Straits Times 11 Jul 09;
A NIGHT trek on Pulau Ubin two years ago nearly saw the end of nature lover Ben Lee.
If not for a fellow hiker's yell of 'snake!', he would have trodden on a rare 1.8m-long banded krait - a snake 16 times more poisonous than a cobra.
To expose more people to such rare sightings and encourage them to appreciate nature, Mr Lee, 48, set up Nature Trekker Singapore in 2000.
The non-profit group organises nature walks, through which it educates its 2,968 members on the flora and fauna they see, and on the right behaviour in parks and nature reserves.
For example, trekkers are urged not to feed monkeys or release non-native animals into the wild, which can upset Singapore's bio-diversity.
The group also gives them practical advice on dealing with poachers' traps laid to catch boars, fish, birds and butterflies - that is, remove them if it is safe to do so, and inform the National Parks Board.
While on the treks, group members also photograph animals and insects and record details of sightings.
The group is managed by an eight- member committee headed by Mr Lee - nicknamed the 'octopus' for his powers of multi-tasking - and 28 volunteer leaders who help run activities. These take place on about three weekends each month and are publicised through e-mail.
Ms Vicky Khuan, 32, is one such volunteer guide who joined the group in 2007 because of her love of birds.
'I feel at home with Nature Trekker. It is teaching me how to lead bird-watching treks. Busy Singaporeans who come on my walks learn how to bird-watch and appreciate nature,' she said.
Mr Lee believes that people need to be more informed about nature to protect it.
'If the Government tries to reclaim the central catchment area for HDB flats, I hope people will stand up and speak for nature,' he said. 'I'm worried about development encroaching into nature areas. I hope that the Government will leave Pulau Ubin alone, and not build HDB flats or an MRT stop there.'
To find out more about Nature Trekker, visit www.naturetrekker.org
