Heritage, environmental assessments could help in preserving Pulau Ubin

Alice Chia Channel NewsAsia 15 Mar 14;

SINGAPORE: Conduct studies on Pulau Ubin life and establish best practices for these studies, as part of efforts to protect and preserve the island -- that was one suggestion from the community in response to the government's call for ideas on preserving the rustic charm and heritage of the island.

Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee said in the Committee of Supply budget debate in Parliament on Monday that he was looking for ideas on nature conservation and thoughts about how the island could be used for education and nature-based recreation.

Visitors to Pulau Ubin are hoping that various aspects of island-life can be preserved. Many are also intrigued by life on the island, and have signed up for tours to find out more.

For instance, the National Parks Board has been conducting the Sensory Trail Tour since 2001. Participants get to see vegetables, fruits and spices that one would normally see in villages, and find out more about the mangroves at Pulau Ubin.

Dr Chua Ai Lin, president of the Singapore Heritage Society, said: "It also plays a very important role in the modern Singapore psyche, because the greater diversity of places that we have, the richer and fuller our lives are.

"We're not just trapped within an urban jungle, but we have all these spaces that we can turn to -- not just for access to nature and greenery, but also as a reminder of what the community of Singapore used to be like in the past."

To preserve such aspects, the Singapore Heritage Society is calling for heritage and environment-impact assessments to be done. These studies would look into areas such as buildings and structures; and the social and community life that revolves around them.

Dr Chua added: "In Singapore, we don't have a strong tradition of conducting these impact assessments, But they're very important in finding out and analysing what are the best things that need to be done. Ubin will be a good chance for us to set into place best practices.

"In terms of heritage impact assessments, we're not just looking out for the physical structures that are there, we also want to know about the communities and social life that go along with those structures.

"For example, there are kampong residents, there's also a Chinese temple -- what are the community life around these places and how can they best be supported."

How wildlife could be affected by projects is another aspect that could be looked into.

Dr Lai Chee Kien, an architectural and urban historian, said: "Much needs to be done to document the different habitats. So for example, you have birds, you have seasonal birds, but you also have coastal habitats, and occasional migratory animals, including mouse-deers. Historically, there was also an elephant that swam across.

"So all these have to be taken into consideration so that there is a slightly more authentic environment in the future for our future generations."

Establishing a conservation process that includes studies and documentation will help to determine the best way Pulau Ubin can be preserved for its charm and heritage.

- CNA/ac

Ministry to seek ideas on protecting Pulau Ubin
While Pulau Ubin’s population has dwindled from 2,000 in the 1950s to 1970s to just 38 today, more than 300,000 visitors throng the island every year to enjoy its rustic setting and nature.
Melody Zaccheus The Straits Times AsiaOne 13 Mar 14;

SINGAPORE - Lovers of Pulau Ubin will be asked to give their ideas on how the popular island can be protected and enhanced.

The Government hopes that a wide range of people, from island residents to interest groups and experts, will give their views in an upcoming consultation announced in Parliament yesterday.

It wants the process to address "nature and heritage conservation, and... education and nature-

based recreation on the island", said Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee.

The 10.2 sq km island, about the size of Changi Airport, hit the headlines in April last year when a notice by the Housing Board led islanders to believe that 22 households would be evicted so an "adventure park" could be built.

The Government clarified shortly after that the island will be kept in a "rustic state for as long as possible".

Ubin's population has dwindled from 2,000 between the 1950s and early 1970s to just 38 today, but more than 300,000 visitors throng the place every year.

Mr Lee told Parliament yesterday that preserving and enhancing Pulau Ubin's rustic character and natural environment while sensitively providing access for the public require help from all Singaporeans.

He noted how the National Parks Board (NParks) has worked with researchers and nature groups to study its biodiversity.

In 2003, for instance, NParks conducted a survey with the help of butterfly enthusiasts and documented more than 100 species.

The enthusiasts - who call themselves ButterflyCircle - advised NParks to plant Butterfly Hill, a knoll made out of wasteland left over from Ubin's granite quarrying industry. The knoll is home to over 130 species today.

Mr Lee, who will be leading the project and the conversation, said the ministry will build on these efforts, adding that it will "consult and engage widely". More details on the project will be announced later this year.

During the debate, Nominated MP (NMP) Faizah Jamal asked for more to be done to conserve places such as Pulau Ubin and Chek Jawa. She also called for a national nature conservation policy where, among other things, there is a fair distribution of nature areas across the island.

Nature groups and wildlife enthusiasts said the Pulau Ubin initiative is a step in the right direction. For years, it has lacked a central body to coordinate efforts to enhance its green and rustic character, said the Nature Society (Singapore).

"This process will allow the Government to take into consideration the multiple views on what Ubin can grow to become - like a biodiversity hub or an ecotourism site," said society vice-president Leong Kwok Peng.

Madam Kamariah Abdullah, 54, who opens her 100-year-old Malay kampung on the island a few times a month to visitors, hopes the authorities will also consider conserving the kampung homes. "The kampung vibe and the people living here are integral to the island's identity," she said.