Fig. 1. Kallang River at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. Photo taken by Kathryn Tang.
Can you believe that there used to be natural rivers and streams flowing through Singapore? Beautifully clear waters, riverbanks lined with lush flora, animals freely dwelling in their native habitat – a little hard to imagine in our modern city-state. Though we already enjoy many benefits from being a “City in Nature”, river ecosystems are something that, though originally part of our island, remain sights that average Singaporeans must travel to see – either in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve or by outside of Singapore.