West Coast Park's marsh garden to undergo rejuvenation project

Channel NewsAsia 19 Apr 08;

SINGAPORE: Visitors to the marshlands at West Coast Park will soon see more flora and fauna, thanks to a S$100,000 contribution by Shell to spruce up the site.

Together with the National Parks Board and students of Commonwealth Secondary School, the marsh is being re-populated with trees, the first step in the rejuvenation project.

Having adopted the marshes of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve seven years ago, students of Commonwealth Secondary School are budding experts in wetlands flora and fauna.

Ernest Tang, a student of Commonwealth Secondary School, said: "For these trees, what we have to do is to dig quite deep, probably half a metre down the soil and we also cover it with topsoil which are high in nutrients and all the compost soil."

And for these students, the impact of the project will be long-term.

"After I graduate from secondary school, I will also come back to check on the plants in school and also the mangrove trees in the marshland here" said Tang.

The funding from Shell will not go towards sprucing up the coastal marshlands with the installation of signboards and plant tags, but it also help volunteer guides will undergo training. - CNA/vm

Rejuvenation of Marsh Garden @ West Coast Park through NParks-Shell-Commonwealth Secondary partnership
NParks press release 18 Apr 08;

Public can expect new flora, fauna and infrastructure – an enhanced park experience

Singapore, 19 April 2008 - In a few years’ time, visitors to the Marsh Garden at West Coast Park will be able to see more insects and wildlife thriving at the regenerated mangrove habitat.

Through a collaboration made possible with Shell staff and funds, the National Parks Board (NParks) and Commonwealth Secondary School, the one

Marsh Garden will be given a new lease of life with 200 new saplings planted in phases to rejuvenate the mangrove habitat. These species of mangrove plants were proposed by 20 students from Commonwealth Secondary School (Secondary 1 to 3), who went on-site to conduct research, such as checking the soil, water, temperate and humidity levels, before making their recommendations to NParks. They were guided by Dr Shawn Lum, an expert in plant diversity and ecology, evolution, conservation and environmental education from the Ministry of Education.

The aim of the project is to create an ideal environment that will attract interesting wildlife. As part of this rejuvenation project, new signboards and plant tags will be installed along the existing boardwalk to enable visitors to appreciate the rich biodiversity of the Marsh Garden.

Shell is fully funding the improvements that will cost $100,000, as part of its continuing efforts in support of biodiversity and the conservation of local environment. The launch of the Marsh rejuvenation project is also held in conjunction with Earth Day 2008 on 22 April 2008.

Professor Leo Tan, Chairman of the Garden City Fund, said: "We are glad to have the active support and contributions of Shell and Commonwealth Secondary School, and the expertise of Shawn Lum in this project. The Marsh Garden is one of the few mangrove habitats in the western part of Singapore so it is important to conserve it for both biodiversity and educational purposes, for the benefit of all Singapore residents. Through the involvement and collaboration with the 3Ps – the public, private and people sectors, we can all help to increase awareness of greenery and conservation.”

Mr Pieter Eijsberg, General Manager, Shell Eastern Petrochemicals Complex, said: “Shell has been supporting various community environmental programmes through the years. This project with NParks and Commonwealth Secondary School will help to raise public awareness of conservation, as well as encourage our staff and partners to play an active role in community gardening. Together, we can all work towards reviving the natural heritage and beauty of Singapore.”

During monitoring of the saplings planted, NParks will set up a training programme for volunteers to increase their expertise in areas such as wildlife management and environment management. They will also be taught on how to conduct guided walks at the nature areas of West Coast Park.

The Marsh Garden has been in existence since the 1980s. Over the years, the native plants such as Avicennia alba and Acrostichum aureum which were originally found at the mangrove habitat, were slowly overtaken by exotic species such as Acacia auriculiformis and Albizia spp. It is currently home to 15 species of birds and 10 species of plants.