Tropical trail at mangrove swamp Park Walk Don't be a stick in the mud. Bring your bug spray along and head east to soak in the atmosphere at Pasir Ris Park By LEA WEE PASIR RIS PARK may be better known for its beachside dining and fishermen's village. But Take a walk on the wild side at Pasir Ris Park's mangrove swamp, home to many species of flora and fauna. what will steal the limelight this weekend is a small patch of mangrove swamp at Sungei Tampines, one of the two rivers running through the park. To show that a mangrove is more than just mud and mosquitoes, the National Parks Board will lead two guided walks there today and tomorrow. Pasir Ris Park, aside from the Sungei Buloh Nature Park, is one of the few places in Singapore where you can still find mangroves, which form from mud which has built up over time on the sheltered banks of a river. A wooden boardwalk will bring the visitor up close and personal with its denizens, which include some of the hardiest plants around. Imagine watering your plants with seawater -- they are bound to wither and die in a few days. But mangrove plants can cope with wild swings in salinity. They are flooded by seawater twice a day during high tide, and washed over by freshwater whenever it rains. Some plants pass out excess salt from their roots or leaves while others have ""filtration systems'' to sieve out the salt. During the walk, you are almost certain to see their special ""breathing roots'' sticking out of the mud. These are like noses which allow the mangrove plants to breathe in the oxygen-poor soil. They come in different shapes and sizes -- pencil-like, conical-shaped, knee-shaped or stilt-like. In some countries, these plants continue to be sources of valuable timber, firewood, scaffolding, tannin, dyes or folk medicine. Unlike mangrove plants, mangrove animals such as the tree-climbing crab, the mud-lobster and the mudskipper, are shy and more difficult to see. But keep your eyes peeled. While the tiger can no longer be found there, the mangrove is still home to many animals. During the months of September to April, it is a stopover for migratory birds flying south, escaping the cold in countries as far north as Siberia and Korea. There are also many types of fish, prawns, crabs, and molluscs. In the days when mangroves lined the coasts of Singapore, there would have been enough of them to supply your average beachside dining and fishermen's village. Today, their numbers have been much reduced, but scientists are still discovering new species there. And if one needs to think of another role for the mangrove in Singapore, it is to serve as an outdoor classroom for members of the public who are still interested in nature.