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY
Dr. Vilma D’Rozario, a parishioner of
the Church of the Holy Family, is a
lecturer at the National Institute of
Education (NIE), where she trains
teachers in Counselling and
Development. She is also a devoted and
enthusiastic volunteer of the Nature
Society Singapore (NSS), a non-profit,
non-government organization,
dedicated to the appreciation,
conservation, study and enjoyment of
the natural heritage in Singapore and
the region. Sr. Wendy Ooi, fsp spoke
to Dr. Vilma, who was Sr. Wendy’s
former teacher, on her work with NSS.
KNOWN fondly as Aunty Vilma among
the kids she works with, Vilma currently
heads the Education Group arm of the NSS,
and is behind their popular “Fun With
Nature” programmes. “I joined NSS a long
time ago when it was still known as the
Malayan Nature Society simply because I
love nature,” she shares. “But I lapsed for
many years, as I was away in the States for
my (postgraduate) studies. During my years
in the States, I enjoyed being outdoors, and
appreciated the long drives, camping trips,
wonderful landscapes, and the plants and
animals I got to know.”
When she returned to Singapore, Vilma
longed to go back to the States but could
not, “I was bonded with NIE for at least five
years and I thought Singapore had nothing
to offer in the area of outdoor life, nature,
and learning about plants and animals.”
That perspective changed in 1998 when
she decided to rejoin NSS and became very
active as a participant, going for Nature
Walks and their other nature-related
activities. Members then suggested that she
too help out at NSS. Vilma’s first project
was to be the coordinator of a trip to a field
study station in Brunei. The 21-member
group, among them plant, bird and
vertebrate experts, appreciated and enjoyed
their nature trip, and Vilma recalls, “It
wasn’t only the nature that was good but
the camaraderie which we built among us.”
After the successful trip, Vilma was
approached by key members of the society
to play a more active role in the Council
which comprises a chain of various sub-
groups. With her background in the field of
education, Vilma was asked to coordinate
the Education Group. Today, with a set of
dedicated volunteers (many with teaching
experience) backing her, Vilma organizes
many fun educational activities, projects and
programmes on nature for children in
schools and other groups (see related reports
on CHIJ Katong Primary and the St. Francis
Kids’ Club). She enthuses, “Our basic goal
is to share the wonder of nature with others.”
Since 2000, the Education Group of the
NSS has helped to set up butterfly gardens
as well as conduct Fun With Nature
Programmes. The latter was originally
planned for members’ kids but proved so
popular that today, many schools are also
reaping its benefits. Vilma explains, “There
are two parts to the Fun With Nature
programmes. The first looks at different
plants and animals – bugs, birds, fish,
flowers and trees. The second half covers
their habitats – mangroves, seashore, even
rocky habitats, like Labrador Park.” In
schools, the Fun With Nature Programme
usually begins with an assembly talk
conducted by Vilma herself on Singapore’s
“Aunty Vilma”
The lady behind the popular Fun
With Nature programmes
Photo: Sr Wendy Ooi, fsp
Vilma teaches kids to plant a butterfly garden at the St. Francis Kids Club.
“An education in ecological responsibility is urgent: responsibility
for oneself, for others, and for the earth. …and entails a genuine
conversion in ways of thought and behaviour. Churches and
religious bodies, non-governmental and governmental
organizations, indeed all members of society, have a precise role to play in
such education. The first educator, however, is the family, where the child
learns to respect his neighbour and to love nature.” – Pope John Paul II
Amazing Wildlife. There is also an
exhibition on native wildlife and a 2-hour
workshop on a specific topic with a group
of around 40 students. The Education
Group hopes to meet its target of 35
schools this year, and they are grateful to
corporations like the Hongkong and
Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) for
funding this programme.
Nature and God
However, although the support of corporate
sponsors is a boon to NSS, the society
thrives on the dedication of volunteers like
Vilma who give their time, talent, and
energy. She explains her commitment and
how she relates it with spirituality, “My
work with nature is more a passion for
nature and an appreciation for nature, for
each living member’s contribution to the
world. It would be an appreciation for God
as well. Sometimes you see the wonder of
nature and relate that to the wonder of God.
Nature is quite marvellous – so many
aspects of it – and when you look at how
marvellous nature is, you realize there must
Sundays June 6 and June 13, 2004 ■ CatholicNews
be a God and you’re just in awe that there
is such life. I look at everything and I am
thankful that I’m part of this living world
and want to share this with others, to help
them appreciate that they are part of this
wonderful web of life.”
Conservation and kids
Linked to her great desire to share the
wonders of nature, Vilma is also concerned
with conservation efforts here in Singapore.
“Conservation efforts have improved over
the years,” she says. “The government has
taken a key role in greening Singapore. The
National Parks Board has done a wonderful
job of making Singapore green, natively
green. They are now more conscious of
native trees and plants. There is greater
focus and awareness of native bio-diversity.
However the government has to have a
balance between development and the green
areas. Sometimes the green areas have to
give way to development.”
Although the NSS is only a small
group, they have been active and
successful in lobbying conservation efforts.
Sugei Buloh was one such success.
For the Education Group of NSS, the
best way to start is with the kids. Vilma
explains, “The kids will be our future
leaders. It is important for them to
appreciate nature. The kids, because of our
urban landscape, know very little about
nature. During the assembly talks I
discover they don’t know our native
animals. They are only familiar with the
animals they watch on Discovery Channel
and those in the zoo but these are exotic
animals. Many are surprised at the number
of native animals we have.”
Vilma reveals that a research conducted
in the States showed that kids there know the
Pokemon characters more than the animals in
their own backyard. She believes the findings
would be similar here. She says with great
conviction, “So it’s important to get the kids
to be more familiar with nature and build
this bond with our natural heritage, to be
proud of it and to safeguard it.”
After each Fun with Nature programme,
the children are usually invited to think of
ways to safeguard plants, animals and their
natural habitats.
Vilma also shares on her own personal
conservation efforts, “I am much more
aware now of the vulnerability of plants
and animals. I’m keen especially on native
plants, native orchids and I try to nurture
them. I’m learning more about our native
plants and animals and sharing this
knowledge – in the process of love-
safeguard-protect. I also recycle more now
and I’m working towards vegetarianism
though I’m not there yet. My personal
conservation efforts are linked to my work
with Nature Society.”
NSS celebrates its Golden Jubilee this
year. As part of its celebrations, NSS is
organizing Circle of Life (date to be
confirmed later), a celebration of
biodiversity in Singapore. Circle of Life is
2000 people linking hands at Marina City
Park, each holding a Life Card representing
an animal or plant still in existence in
Singapore. There will be a Nature Carnival
with biodiversity games and activities,
nature walks, native plant sales and other
nature merchandise booths at the park.
Sponsors are needed for this event. Please
email Vilma at vdroza@nie.edu.sg if you
have contacts to potential sponsors.
NSS website: www.nss.org.sg ■
“Good urban planning is
an important part of
environmental protection.
The relationship between
a good aesthetic education and the
maintenance of a healthy
environment cannot be overlooked.”
– Pope John Paul II
DESPITE its small geographic area
and high poulation density, Singapore
is no concrete jungle. Nature is widely
loved and receives reasonable
protection. This fact is evident to all
who live here and aptly presented in
this article in The Sunday Times of
May 30, 2004. Good urban planning
and implementation have made living
on the island a pleasure.