October 2016 – Plantiful Bounty

Placing faith into Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Posted on October 31, 2016

Hey there!

Today, we had a talk by Professor Peter Ng. Dr Ng is a widely-respected biologist who discovered Johora Singaporensis, a species of crab that is endemic to Singapore.

During the talk, Dr Ng mentioned that Bukit Timah nature reserve has to be regularly maintained by people due to the lack of animals for seed dispersal. This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that many of the plants, some which are vital species to the nature site, require animals to disperse seeds. This is quite saddening to hear. Although the site used to be a forest with a self-sustaining ecosystem, the survival of the nature reserve now strictly depends on man’s regular efforts to maintain the site and ensure that the seeds of the plants are dispersed.

One of the main reason for such a change could possibly be due to the huge extents of fragmentation from development, affecting seed dispersal routes. In the map below, other than the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) which separates the Central Water Catchment area and the Bukit Timah Nature reserve, we can also see developments such as a golf site, a rifle range and even condominiums around the nature site.

Photo courtesy of Google Maps (https://www.google.com.sg/maps/place/Bukit+Timah+Nature+Reserve/@1.3483979,103.7752687,779m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x31da10f5981ed73b:0x7b421dc2a7c58be!8m2!3d1.3483925!4d103.7774628 )

In my mind, there are so many questions:

Could it be possible to restore the nature reserve its original state? Is it possible to bring back these animals that are crucial in ensuring the healthy state of the forest?

On 22 October 2016, Bukit Timah nature reserve was opened to the public after two years of closure (Spykerman, 2016). During these two years, restoration efforts were mainly targeted at facilities like trails and boardwalks. In other words, the restoration efforts were focused on satisfying the needs of the public. These restoration efforts are understandable, considering that many of these old facilities are posing a threat to the safety of the public. However, would it be better if the same amount of resources is dedicated to bringing the forest back to life so that regular maintenance can be minimised? Would this even be possible, considering the degree of fragmentation that has already resulted to the nature site?

Frankly, I do not know the answers to these questions. Seeing that the nature reserve has been maintained by people for years and there seems to be no improvement to the natural state of the forest, I couldn’t help but have a more negative stance regarding the future situation of the nature reserve. This could be why I find it ironic that much resources have been spent on improving the infrastructure of the reserve despite the dire state of the forest. However, I still have belief that not all hope is lost . After all, the reserve has one of the richest biodiversity (Nparks, 2016). Let’s not put our faith down. I feel that the best thing we can do is to minimize as much disruption to the nature reserve as possible and stop any more developments to the area.

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

Reference:
Nparks. (2016, October 24). Bukit Timah nature reserve. Retrieved October 31, 2016, from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/parks-and-nature-reserves/bukit-timah-nature-reserve

Spykerman, K. (2016, October 22). Bukit Timah nature reserve reopens after 2 years of restoration work. Retrieved October 31, 2016, from Channel News Asia, http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/bukit-timah-nature-reserve-reopens-after-2-years-of-restoration/3226578.html

People Behind the Greens

Posted on October 23, 2016

Hi there!

Not long after I started my blogging journey, I came across this newspaper article from zbW under Lianhe Zaobao, a classic Mandarin Publication in Singapore. In short, the article features some of the individuals that has contributed to the green landscape of Singapore.

Aborist, Farmer, Gardener, Park Manager. These are the people that we hardly noticed, yet they are vital in giving us a green living environment.

people-behind-the-greens-2

I would like to share one of the stories of an individual that was featured in the article.

John Tay, just 28 years of age, chose a career path that was not common by many: becoming a farmer.

Many felt that he was crazy.

Tay mentioned that after his close friend fell ill, he started to get in touch with articles regarding food and nutrition. He realized that poor diet and stress are the main culprits that cause people who lived in cities to fall sick so easily. Seeing that many of the food people eat are increasingly unhealthy due to convenience, he decided to be a farmer (Tan, 2016).

‘Farming is a form of art. The purpose of an art piece is to bring across a message. I hope that my life can be a form of a message to others that farming is not an inferior profession and provide new perspectives to the society. In Japan, people respect farmers greatly. It is time to change our mindsets.’ (Tay, 2016)

I tried my best to translate and I apologise if it is slightly inaccurate. I respect what he does. Tay’s journey to become a farmer wasn’t easy. He said that his friends and family were against the idea of him becoming a farmer. There are many times he wanted to give up, not because of the labour but the judgement and stress people gave him (Tan, 2016).

It was the people’s judgement that made him waver.

Many people tend to associate greening with intensive labour. I, myself, was once involved in horticulture maintenance. If I could I summarise my experience, it would be: Sweat, mud, weeds and many, many mosquitoes. It was a truly memorable experience. I remembered my aching back and legs as I travelled home, unable to imagine how am I going to survive if I do this on a daily basis.

Yet, these people truly loved what they are doing. Despite the hard work, they are happy, because they are following their passion.

