Havoc on trees, animals: LTA must do more to save our rainforest

Letter from Ginny Leow-Guerville, Today Online 23 Nov 09;

WITH no notice to residents living near the forest along Blackmore Drive and Bukit Timah Road, work commenced last Friday morning at relentless speed to clear the primary rainforest for the purpose of evaluating land use for the new Blackmore MRT station.

The massive clearing of undergrowth of the forest led to several different species of birds flying desperately around the forest in panic.

My six-year-old daughter and I have often seen squirrels and monitor lizards there and are devastated by the sudden loss of their natural habitat.

While schools and the media, the zoo and related parks have placed a high emphasis on preserving the tropical rainforest and impressing young minds about conserving it, this massive destruction is taking place right under our noses.

Despite all the global talk about climate change as a result of urbanisation, this obviously has fallen on deaf ears when it comes to making blueprints come to life.

Why can't we make a compromise? Is it not possible to preserve the little rainforest that we have?

Is it not also a legitimate right of a citizen of Singapore and of our planet to demand that we give a little more respect to the flora and fauna around us and make our plans around them, instead of over them?

This massive clearance will eventually be left empty after the construction ends in five years or so but the forest will never ever be replaced.

I know that it seems idealistic but there are definitely consequences, no matter how small they seem, that will eventually eat into our world as a result of our incessant need for urbanisation.

Can the Land Transport Authority kindly press harder to find an alternative site for the holding of containers and construction equipment to save our rainforest, please?

Furthermore, heavy rainfall over the past few days has already caused erosion on the land now exposed and pools of water are accumulating which is worrying in terms of vector control.

The horrendous sound of the electric saws throughout the day has caused my family a great deal of distress.

Can Singapore walk the talk and start to work with nature in mind, instead of putting our present interests over the future that our children and theirs have to face?

No trees have been cut yet: LTA
Letter from Helen Lim Deputy Director, Media Relations Land Transport Authority
Today Online 27 Nov 09;

WE REFER to Ms Ginny Leow-Guerville's letter "Havoc on trees, animals" (Nov 23).

We share the concerns of residents of The Sterling for our greenery and would like to clarify that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has not carried out any massive clearing of undergrowth or cut any trees in the area.

The LTA's appointed contractor together with the relevant authorities had conducted a preliminary assessment of the site to prepare for the construction of the King Albert Park MRT Station and the site office. This included the clearing of shrubs and bushes to facilitate the assessment.

We would like to assure the residents that we are working with the relevant agencies to realign the layout of the site to minimise the removal of trees.

Our LTA officers had also met up with the management committee's chairman and residents to explain the need for the worksite. We will continue to update residents regularly and brief them before commencement of any major activities.