NParks volunteer fined S$4,700 for organising illegal night photography session in Windsor Nature Park

LOW YOUJIN Today Online 17 Apr 19;

SINGAPORE — A nature guide abused his position as a volunteer with the National Parks Board (NParks) to lead a photography group into Windsor Nature Park after hours, despite knowing full well that he did not have the authority to do so.

For illegal entry into the Central Catchment Nature Reserve’s buffer park, instigating others to follow, and for blocking the entrance to its carpark, Lee Chin Tiong, 57, was fined a total of S$4,700.

The court heard on Tuesday (April 16) that Lee, also known as Ben Lee, had organised a night macro photography session on Feb 20, 2018, for a group of four photography enthusiasts and two of his assistants.

Lee, who is also the founder of the “self-styled” nature conservation group Nature Trekker, had planned to enter the park at around 8.30pm.

The park, located at Venus Drive, is closed to the public from 7pm to 7am, and this information is stated on signs posted at the park’s entrance and on NParks’ website.

The statutory board’s prosecutor Ron Goh said this enforced closure allows the “nocturnal rhythms of the animals within the reserve to be undisturbed by human activity”.

KEPT DESTINATION TO HIMSELF

Investigations revealed that Lee had asked the photographers, who were members of his group, to meet him at a petrol station along Thomson Road, before telling them to follow his car to Windsor Nature Park.

The four men had each taken part in previous trips organised by Lee, including local and paid overseas ones. Court documents did not indicate if this particular incident was a paid event.

The men revealed in an interview with the authorities that prior to meeting Lee that day, they did not know where they were going until they were told at the petrol station.

Mr Goh said that Lee did not publicise the event on his group’s website, but through a private WhatsApp chat group that he was managing.

Before the group started their photography session, they asked Lee if he had the approval to bring them into the park that night. Lee reassured them that they did.

As the park’s automated carpark gantry disallowed vehicular access after 7pm, the group parked three of their cars in front of the barrier instead, blocking the entry.

All this while, NParks Conservation Officer Muhammad Affandi was observing the group entering the park. As Mr Affandi was alone, he waited until backup arrived at around 9.20pm.

Mr Affandi and two of his colleagues then conducted a search and found the group some 230m within a dark area of the park. They had set up spotlights, and were also using flashlights and torchlights to carry out their session.

The officers approached the group and put a stop to the photography session at about 9.25pm.

Investigations revealed that Lee had apologised in the WhatsApp chat group for the incident a day later. He said that he alone was allowed to enter the park at night to “catch poachers”, and that NParks was unaware that he would be bringing six people with him to “enjoy photographic interest”.

Mr Goh said that Lee was at that time a volunteer with the NParks’ Conservation Division, which manages the nature parks and nature reserves.

NParks told TODAY on April 17 that it is reviewing Lee’s status as a volunteer.

Lee had not sought for approval for his after hour activities in the park, added Mr Goh. Even then, Mr Goh noted that such approval “would not have been given”.

Furthermore, Mr Goh said that due to the Lee’s misrepresentation to the group that he had approval to bring them into the park that night, he had also abetted their illegal entry.

CREATING A CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT

NParks’ group conservation director Adrian Loo said buffer parks, such as Windsor Nature Park, surround the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves to “provide a contiguous habitat for the native fauna”.

“Most of our native fauna are nocturnal and sensitive to human activity. Hence, all our nature reserves and the buffer parks that immediately abut them are closed at night to allow our native fauna a more conducive environment to forage and mate,” said Dr Loo.

Fauna within these zones include the pangolin, mousedeer, slow loris and the cinnamon bushfrog whose populations NParks are currently monitoring, he added.

For entering the park illegally after it was closed, and for abetting others to do so, Lee could have been fined up to S$2,000 for each charge.

For obstructing the entrance to the carpark, Lee could also have been fined up to S$2,000.


NParks volunteer fined for leading nature group into Windsor Nature Park illegally after hours
Lydia Lam Channel NewsAsia 17 Apr 19;

SINGAPORE: A 58-year-old founder of a nature group was fined S$4,700 on Tuesday (Apr 16) for leading a group of people into a park after it was closed.

Ben Lee Chin Tiong, who was a volunteer with the National Parks Board, organised a night-time photography event at Windsor Nature Park on Feb 20 as an activity for his nature conservation group Nature Trekker, the court heard.

In total, seven people including photographers and Lee's maid entered the park, which closed at 7pm.

As the gantry arm at the park's carpark entrance did not budge - as it was programmed to do so while the park was closed - Lee parked his car in front of the gantry and told two other drivers to follow suit.

The group of seven people followed Lee into the park at 8.37pm, where they set up equipment for their night photography shoot.

An NParks officer noticed the group entering the carpark and saw the three cars parked outside the gantry, blocking the entrance.

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He contacted NParks' enforcement team for help and conducted a search for the nature group with two officers who joined him at 9.20pm.

They found the five men and two women about 230m into the park in a dark area. The group had set up spotlights, while some used torchlights and camera flashes.

The NParks officers stopped the group and escorted them out of the park.

LEE ASSURED MEMBERS HE HAD APPROVAL TO ENTER PARK

Lee later admitted that he organised the event and arranged for the other members to meet that night for a photography session.

He did not publicise the event on the Nature Trekker group's website, but had done so in a private WhatsApp chat group he ran.

He assured some of the group members that he had the approval to enter the park at night, even though he did not.

Lee pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Parks and Trees Regulations. NParks told CNA that it is reviewing Lee's status as a volunteer.

Dr Adrian Loo, NParks' group director of conservation, said in a statement after the hearing that nature reserves are protected areas of rich biodiversity, with special restrictions on activities that can be carried out there.

"Most of our native fauna are nocturnal and sensitive to human activity. Hence, all our nature reserves and the buffer parks that immediately abut them are closed at night to allow our native fauna a more conducive environment to forage and mate," said Dr Loo.

"Sensitive fauna includes the pangolin, mousedeer, slow loris and the cinnamon bushfrog whose populations we are currently monitoring, carrying out habitat enhancements for and have in place species recovery efforts to build resilience and sustainability in their populations."

He added that other than disturbance caused to animals, there are safety concerns involved in night hiking.

"These areas are deserted and not lit at night. Unfamiliar hikers might get lost in the surroundings or put themselves at higher risk," he said.

Dr Loo reminded all park visitors to respect the opening hours of any national park, nature reserve or public park.

Source: CNA/ll(mn)