Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to close for restoration works

Sharon See and Lin Yanqin Channel NewsAsia 2 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE: The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve will be closed to the public for at least six months from September 15 while it undergoes restoration works, the National Parks Board (NParks) said on Monday (June 2). This is the first time the reserve will be closed to the public.

After the six-month period, there will be limited access to the nature reserve for another 18 months, while the Main Road trail leading to the summit will be reopened only on weekends.

NEED FOR RESTORATION
NParks said it has found damage to the forests and an erosion of the slopes and trails over the years. The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve was visited by 400,000 people last year - five times more than 20 years ago.

Said Dr Leong Chee Chiew, NParks' Commissioner of Parks and Recreation: "In recent years, we have also found that the constant trampling of trails has caused quite drastic erosion along our trees. And when this happens then trails become wider; the roots of trees become exposed. It weakens the trees and so we have seen some tree falls which is not good in a natural forest like this. But on top of that, we are also concerned that if we do not repair these trails, then when visitors walk they may trip and fall".

Nature Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee Chairman Joseph Koh said the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is particularly vulnerable because it is small and almost isolated, and may not have the resilience of a large forest to recover itself from the stress of excessive physical degradation.

RAILINGS, RAISED BOARDWALK IN THE WORKS
During the two-year period, it will be repairing over half, or more than 4.55 kilometres, of the reserve's trails, as well as stabilising slopes and restoring its flora and fauna. A 1.3km-long raised boardwalk will also be built, as well as railings installed along critical areas of trails to ensure visitors do not stray off the trails.

"A raised boardwalk simply allows you to walk on an elevated platform without actually impacting on the forest floor. The insects and the animals can actually coexist quite happily underneath those raised trails," said Dr Leong.

"NO IMMEDIATE DANGER": NPARKS
While NParks assures that there is no immediate danger currently, restorations have to be done to prevent further degradation or major landslides.

NParks will also be upgrading the reserve's visitor centre, which is more than 20 years old, and adding a new toilet block to house additional washroom facilities.

The Nature Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee is assured NParks will take the right steps to preserve the original character of the reserve.

"There was no need for us to tell NParks, you know, that 'You've got to be careful, bulldozers cannot go in' and so on. There can be a lot of collateral damage you know, if you find the cheapest way to do it, and the quickest way to do it. There was no need for the scientists to give NParks this lecture. They were actually (just) as concerned with protecting and being sensitive to the habitat," said Mr Koh.

Indeed, NParks can draw on its experience building the TreeTop Walk in MacRitchie Reservoir nearly 10 years ago.

"When we built the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk, we took great pains to ensure that we did not damage the forest in the process. So, the workers were instructed to be very careful. Many things were actually carried in rather than brought in with heavy machinery. We will exercise the same care and employ the same methods when we repair the trails," Dr Leong promised.

Those who want to explore alternative nature areas can consider the nearby Zhenghua Nature Park, Dairy Farm Nature Park, Bukit Batok Nature Park and Bukit Batok Town Park, NParks said.

- CNA/cy

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to close for restoration
LOUISA TANG Today Online 3 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE — With forest damage and soil erosion from rainfall and thousands of hikers trampling over its trails and slopes over the years, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve will be closed for about two years from Sept 15 so that the National Parks Board (NParks) can carry out restoration work.

It will reopen to the public the Main Road that leads to the summit on weekends in March next year, but the rest of the reserve will remain closed for another one-and-a-half years.

Announcing the move yesterday, NParks said it had started tracking the reserve’s slopes about three to four years ago after noticing some land was slipping on the slopes, and found that there was damage to forests and erosion of slopes and trails.

Apart from heavy rains, the boom in visitorship over the years had exacted its toll on the grounds — NParks said it estimated that the number of visitors to the 163ha reserve grew from 80,000 in 1992 to 400,000 last year.

When visitors stray from the trails, they trample undergrowth, which results in tree roots being exposed, making them a danger to hikers. At the same time, forest regeneration has been hindered, which affects the reserve’s ecosystem. Already, birdwatchers have observed that the Asian-Fairy Bluebird and Chestnut-bellied Malkoha have retreated away from the more heavily-used trails, NParks said.

