I AM a frequent visitor to the Venus Drive nature area. I was horrified during the last visit to see that the tall grass and ferns have been cut all the way to the stream.
This stream (picture) has fresh water flowing from the forest, through a grassy meadow and then underneath the HSBC Tree-Top-Walk Carpark. For a long time, both banks of the stream were protected by tall grass and ferns.
This protection is vital for the micro-ecosystem because it prevents soil erosion and unavoidable littering by humans.
The latter is particularly detrimental to the environment because it fouls and blocks the otherwise pristine stream.
Furthermore, plastic bags, food and beverage containers store stagnant rainwater and become mosquito-breeding grounds.
If we leave the grass and ferns uncut they attract damselflies and dragonflies to the area and these are the nemesis of mosquitoes.
We spend so much money and efforts in restoring Bishan Park closer to its natural state and clearing drains of debris. But, here we are disrupting a stream and risking the generation of debris at a water source.
Aren't we doing ourselves a disservice by cutting the grass and ferns by the stream so aggressively?