Fig. 1: Keppel Discovery Wetlands (Photo credit: Rianne Lim Ee Shyuan)

Hello there! This is a blog entry based on the field trip that I went with Prof Gretchen and my GE4224 groupmates on 5th March 2022. During this field trip, we toured through the Keppel Discovery Wetlands and the Learning Forest in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and also engaged in several fieldwork activities. It was a really fun experience and I’ve learnt a lot from this field trip! Through this blog post, I hope to share some of my learning points and reflections from this field trip, and these will be mostly centered around site restoration practices and how we can improve them!

Primeval swamp forests have almost completely disappeared in Singapore, with the Nee Soon swamp being the last remnant of swamp forest here. Built in 2017, the Keppel Discovery Wetlands aimed to restore the freshwater forest wetland ecosystem that once existed within the Botanic Gardens. To achieve this, selected plant species were planted to replicate the conditions of freshwater wetland ecosystems in the region.

 

Fig. 2: More wetland plants at the Wetlands

The tranquility of the area and diversity of plant species have attracted many bird species, much to the delight of avid birdwatchers. Some of these birds include the White-breasted Waterhen (Amauronis phoenicurus) and the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos). Both birds are currently of Least Concern according to the IUCN, although the Common Sandpiper is currently experiencing a decreasing population trend. While the White-breasted Waterhen is a resident species, the Common Sandpiper remains a common migratory bird in Singapore.

During my visit, it was heartening to see birdwatching fans come together to identify the birds that were there – an easy task by no means, considering that the birds were tucked away in lush greenery and were constantly moving around. Try spotting two Common Sandpipers in the photo below!

Fig. 3: Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) nestled within wetland plants

Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis), another bird commonly spotted in the Wetlands. Video credits: duckwithacamera_ on YouTube

Fig. 4: Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillate) in the water

Current situation

While the Keppel Discovery Wetlands boasts of a rich biodiversity, perhaps the most shocking issue at the moment is the lack of maintenance there. The sight of the area today is considerably drab even though I visited the site during the afternoon. The murky waters are quite a far cry from what the waters in the ponds there used to look like just a few months ago. This has been attributed to the lack of funding and the expiration of the maintenance lease, which has resulted in the flourishing of hydrilla plants. From an economic standpoint, maintenance is often an afterthought, or something ‘optional’, which might explain why maintenance works have stopped for months at the time of my visit. Consequently, the hydrillas have formed ‘thick mats’ at the surface of the water – a result of the rapid growth of hydrilla stems seen in the Wetlands today.

 

 

Fig. 5: Other information about hydrillas recorded in my field notebook

What can we do?

Site restoration goes far beyond just making a few changes. Ideally, restoration projects should aim to re-create the original site conditions; unlike the Keppel Discovery Wetlands which was restored to just its 1920s conditions rather than what it was originally. Of course, restoring a site to its original conditions does not completely negate the need for post-restoration maintenance, but it will definitely go a long way in ensuring that the restored site is made to be as sustainable as possible.

To achieve this, however, we then need to address the elephant in the room: where will the funds come from? Site restoration projects and maintenance schemes often face tight budget constraints, and the Keppel Discovery Wetlands is no stranger to this. Site restorations not just a “one-time off” initiative. They still require research and consultations with practitioners even after the site has been created, and these activities are key in ensuring the health of the site. Donations and volunteer clean-ups might help to alleviate the current issue of hydrilla invasion. It is crucial that maintenance of a restoration site resonate with the wider public and state authorities to secure a steady flow of funding for such operations.

*Update on 14th April: As I’m writing this segment of the blog post, it seems that maintenance works have resumed! Prof Gretchen announced during a seminar class a few weeks back that hydrilla cleanups have resumed – this is really great news to hear.

Written by: Rianne Lim