“While there is no immediate danger, restoration work has to be done to prevent further degradation or major landslides,” said Dr Leong Chee Chiew, NParks deputy chief executive officer at a media briefing yesterday.

Mr Joseph Koh, chairman of the Nature Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee, added: “The reserve is particularly vulnerable because it is small and almost isolated, and may not have the resilience of a large forest to recover itself from the stress of excessive physical degradation.”

About half of the reserve’s 9km of trails will be repaired. NParks will also build a 1.3km-long raised boardwalk at Dairy Farm Loop and Summit Path for visitors to take in the repaired trails without trampling on the forest floor.

Sections of three slopes will be stabilised using micro piles, to be installed along the tarmac road to minimise impact on the forest.

NParks will also upgrade the reserve’s visitor centre, which is more than 20 years old, revamping its exhibition hall and function rooms. A toilet block to house additional washroom facilities will be added.

Mr Zulfadhli Amir, who cycles frequently at the reserve, said the 6km-long Mountain Bike Trail had just been repaired and he approved of NParks’ decision to perform similar repair works on the rest of the reserve.

“I love nature and we should preserve and improve it for the community, be it (for) hiking or mountain biking. It’s the best escape from our concrete forest,” said the 21-year-old full-time National Serviceman.

Nature reserve to close for 6 months
Audrey Tan MyPaper AsiaOne 3 Jun 14;

Singapore's most loved rainforest will, for the first time, be getting a much-needed reprieve from the hordes of people who traipse through it each day.

Come Sept 15, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve will close its doors to the public for six months.

This is the first phase of a two-year plan to repair the 22-year-old reserve, which is showing signs of damage in some areas.

After this, nature enthusiasts can venture into the reserve, but access will be limited for the next 18 months or so.

It will be open only on weekends, and people will be allowed only on the Main Road stretching from the visitor centre to the summit of Bukit Timah Hill.

The National Parks Board (NParks) announced these plans yesterday, adding that the arrangements were made for the safety of visitors during ongoing works. The phased approach was also taken to "minimise inconvenience to visitors", it said.

Works are expected to be completed by the end of 2016.

The 163ha nature reserve, home to more than 40 per cent of Singapore's native flora and fauna, is one of Singapore's most popular nature spots, with over 400,000 visitors last year.

"We seek the understanding of the public for the need to limit access... so extensive enhancements can be carried out to stabilise slopes, repair trails, upgrade the visitor centre and restore the forest environment," said Dr Leong Chee Chiew, commissioner of parks and recreation and deputy chief executive of NParks.

The restoration comes after about five years of observations and discussions with external consultants, NParks said, and will be done in three main areas:

Three stretches of weakened slopes bordering pathways will be stabilised to prevent landslides. This will be done by piling concrete or wooden beams into the pathway. The beams form a wall that prevents soil movement.

NParks will upgrade amenities such as an exhibition hall for outreach and educational activities. More washroom facilities will also be built.

About 4.5km of trails damaged by constant visitor footfall will be restored. A 1.3km stretch of this will also be replaced by boardwalks - elevated platforms that prevent visitors from trampling on forest litter and top soil.

Dr Shawn Lum, president of the Nature Society (Singapore), a group that NParks consulted, said that the proposed works would not only improve public safety, but would also boost the forest ecosystem's long-term health.

5 things about Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
AUDREY TAN Straits Times 2 Jun 14;


The popular Bukit Timah Nature Reserve in central Singapore will be closed for six months from September for repair works. This is the first time that the 163ha reserve will be closed for repair, as trails, slopes and amenities in the park need to be repaired and upgraded. We look at five things about the only hill dipterocarp forest in Singapore.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve repair works map

1. When did the nature reserve open?

The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve was officially opened in 1992, although the rich biodiversity within the reserve spans further back.

In 1822, Dr Nathaniel Wallich, Superintendent of the Calcutta Royal Gardens, was the first to collect plants at the reserve. Years later, in 1854, naturalist Alfred Wallace collected beetles.

