When it comes to wetlands in tropical Singapore, the first thing that comes to mind is usually the mangroves lining along Singapore’s remaining natural coastlines. However, you may not have come across the freshwater swamp forests that used to cover 16% of Singapore’s land mass.
Conservation Biogeography of Singapore and Beyond
Our Field Trip Experience exploring the Tropical Rainforest and Keppel Wetlands at the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Tag: Restoration
Singapore is proudly known as the “City In A Garden”. One of Singapore’s jewels is the Singapore Botanical Garden (SBG). With more than 150 years of history, SBG has a significant value in Singapore’s modern landscape. It provides educational opportunities and important refugia for the conservation of endangered species as well as ecosystems. Deservedly, on the 4th of July 2015, SBG has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC).
I had so much fun at the Singapore Botanic Gardens field trip on the 5th of February 2022! That is a com-peat (‘complete’) understatement to describe my joy in discovering the stark and unusual world of flora that thrives in the acidic soils of the swampy forest. Whenever I think of freshwater swamp forest (FWSF), I am reminded of the last remaining patch of primary FWSF, the Nee Soon Swamp Forest (NSSF) which occupies a mere 0.87 km2 and home to many endemic species such as the Reticulated Swamp Crab, (Parathelphusa reticulata) and the recently discovered Singapore Firefly, Luciola singapura. FWSF used to occupy 16% of primeval Singapore’s land but today, it is occupies only a minuscule 0.39%. FWSF are well-known for their environmental benefits in peat accumulation and as carbon sink. Regionally, they have been cleared and used for their rich, fertile soil to grow oil palms plantations. It takes millenniums for peat to form in wetlands conditions. It’s a shame that in the past century, vast areas of FWSF have been cleared for development or drained for oil palm plantations. The field trip, however, has invigorated me with hope in conservation and restoration knowing that there are other FWSF in Singapore! To swamp you with the joy of conservation, the Gardens by the Bay has announced a new freshwater wetland too!
The new kid on the block
Tucked away in the Learning Forest, Keppel Discovery Wetlands is one of the newest additions to the Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG). Made possible through Keppel’s $2.08 million donation to the Garden City Fund (GCF), the 1.8-hectare restoration project aimed to recreate historic forested wetland ecosystems found in the area’s vicinity. Consisting of three thematic zones, namely the Orchid Island, Pulai marsh, and Botanists’ broad walk, various native freshwater forest wetland habitats are featured. Visiting on a sunny Saturday morning together with fellow GE4224 classmates from the National University of Singapore (NUS), we were led by Professor Gretchen and her team of volunteers, gaining many valuable insights.
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