On 3 May 2021, Keppel marked the start of its pledge to plant 10,000 trees in Singapore with a tree-planting event at Labrador Nature Reserve. Keppel, through its philanthropic arm Keppel Care Foundation, had earlier committed $3 million to the Garden City Fund to support the planting of the trees over five years in parks and nature reserves in Singapore.

The initiative supports the National Parks Board’s (NParks) OneMillionTrees movement to enhance existing green spaces and transform Singapore into a City in Nature.

Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration, graced the event, in which volunteers from Keppel, led by Dr Lee Boon Yang, Chairman of Keppel Care Foundation, Mr Danny Teoh, Chairman of Keppel Corporation and Mr Loh Chin Hua, CEO of Keppel Corporation, planted 50 coastal forest trees. They were joined by Mr Kenneth Er, CEO of NParks and Professor Leo Tan, Chairman of Garden City Fund.

Mr Desmond Lee said, “Keppel’s generous contribution of $3 million to NParks’ Garden City Fund to support the planting of 10,000 trees over the next five years will be instrumental in our push to transform Singapore into a City in Nature. We will work closely with Keppel and other corporate partners, as well as the larger community, to green our city further under the OneMillionTrees movement. This will help to mitigate the effects of climate change and urbanisation, protect our biodiversity, and create a greener Singapore for our present and future generations to enjoy.”

Dr Lee Boon Yang said, “Keppel has put sustainability at the core of our Vision 2030 strategy. The trees planted today mark the launch of our pledge to plant 10,000 trees in Singapore over the next five years. In addition to being part of a nature-based solution to combat climate change and reduce the ambient heat of urban areas, the 10,000 trees will enhance biodiversity and further beautify our city. We hope that our efforts will help Singapore to achieve a more sustainable future.”

Among the trees planted by Keppel are rare native coastal species that are critically endangered or vulnerable, including the Tapu (Melochia umbellata), Sea Teak (Podocarpus polystachyus), Small-leaved Nutmeg (Knema globularia), and Sea Olive (Olea brachiata).

Of the 10,000 trees committed by Keppel, about 5,000 will be planted at Labrador Nature Reserve to help restore and enhance its coastal habitats. The 22-hectare Labrador Nature Reserve consists of trees and shrubs that are adapted to the strong winds and salty coastal environment, and which help to provide nutrients for surrounding marine habitats. It is also home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna, with more than 100 species of birds and 40 species of butterflies, as well as some rare native ones. The planting of more native coastal trees will thus help to strengthen the resilience of Labrador’s habitats and support its rich native biodiversity.

Keppel has been a longstanding and active supporter of environmental conservation programmes. Keppelites are regular volunteers of conservation programmes such as tree planting and beach clean-ups, in Singapore and overseas. Keppel has also collaborated with NParks to restore a freshwater wetland habitat at Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Keppel Discovery Wetlands. Since its launch in March 2017, the Learning Forest, which Keppel Discovery Wetlands is a part of, has received some 1.3 million visitors.