In 1937, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve was one of three forest reserves that were retained in a period where economic pressure for land development caused other reserves to be de-gazetted. The other two that were retained were in Pandan and Kranji.

2. What are the highlights at the reserve?

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is the only hill dipterocarp forest in Singapore. This is unique as such a forest type usually occurs in regions that are 300 metres to 762 metres above sea-level.

The Nature Reserve also contains Singapore’s tallest hill - the Bukit Timah Hill - that stands sentinel over the area at 163m.

It also contains at least 40 per cent of Singapore’s native flora and fauna even though it makes up less than 1 per cent (0.2 per cent) of the country’s area. It is home to animals such as the Plantain Squirrel, the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and the Singapore Freshwater Crab - a very rare species of crab that can only be found in Singapore.

3. What are the key milestones?

The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve once comprised a single forest fragment. They were separated when the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) was completed in late 1986.

A bridge to re-connect both reserves to aid in the dispersal of forest plant seeds was completed in late 2013.

In 2011, the reserve was designated as Singapore’s second Asean Heritage Park after meeting criteria such as ecological completeness, representativeness, naturalness, high conservation importance and being a legally gazetted area. The first Asean Heritage Park was the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in 2003.

4. Which are the areas which will have limited access while it undergoes repair works?

From September 15, the Nature Reserve will undergo a series of repair works to upgrade and restore its slopes, trails and amenities for about two years.

During the first six months, the reserve will be closed to the public as works commence on its Main Road leading from the Visitor Centre to the summit of Bukit Timah Hill.

After this, there will be limited access to the reserve for the next 18 months - nature enthusiasts will only be able to trek on its main route on weekends.

5. What will some of the new/improved features be after the facelift?

By the end of 2016, visitors to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve will be able to expect newer amenities such as an upgraded visitor centre and an enhanced exhibition hall for outreach and educational activities.

More washrooms will also be built for the growing number of visitors to the reserve.
Last year, it welcomed more than 400,000 visitors - a five-fold increase from the 80,000 visitors it saw in 1992, when it was officially opened.

Nature lovers will also get to enjoy new boardwalk trails and dirt trails lined with rope railings for visitor safety. Boardwalks will also help protect the precious layer of topsoil and forest litter that teem with insects and other tiny organisms.

With “enrichment planting” works that NParks will carry out during the two-year period, visitors can also expect to see more plants growing by the sides of reserve’s trails.

They will also get to enjoy an overall safer experience, as slopes will be reinforced to prevent landslides.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Restoration Works - Limited Access To Ensure Public Safety
NParks media release 2 Jun 14;

2 June 2014 Singapore – Public access to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) will be limited for about two years, with effect from 15 September 2014 as the National Parks Board (NParks) carries out repair and restoration works to the slopes, trails and forests in the reserve. NParks will also use the opportunity to upgrade its more than 20-year old visitor centre at the foot of BTNR.

Over the years, NParks found that there has been an erosion of the slopes and trails as well as the damaging of forests in the Reserve. To ensure public safety, NParks will be embarking on a journey to repair these slopes and trails. The forest habitat will also be restored.

NParks recognises that the BTNR is well-frequented by members of the public. To minimise inconvenience to visitors during the repair works, NParks will adopt a phased approach. For the first six months, the entire Reserve will be closed to public as slope stabilisation works are carried out. The Main Road trail leading to the Summit, however, will be reopened to visitors on weekends after six months, while the rest of the reserve remains closed for about another 18 months for rest of the repair works to be completed.

“We seek the understanding of the public for the need to limit access to BTNR so that extensive enhancements can be carried out to stabilise slopes, repair trails, upgrade the Visitor Centre, and restore the forest environment of the Nature Reserve. The slope stabilisations and trail repairs are necessary for public safety. The upgraded Visitor Centre will serve visitors better when reopened.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a unique forest within an urban setting. It contains at least 40% of Singapore's native flora and fauna even though it occupies only 0.2% of Singapore’s land area. The Reserve, which was declared an ASEAN Heritage Park in 2011, is home to rare and native species like the Singapore Freshwater Crab (Johora singaporensis), the Colugo (Galeopterus variegates) and the Straw-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus). It is therefore imperative that we also restore its forest environment”, said Dr Leong Chee Chiew, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation and Deputy CEO, NParks.

