Benn Tay Guobin, Leong Siew Leng, Li Jingrou, Sin Melia, Yip Seng Yeun
Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin
Urban development tends to come at a high cost to the natural ecosystems, often resulting in loss of forests, biodiversity and ecosystem functions. One example of this is the disruption of the environment due to anthropogenic sound pollution. In this project, we determine the extent noise pollution is mitigated by surrounding vegetation and determine a suitable buffer distance between natural and man-made environments. Using Rifle Range Road as the experiment site, the noise level is measured at different distances from the main road into the surrounding forest, at different levels of forest densities. Comparing the findings to existing literature on the acceptable noise levels for wildlife, the project will attempt to determine a minimum buffer distance for sparse, medium, and dense vegetation, such that the anthropogenic impact on the surrounding ecosystem is minimized.
Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, urban landscape, urban forest, vegetation buffer, sound pollution