Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve to undergo expansion

Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia 6 Dec 08;

SINGAPORE: One of Singapore's largest wetland reserves is set to undergo a revamp in the next five years.

A draft masterplan was launched on Saturday to expand the 130-hectare Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. There will also be rooms for nature experts to conduct research.

Shutterbugs and nature lovers often hang out at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in northern Singapore.

So do 220 species of birds, including rare ones like the Nordmann's Greenshank, which breeds in Siberia, and migratory shorebirds which use the reserve as a stopover.

The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve celebrated its 15th anniversary on Saturday by launching the grand expansion plan.

"We should not let the crisis take the wind out of our celebration.....This draft masterplan will ensure that the core of the nature reserve is conserved for its biodiversity values, while the fringes are enhanced for nature learning and recreation," said Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

The plan is to link the current reserve to at least three other mangroves, reservoirs and marshes in the nearby Lim Chu Kang and Kranji areas.

It will also be broken up into different zones to cater to different visitors, such as a wetland playground for children and restricted areas for researchers only.

NParks says the cost of the project will depend on the finalised masterplan, which is expected to be ready by the end of 2009.

Construction will start a year later and is expected to be completed by early 2013.

Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve is Singapore's first ASEAN Heritage Park.

Since 1998, the nature reserve has welcomed some 100,000 local and overseas visitors each year.

- CNA/ir

Sungei Buloh to create more buzz
SM unveils masterplan for reserve that brings back fond memories
Gracia Chiang, Straits Times 7 Dec 08;

As a boy, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong would wade in the muddy ponds of Sungei Buloh, trying to catch prawns with his bare hands or with a scoop.

His relative operated one of the prawn farms in the area which have since made way for the 130ha Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. 'It was all very exciting, especially eating steamed prawns and prawn fritters for dinner,' he recalled.

He was speaking yesterday at the reserve's 15th-anniversary celebrations, where he also unveiled new proposals for the area, which is home to mangroves, migratory shorebirds and wildlife such as mudskippers.

The draft masterplan will see the reserve being divided into four zones. In those designated as medium to high activity, facilities such as floating boardwalks, outdoor classrooms and a children's play area will be built.

Access to the other two zones will be kept minimal, possibly requiring the accompaniment of certified nature guides or limited only to researchers.

There are plans, too, to 'integrate the surrounding areas so that visitors will be able to enjoy the facilities right from the Kranji area to Sungei Buloh', said Mr Wong Tuan Wah, director of conservation at the National Parks Board, which runs the reserve.

A footpath access from Kranji Dam will be enhanced with amenities such as shelters, allowing visitors to use an alternative entry point instead of the main one at Neo Tiew Crescent.

To strengthen the park's educational efforts, the visitor centre will be upgraded to include a new lookout tower for birdwatchers, meeting rooms and dormitory-style accommodation for research groups.

Mr Wong said some research requires overnight work, while other researchers could stay the night to prepare for early activities the following day.

A working group, with members from the Nature Society, Singapore Environment Council and national water agency PUB among others, is finalising the concept plan, which should be ready in a year's time.

Construction work is expected to start in 2010 and end by 2013.

There are no cost estimates yet and the park hopes to double the number of visitors to 200,000 a year with the new masterplan.

The park is open from 7.30am to 7pm on weekdays and 7am to 7pm on Sundays and public holidays. Admission is free except on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and school holidays when adults pay $1, and kids, students and seniors 50 cents.

Visitors from Kranji MRT Station can take SMRT bus service 925 and alight at Kranji Reservoir carpark to take a 15-minute walk to the reserve. The bus stops at the reserve's entrance on Sundays and public holidays.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve celebrates 15 years of wetland conservation - New proposals under Draft Sungei Buloh Master Plan unveiled
NPark sMedia Release 6 Nov 08;

Singapore, 6 December 2008 - Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve celebrated its 15th anniversary today, with new proposals under the Draft Sungei Buloh Master Plan to transform it into a distinctive centre for wetland conservation and education.

Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong, who officially opened the wetland reserve 15 years ago, was the Guest of Honour and delivered a speech at the reserve's 15th anniversary celebration today. Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development was also at the event to celebrate the occasion with volunteers, corporate sponsors and other partners of the wetland reserve.

As a site along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway for migratory shorebirds and an ASEAN Heritage Park, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a unique asset for conservation, education and recreation in a land-scarce city state like Singapore. The National Parks Board (NParks), together with key stakeholders and partners, has conceptualised the Draft Sungei Buloh Master Plan to strengthen the conservation of its biodiversity, while allowing more visitors to experience the wonders of a wetland habitat.

The Draft Master Plan is designed for sustainability - the core of the nature reserve will be managed for its conservation values while the fringes will be enhanced for recreational use. A working group, comprising representatives from Nature Society Singapore, the Singapore Environment Council, National University of Singapore, National Institute of Education, PUB, Ministry of Education and Sungei Buloh volunteers, has been set up to work on the detailed plan for Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, from concept to design, and to its implementation.

