mangroves – Plantiful Bounty

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

The Cracks in Conservation #1 – ‘Psychological Refusal’

Posted on September 21, 2016

Hello there!

Today, I wanted to discuss about a scholar journal that I have read by Dr Liow.

Mangrove conservation in Singapore: A physical or a psychological impossibility?
http://folk.uio.no/leehl/uploads/liow_2000_biodiv__con.pdf

Although the journal was published back in 2000, I was really impressed by the journal as it provided me with fresh perspectives regarding mangrove loss in Singapore.

To be frank, the loss of mangroves is an issue I have never noticed or heard before entering this course. Perhaps, this is because mangrove loss is less publicized in news compared to more prominent problems like climate change. Yet, the declining trend of mangroves is just as important as any other environmental concerns, especially in Singapore where the mangroves could possibly go extinct at the rate we are damaging them.

Diagram Courtesy of Liow

From this diagram, the state of mangroves is indeed worrying. According to Liow (2000), one of the major reasons for cutting down mangroves is to make way for development like housing, industries and even recreation. However, is it worth it to sacrifice these precious mangroves for development?

Do we really have no other choice?

Here is an extract from the journal that attracted my attention:

“The puzzling matter is why ecologically valuable areas were sacrificed (e.g. Senoko) when less valuable sites (like artificial park land and golf courses) could have been ‘swapped’ with them so that the total green area can remain the same, not at the expense of housing development so needed in Singapore.”

This extract kept me thinking for a long time. For the past few decades, much resources have been placed to create artificial green spaces in our living environment. Yet nature sites which should be deemed more important and precious are at risk of being destroyed by development plans. While attractions such as the Mandai Rainforest Park are built, the Mandai Mangrove, a site that is ecologically rich, is still a ‘reserve site’ under the Urban Redevelopment Authority and is in danger of being cleared (Chua, 2013).

This doesn’t feel right to me.

Indeed, Singapore is land-scarce. However, it seems really sad that this problem of land scarcity has become an excuse to put in less conservation efforts. We have been so caught up with the notion that Singapore has little land area and natural resources such that we feel that there is less need to preserve our natural heritage.

Yet contrary to what many believe, Singapore, being a tropical country, has rich flora and fauna that is in need of protection and the very fact is, we do have a choice in saving these nature sites. It is the ‘psychological refusal’ ingrained in us as mentioned by Liow (2000) that creates this perception that there is nothing much we can do.

We need to change this.

Change involving mindsets can be challenging but it all starts with the acceptance of this ‘psychological refusal’ which I believe is the key to conservation. 🙂

Heart Shaped Mangrove in Puerto Rico – Photo Courtesy of Verdiales
Because Mangroves need our love 🙂

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:
Liow, L. H. (2000). Mangrove Conservation in Singapore: A Physical or a Psychological Impossibility. Retrieved September 21, 2016, from http://folk.uio.no/leehl/uploads/liow_2000_biodiv__con.pdf

Chua, G. (2013, October 7). Calls to save Mandai site that’s rich in biodiversity. The Straits Times. Retrieved September 21, 2016, from http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/calls-to-save-mandai-site-thats-rich-in-biodiversity-0

Verdiales, T. (2011, September 1). Heart shaped mangrove. Retrieved September 21, 2016, from Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/121680534@N05/13478189173/