He further shared: “During this period, visitors are encouraged to explore alternative nature areas such as the nearby Zhenghua Nature Park, Dairy Farm Nature Park, Bukit Batok Nature Park, Bukit Batok Town Park, as well as Park Connectors in the vicinity. For public safety, please refrain from entering the Reserve when access is restricted."

“The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve safeguards one of the last vestiges of Singapore's primary tropical rainforest in the heart of the island. Much loved and cherished by Singaporeans, it has attracted a large number of visitors since the mid-1990s. Its popularity has ironically contributed to the degradation of parts of the forest environment. Along the many hiking trails that criss-cross the reserve, soil has become increasingly compacted, erosion has become more serious, and tree regeneration has been compromised. Straying from designated trails by some visitors has evidently caused a widening of footpaths into the adjoining forest. More worryingly, a number of new, unauthorised paths have intruded into the forest. If left unchecked, these changes can eventually add up to alter the character of a unique ecosystem that has hitherto allowed an amazingly rich variety of native flora and fauna to thrive in this scientifically significant rainforest.

BTNR is particularly vulnerable because it is small and almost isolated, and may not have the resilience of a large forest to recover itself from the stress of excessive physical degradation. There is therefore an urgent need to repair and rehabilitate its habitats, and give some time for the plants and animals to re-establish themselves, undisturbed. Not only will this help to enhance the experience of future visitors, it will also replenish the threatened biodiversity in BTNR, and ensure that future generations of Singaporeans will continue to enjoy the full splendour of this unique treasure among our natural heritage”, said Mr Joseph Koh, Chairman, Nature Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee (NRSAC).

Dr Shawn Lum, President of Nature Society (Singapore), said “The proposed slope stabilisation and trail restoration work will not only benefit public safety and an enhanced visitor experience, but will also be beneficial for the long-term health of Bukit Timah's forest ecosystem. Decreased erosion from slope and trail restoration, better protection of tree roots from boardwalks, and limiting future soil compaction will help tree survival and regeneration. This in turn will provide a more stable environment for the diverse animal life dependent on Bukit Timah's mature and very rich plant community. I look forward to the completion of the proposed infrastructure work, and envision a future where all of us - park management, researchers, reserve visitors, and a supportive public - can all work together as stewards as well as be beneficiaries of Singapore's glorious natural heritage at Bukit Timah.”

MEDIA FACTSHEET – SCOPE OF WORK
from NParks pdf

NParks will be stabilising the slopes, repairing the trails and restoring the forest environment within the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. To enhance visitor experience, the more than 20-year old visitor centre will also be upgraded.

Enhancing Visitor Safety

The slope stabilisation works is a pre-emptive measure taken by NParks to ensure public safety. Sections of three slopes have weakened in recent years. Slope failure could lead to a significant loss of the forest and compromise public safety. To minimise the potential of slope failure, the slopes will be stabilised using micro piles. The piles will be installed along the tarmac road, and there will be minimal impact on the forest.

Trail Repairs, Enrichment Planting and New Boardwalk

Hosting more than 400,000 visitors yearly has taken its toll on the hiking trails. The heavy usage and trampling have resulted in soil compaction, erosion and gully formation. Such conditions hinder forest regeneration as they expose tree roots (increasing the potential of tree falls), and damage young saplings before they can establish themselves. The exposed tree roots may also cause hikers to trip, fall and become injured. The compacted and widened trails have also resulted in a loss of space for vegetation and tree saplings to establish and grow. These have led to the declining condition of the Reserve’s ecosystem. For example, birdwatchers have observed that the Asian-fairy Bluebird and Chestnut-bellied Malkoha have retreated away from the heavily used trails at BTNR.

To mitigate the degradation, more than half of trails (over 4.5km) will be repaired. To enhance the forest habitat, enrichment planting efforts will take place alongside the trails. Native plants such as the Shorea curtisii, Parishia insignis, and Streblus elongates will be planted.