For some, they left their homes to come to Singapore. These people take up labour-intensive jobs that many would avoid, yet they are crucial contributors to the greenery in Singapore. They work under the hot sun and literally just a few inches away from the roads, but many of us not take much notice of them.

Let’s not forget to appreciate them as well.

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:
Tan, Y. X. (2016, August 14). 联·系·自·然: 挥汗锄地为己任 (Be in Touch with Nature: Sweat, labour, responsibility). zbW (LianHe ZaoBao), pp. 4–7

The Unknown Greens in Pulau Semakau

Posted on October 16, 2016

Hi there!

Last Sunday, we had a field trip at Pulau Semakau. For some of you guys who do not know, Pulau Semakau is one of the Southern Islands in Singapore and it is Singapore’s first and only landfill.

‘Isn’t Pulau Semakau a garbage dump?’ This is the common response I encounter when I told my friends and family about my field trip. My mother even jokingly asked me if I needed a mask. Well, such comments are understandable.

After all, the term ‘landfill’ doesn’t sound pleasant.

I had a dull impression of the island, thinking that there would not be much greenery. In my mind, I picture mountains of rubbish or ashes with an overpowering stench.

After a 20-minute ferry ride (and dizzy spells), we finally reached Pulau Semakau. The island’s atmosphere was completely different from what I have imagined. The environment was really pleasant and there was no stench at all. That was when I realized that many had the wrong perception of Pulau Semakau. The absent of stench is because garbage was incinerated in the mainland and transported to the landfill as ashes.

Beautiful view and weather 🙂

The amount of greenery on the island caught my attention. On the map, I was surprised to see mangroves, a coral nursery and an intertidal area consisting of seagrass which I believe will host a wide variety of flora and fauna. Vegetation was also planted on the cells after the ashes was covered with topsoil, contributing to the greenery of the area.

We were lucky enough to experience the rich biodiversity on the island. During the tour, we saw seabirds like heron, a monitor lizard and even sea urchins.

Spot the heron! 😀

Natural mangroves that was on the original Pulau Semakau before it was connected with Pulau Seking through land reclamation, resulting in the current Pulau Semakau.

Our guide told us that people used to stargaze here! However, it was stopped possibly because of the phase 2 landfill.

By 2035, the landfill would be filled up. What would happen to the greenery and biodiversity?

‘Singapore’s land use plans beyond 2030 … indicate possible large-scale reclamation at Pulau Semakau’ (Ee, 2014)

It would be devastating if this happens. As shown, the ecosystem on Pulau Semakau is really valuable and it would be unfortunate if lost.

Of course, the main takeaway from this trip would be learning about the waste management process in Singapore. However, it is also interesting to learn about the rich greens in Pulau Semakau that wasn’t well-known by many. By spreading knowledge about the rich biodiversity of Pulau Semakau, it is hoped that the ecosystem in Pulau Semakau would be left untouched and even preserved, just like Chek Jawa that was saved from reclamation due to widespread public opposition.

‘Island Paradise built on a Garbage Dump’ (Châtel, 2007)

Hopefully, Pulau Semakau would continue to be an ‘island paradise’ in the future. This trip was indeed an eye-opener. It would be great if I can travel to Pulau Semakau and explore the island again. 🙂

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:
Ee, D. (2014, July 12). Singapore’s seagrass meadows at risk from reclamation. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/singapores-seagrass-meadows-at-risk-from-reclamation

Châtel, F. de (2007, July 26). The island paradise built on a garbage dump. Cable News Network. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/07/26/ji.semakaulandfill

Wild City Singapore – Hidden Wild in the Concrete Jungle

Posted on October 9, 2016

Hey there!

I am sure many of you guys are familiar with famous the Bishan 10 otters. Together with the fame of these otters also came along the interest towards the biodiversity in Singapore.

People actually wanted to know about the ‘wild’ side of Singapore.

Last week, I came across a documentary featuring the biodiversity of Singapore. It caught my attention as it is rare to see a natural history programme in a Singapore setting. Bearing in mind the name of the programme, ‘城市野生乐园’ (Yes, it was in mandarin), I googled and found out that it was actually a documentary called ‘Wild City Singapore’ created in conjunction with the 50th year of Singapore’s independence in 2015 (CNA, 2015).

Photo courtesy of CNA

Narrated by none other than Sir David Attenborough, a familiar voice in natural history television programmes, the documentary features much of the unknown biodiversity in our ‘concrete jungle’. Despite having just three episodes in the whole series, I could tell that a lot of effort has been placed in creating this documentary. The series which has a total length of not more than 109 minutes actually took more than a year to film (CNA, 2015). The documentary consists of two sections: Urban Wild and Hidden Wild. Urban Wild showcases the wildlife that has successfully integrated into our urban environment while hidden wild showcases the wildlife in less noticeable locations away from the hustle and bustle of the city (CNA, 2015).

