About Nature Society Singapore (NSS)
Nature Society Singapore (NSS) is a non-profit, volunteer-based organisation that inspires and enables people to take action towards a sustainable and biodiverse planet through engagement, education, advocacy and research. Founded in 1954 as the Singapore branch of the Malayan Nature Society, we became an independent organisation known as Nature Society (Singapore) in 1991.
With around 1,000 members, we remain steadfast in our goal to conserve biodiversity and habitats in partnership with agencies, peers and corporates and other partners in the region. Our work has made significant impact in Singapore, and NSS has been consulted by several public agencies for numerous developments including Chek Jawa, Cross Island Line, Tengah Forest Town, Alexandra Woodlands, and other conservation initiatives.
We are proud to have been an Institution of Public Character (IPC) since 2008. In addition, we have been honoured with the Charity Transparency Award every year since its introduction in 2016. This award recognises our efforts to uphold best practices in governance, accountability, and financial management.
Our Vision
To be Singapore’s leading advocate of biodiversity and habitats.
Our Mission
With our evidence-based approach and partnerships with agencies, peers, and corporates, we lead habitat and biodiversity conservation in Singapore and with partners in the region. Through engagement, education, advocacy and research, we inspire and enable people to take action towards a sustainable and biodiverse planet.
History of NSS
Interest Groups
As part of our efforts to conserve biodiversity and habitats in Singapore and with partners in the region, we have formed Special Interest Groups (SIG) within NSS to raise awareness and encourage members and the public to contribute to the protection of Singapore’s natural heritage. Each SIG has its own area of study and organises activities that allow members and the public to understand, appreciate, and contribute to the preservation of our natural heritage. Some activities include scientific research and monitoring activities, education and outreach, and conservation initiatives.
Signature Programmes
Our Awards
- Good Stories Movement Certificate of Global Gratitude Singapore (2024)
- Charity Transparency Award
2016 – 2022 (Hiatus from 2020 – 2021 due to Covid) - Seakeepers Asia Award 2017
- Charity Governance Award 2016
- Green Leaf Award (1991)
- Preservers of Planet Earth Award (1991)
Our Partners
Nature Society Singapore (NSS) is the country partner for eBird in Singapore. eBird is a citizen science platform for birders to input their checklists of birds seen or heard during their birding outings. The platform is free and automatically helps users track their ‘life list’ of birds recorded. There is also a ‘trip report’ feature that helps users collate all the birds seen/heard during an extended overseas birding trip. These citizen science inputs by users contribute to conservation decisions and peer-reviewed papers by scientists and students. In this aspect, the NSS Bird Group does an important job in reviewing flagged contributions in an effort to make them fit for scientific use.
· Get your free eBird account at www.ebird.org/singapore or www.ebird.org
· Download the eBird mobile app (iOS & Android) to input birds seen on-the-go
Under the ‘settings’ of your eBird account, do change the display names for birds to ‘English (IOC)’ to make sure that the names you see on eBird matches those in the NSS Checklist of the Birds of Singapore.
· The Merlin Bird ID app (iOS & Android) is another useful birding tool that is able to identify birds based on photos or sound recordings
Our partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) enhances our ability to shape local and global conservation strategies and advocate for biodiversity and habitat preservation. As part of the world’s largest environmental network, IUCN brings expert knowledge in sustainable resource management and evidence-based solutions. Through our affiliation with BirdLife International, we actively propose and vote on key conservation motions, driving impactful policies that support our mission to protect and restore nature for future generations both in Singapore and the region.
Join us and make an impact
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Donations play a vital role in funding our conservation efforts and educational programs. By contributing, you directly play a part in the preservation and protection of Singapore’s natural ecosystems.
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Calling passionate individuals, volunteers, donors, and partners! We invite you to be part of our mission to preserve Singapore’s natural heritage, contribute to wildlife conservation and make a positive impact on our environment.