As part of a holistic plan to mitigate the impact of trampling and soil compaction, a 1.3 km raised boardwalk will also be installed sensitively. This will enable visitors to enjoy the repaired trails with minimal impact to the forest floor.

Upgrading of visitor amenities

Along with the restoration and repair works, NParks will also use the opportunity to enhance visitor experience by upgrading the more than 20-year old visitor centre. When reopened, it will feature a revamped exhibition area highlighting the habitats and conservation measures carried out at the Reserve. This will allow visitors to better
understand and appreciate the importance of this nature reserve. More spacious function rooms will be provided for educational workshops, talks, and outreach activities. More toilet facilities, wash areas and a kiosk will also be provided. (Please refer to Annex B for more information.)

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to shut for repairs
Audrey Tan The Straits Times AsiaOne 3 Jun 14;

SINGAPORE's most loved rainforest will, for the first time, be getting a much-needed reprieve from the hordes of people who traipse through it each day.

Come Sept 15, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve will close its doors to the public for six months. This is the first phase of a two-year plan to repair the 22-year-old reserve, which is showing signs of damage in some areas.

After this, visitors can enter the reserve, but access will be limited for the next 18 months or so. It will be open only on weekends, and people will be allowed only on the Main Road stretching from the Visitor Centre to the summit of Bukit Timah Hill.

The National Parks Board (NParks) announced these plans yesterday, adding that the arrangements were made for the safety of visitors during ongoing works. The phased approach was also being taken to "minimise inconvenience to visitors", it said.

Works are expected to be completed by the end of 2016.

Home to more than 40 per cent of Singapore's native flora and fauna, the 163ha nature reserve is one of the nation's most popular nature spots, drawing more than 400,000 visitors last year.

"We seek the understanding of the public for the need to limit access... so extensive enhancements can be carried out to stabilise slopes, repair trails, upgrade the Visitor Centre and restore the forest environment," said Dr Leong Chee Chiew, commissioner of parks and recreation and deputy chief executive of NParks.

The restoration comes after about five years of observations and discussions with external consultants, NParks said. It will be done in three main areas:

- Three stretches of weakened slopes bordering pathways will be stabilised to prevent landslides, by piling concrete or wooden beams into the pathway to help prevent soil movement.

- Amenities such as an exhibition hall for outreach and educational activities will be upgraded. More washrooms will be built.

- About 4.5km of trails damaged by constant visitor footfall will be restored. A 1.3km stretch of this will be replaced by boardwalks - elevated platforms that prevent visitors from trampling on forest litter and top soil.

Dr Shawn Lum, president of the Nature Society (Singapore), a group NParks consulted, said the works would boost the forest ecosystem's long-term health.

"Decreased erosion from slope and trail restoration, better protection of tree roots from boardwalks, and limiting future soil compaction will help tree survival and regeneration," he said.

NParks said a tender for the works will be called this month.

Teacher Balasupramaniam Krishna, 68, a frequent visitor, strongly supports the renovation works. "I think it's very important that we do not compromise the safety of the park," he said.

"Within two years, we will have a very different heritage, a national park that everyone can be even more proud of."

Closure of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve a good call
VINITA RAMANI Today Online 4 Jun 14;

I refer to the report “Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to close for restoration” (June 3). I applaud the National Parks Board for closing this segment of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve for restoration work.

As an avid hiker and nature lover, I will miss my daily walks in the reserve. But as a nearby resident, I have noticed relentless human traffic, both hikers and bikers, along the trails over the past four years.

Though it is one of Singapore’s most beautiful and ecologically diverse areas, it is also the beating heart of the island.

The preservation of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve will also be critical as we combat haze-related problems.

With the closure, it is timely to ask what the Government’s vision is for our nature reserves in 2030. Are they places for the conservation of native flora and fauna or are they merely parks catering to a growing population’s recreational needs?

The value of the Central Catchment area is in its biodiversity and its native flora and fauna. This is also what makes Singapore unique.