Elaborating on the community's involvement in the growth of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve for the past 15 years, Mr Ng Lang, Chief Executive Officer, NParks, said: "It is the strong community ownership that has made Sungei Buloh what it is today. From its humble beginnings as an area of abandoned prawn ponds, it is now a thriving wetland, home to a rich variety of biodiversity and over 220 species of birds. Sungei Buloh was born out of collaboration with the community. We will continue to engage the community in the development of the Master Plan." Key Thrusts of Draft Sungei Buloh Master Plan

One of the key thrusts of the Draft Sungei Buloh Master Plan is to link up pockets of nature around Sungei Buloh, such as Lim Chu Kang mangroves, Kranji Reservoir Park and Kranji Marshes. Habitats for the various species of native wildlife along this belt will be enhanced, in collaboration with other government agencies. By forming a corridor of complementary habitats and biodiversity, this provides the opportunity to plan for mangrove and wildlife conservation more strategically.

At the same time, areas such as the Kranji Nature Trail have been identified where recreational activities can be carried out with new and improved facilities, without impacting on the core conservation areas in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Currently, visitors to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve are able to access most parts of the wetland. To balance visitorship and human impact on the rich biodiversity of the reserve, the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve will be zoned into four activity areas, with programmes to cater to different groups of visitors, from beginners all the way to the expert level. This facilitates experiential and lifelong learning and to encourage repeat visits to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

The four activity zones are:

Zone 1 (High Activity Zone) - This area at Kranji Nature Trail and the Visitor Centre provides visitors with an interactive first-hand encounter with mangrove and coastal habitats. It is meant to target visitors in groups. Proposed new facilities for this zone include a wetland-themed play area for children, a floating boardwalk to provide a closer experience with mangroves, shelters and platforms with exhibits to promote a deeper appreciation for nature.

Zone 2 (Medium Activity Zone) - Located at the coastal front of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, visitors to this zone will have a more exploratory and sensory experience. New proposed facilities include revamped outdoor classrooms and hides for a more indepth study about mangroves and the various species of flora and fauna.

Zone 3 (Low Activity Zone) - This is a low intensity zone, with minimal interventions to conserve its natural environment and serenity. Future access to this area could require the accompaniment of certified nature guides.

Zone 4 (Very Low Activity Zone) - It is a restricted zone, retaining the core of the wetland reserve for conservation and research purposes.

Proposed New Facilities for the Local and International Community

The working group will also look into the following new facilities to make the wetland experience a more memorable one for both the local and international community:

In line with the Draft Master Plan's objectives to support educational outreach, the exhibition area at the Visitor Centre will showcase broader nature conservation and environmental messages. It will also incorporate a new lookout tower to provide bird-watchers a panoramic view of the surroundings and to better observe birds in flight.

Facilities for meetings are in the pipeline to cater to local and regional workshops on biodiversity conservation, as well as corporate events and retreats.

The educational value of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve to the international community will be enhanced, with new facilities for nature experts and researchers such as workrooms and guest accommodation, to facilitate scientific studies to be carried out in the reserve.

The working group will be finalising the concept plan for Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Construction works are expected to start in late 2010 and complete by early 2013.

Sungei Buloh's 15th Anniversary Celebrations - 6 and 7 December 2008

As part of the 15th anniversary celebrations, NParks has organised a series of fun and educational activities with our corporate partners - HSBC, Nature Society Singapore, Toshiba Group, Underworld Singapore, Yahoo and Sungei Buloh volunteers.

An Amazing Mangrove Adventure was specially organised together with HSBC, a long-standing partner of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Designed for family participation, participants will be going around the wetland reserve in teams of four, to complete assigned tasks, learning about the vibrant biodiversity found in mangroves in the process. On hand at the wetland reserve to provide guidance to these participants were a group of specially trained Green Volunteers from HSBC and Sungei Buloh volunteers.

Commenting on the significance of the 15th anniversary celebrations, Mr Guy Harvey-Samuel, CEO of HSBC Singapore said: "HSBC's support and involvement in the conservation of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve goes back to Sungei Buloh's earliest days. Today's event marks a memorable milestone in our efforts to promote environmental conservation and education in Singapore and our long-standing partnership with NParks to achieve this goal. We are delighted to have played our part in the conservation of the reserve over the last 15 years and we look forward to continuing our contribution towards conserving Sungei Buloh as a living classroom for the community."

As part of the celebration, Toshiba Group will be contributing trees to be planted for 10 lucky visitors over 6 and 7 December 2008. During that weekend, there will be nature and photography talks, face-painting activities for children, art and photography exhibitions on the wetland reserve.