Crocodiles, civet cats, pangolins. These are just some of the wildlife featured in the documentary. I have watched all the episodes and enjoyed them thoroughly. I really love how they narrate the daily lives of the various species and even personalise them by giving them names. Of course, there are also really cute and humorous moments such as this:

Gif courtesy of Mothership.SG

It is interesting to note that the documentary tries to promote conservation efforts in a positive manner. Instead of showing the destruction aspects which may have an opposite effect if overemphasized, the documentary allows us to relate to these species just by showing their normal lives. By relating to these species, a sense of attachment could be felt towards them, making it easier to promote action to protect the habitats of these species. I am not sure if this is the case for you guys but at least it did for me.

I was extremely impressed by the excellent cinematography and could tell that every scene was painstakingly filmed with each angle well-considered. Other than providing invaluable insights regarding the biodiversity of Singapore, the documentary would be a great way to get the public to learn more about Singapore’s biodiversity, regardless of whether they are ‘tree-huggers’ or not. The documentary even attracted my family members who are not really nature-enthusiasts.

I recommend you guys to watch it. The documentary can be found on Toggle:

http://tv.toggle.sg/en/channelnewsasia/shows/wild-city-hd/episodes

To end off, here is a trailer about the documentary. 🙂

Video courtesy of Beach House Pictures and CNA

Cheers!
♠ Johanah

References:
CNA. (2015, March 3). Getting wild in the city. Retrieved October 8, 2016, from Channel News Asia, http://m.todayonline.com/entertainment/television/getting-wild-city

Lay, B. (2015, May 7). Watch wildlife documentary on S’pore narrated by sir David Attenborough for free online. Retrieved October 8, 2016, from Mothership.SG, http://mothership.sg/2015/05/watch-wildlife-documentary-on-spore-narrated-by-sir-david-attenborough-for-free-online/

IMDA Singapore (2014, November 25). Wild city – produced by beach house pictures Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swPjXpxwQzM

Garden Blooms in our Little ‘Green’ Dot

Posted on October 2, 2016

Hello guys!

Let’s talk about Community Gardens.

Do you know many community gardens are there in Singapore?

I couldn’t believe it when I first saw the value. Singapore has about 1000 community gardens (“community gardens”, 2016). This actually indicates that there is a high likelihood of having one or more community gardens near where you live.

Can you spot a community garden in your area?

Photo courtesy of Nparks – Spread of community gardens in Singapore

Due to their abundance and close proximity, the community gardens are very accessible to most, if not, all of us. I really appreciate how these tiny green spaces within our compacted living environment can become areas of interaction for residents. Although many knew about the existence of community gardens, not a lot of people actually knew how easily they can be found. In where I live, there are quite a few community gardens and here is one of them:

community-garden-2 Yes, I understand that gardening is not for everyone. Worms, hard labour, sweat, hot sun. These are what some would picture whenever the word ‘gardening’ is mentioned. Yet the fruits of labour are what make gardening so enjoyable. Here is my view about the benefits of a community garden:

community-garden-3 — Photo courtesy of Ravrangifts

1) Revive the kampong spirit
Living behind metal gates and doors, there is significantly lesser opportunities for neighbours to interact amongst one another. Despite living literally just a few steps away, the relationship between neighbours could even be comparable to strangers. Community gardens can provide opportunities to bring residents with similar interests together so that bonds can be forged. This promotes social cohesion and thus revive the kampong spirit.

community-garden-4 — Photo Courtesy of Housing & Development Board

2) Bring people of various ages together
It is really interesting how gardening can evoke interests of people from various age groups. I believe that community gardens have the potential to bridge the gaps of people from different generations and allow them to spend good quality time together.

3) Low commitment due to collective effort
Gardening requires a long-term and consistent commitment. However, we don’t have to find time everyday to take care of plants in a community garden unlike a home garden. This is because the whole community is looking after the garden. Hence, the responsibility of watering and fertilizing the plants can be shared which can allow people who are busy (like many of us!) to participate in gardening as well.

With benefits, there will also be problems. When there are more people involved, there is a greater likelihood of disputes occurring due to different ideas. Since the garden belongs to the whole community, this also means that we cannot design our garden to our liking. Nonetheless, this issue goes back to consideration and the willingness accept different ideas, both being important attributes in our daily living.

If you are interested in gardening, why not help out in these gardens? Otherwise, you can just make a visit and watch how the hard work of these residents translates into rewards. 🙂

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:
Community gardens. (2016, June 13). Retrieved October 1, 2016, from National Parks Board, https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardening/community-gardens

Visit a community garden. (2016, January 15). Retrieved October 1, 2016, from National Parks Board, https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardening/community-gardens/visit-a-community-garden

Wonderful heritage estates garden homes – community garden. (2016, June 27). Retrieved October 1, 2016, from Ravrangifts, http://www.ravrangifts.com/heritage-estates-garden-homes/wonderful-heritage-estates-garden-homes-community-garden/

Community in-bloom. Retrieved October 1, 2016, from Housing & Development Board, http://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/community/practise-eco-living/community-in-bloom