SIAU MING EN Today Online 30 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE – A series of initiatives and programmes for Pulau Ubin over the next few years were announced today (Nov 30), including enhancing the natural habitats in the area, recovering species of plants and animals and setting up an upcoming centre for field studies.
Speaking on a tour of the island during Ubin Day today, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted that a vision of Ubin that will honour our past, treasure our present, and shape our future has been developed collectively.
Pointing to the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint that was launched earlier this month, Mr Lee noted that every individual has a part to play in creating a more sustainable environment.
“The blueprint works on the basis that every Singaporean has an important role to make (Singapore) liveable and sustainable,” said Mr Lee.
He added: “What we are doing here in Ubin is a prime example of this.”
During the debate on the budget in March, Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee had announced plans to consult the public on how the authorities can sensitively protect and enhance the island’s natural environment while keeping its heritage and rustic charm.
The Ubin Project has since received more than 2,000 ideas.
As part of the island’s habitat enhancement programmes, floating wetlands and nesting platforms will be installed at the Pekan Quarry to encourage the nesting and roosting of birds like the herons. Amenities such as boardwalks will also be built to allow visitors to observe the biodiversity in the area.
Members of the public can expect to visit the area by the third quarter of next year.
Working with Friends of Ubin Network (FUN) members, NParks has also identified areas for reforestation. This includes the ongoing reforestation at Tanjong Tajam, where a 3 ha of land–about the size of four football fields–was damaged in a bushfire in March.
Apart from selecting certain species of mangrove plants, orchid and seagrasses for its recovery programme, NParks will also target its recovery efforts on certain bird species, such as the Baya Weaver and the Red-Wattled Lapwing, bats and otters that are mostly found only on the island.
A new centre for field studies, education and outreach will also be built on the site of the former Celestial Resort to encourage research and education. Facilities at the centre include field study labs, classrooms and accommodation spaces.
On the heritage front, the National Heritage Board (NHB) will be partnering tertiary institutions and non-government organisations to identify and map the island’s past and heritage elements in a cultural mapping project.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority, NHB and other stakeholders will also develop a specific set of guidelines to restore the existing buildings and structures on Pulau Ubin.
To encourage environmentally and socially responsible behaviour while on the island, a code of conduct–known as the “Ubin Way”–will be developed by the FUN members.
Govt unveils plans to better protect Pulau Ubin
SIAU MING EN Today Online 30 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE — Plans are afoot to better protect and restore Pulau Ubin’s nature and heritage spaces, with the Government announcing its first phase of initiatives yesterday.
These plans, culled from over 2,000 ideas and suggestions gathered through the Ubin Project launched in March, include enhancing natural habitats to support recovering species of plants and animals — which will provide opportunities for volunteers and the community to be involved in research and the establishment of habitats — and setting up a centre for field studies.
Guidelines will also be developed to restore existing buildings and structures on Pulau Ubin. Given the loss of coastal habitats and vegetation due to the erosion of the island’s shoreline, the National Parks Board (NParks) will also be calling for studies to identify long-term measures to protect and restore the shoreline.
The plans were announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at Pulau Ubin during Ubin Day, which was organised by about 20 community groups including Team Seagrass, Nature Society (Singapore) and the Butterfly Circle to showcase the different facets of the island to the public.
The Pekan Quarry on the island is among the areas that are set to be enhanced. Floating wetlands and nesting platforms will be installed to encourage the nesting and roosting of birds such as herons. Amenities such as boardwalks will also be built for visitors, to be ready by the third quarter of next year.
NParks has also identified certain species for recovery programmes. They include an endangered mangrove tree, a terrestrial orchid and rare seagrasses. Certain bird species such as the Baya Weaver and the Red-Wattled Lapwing, as well as bats and otters have also been selected.
To encourage research and education, a new centre for field studies, education and outreach will also be built on the site of the former Celestial Resort. Mooted by a group of educators, the centre will be equipped with field study labs, classrooms and accommodation.
On the heritage front, the authorities will be partnering tertiary institutions and non-governmental organisations to identify and map the island’s past and heritage elements in a cultural mapping project, on top of the restoration guidelines.
To encourage environmentally and socially responsible behaviour while on the island, a code of conduct — the Ubin Way — will be developed by some of the Friends of Ubin Network (FUN) members. FUN, formed earlier this year, comprises naturalists, heritage experts, sports enthusiasts, researchers, residents and students, and has been active in the Ubin Project.
Speaking at Ubin Day yesterday, Mr Lee commended the collective effort involved in developing a vision for the 10.2 sq km island — about the size of Changi Airport — that would honour the past, treasure the present and shape its future.
Pointing to the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint that was launched last month, he said the initiatives for Pulau Ubin were a prime example of how every Singaporean has an important role in making the country more liveable and sustainable.
Minister of State (National Development) Desmond Lee, speaking to reporters, assured that the authorities would manage the number of visitors, as numbers are set to rise. About 2,000 to 3,000 people visit the island each weekend.
For areas of biodiversity that are more sensitive, the number of visitors may be restricted by limiting access only to researchers or those on guided tours. While no cap has been set on the number of visitors, Mr Desmond Lee pointed out that the area is naturally restricted by the number of boats that can ferry people to the island.
Most residents TODAY spoke to welcomed these initiatives, which they said would improve their business. Mr Tan Chee Kiang, 67, felt the new initiatives would preserve the kampung spirit of the island. Pulau Ubin is unique and should be kept the way it is instead of turning it into another Sentosa, said Mr Tan, who is the owner of a provision shop and seafood restaurant on the island.
Last year, residents of the island were alarmed to receive a notice from the authorities that led many to believe they were facing eviction to make way for development. The authorities later apologised, saying the notice could have been better worded.
While these are positive initiatives, Nature Society (Singapore) conservation committee vice-chairman Ho Hua Chew felt that to ensure these efforts do not go to waste, the island needs a “stronger protection status”.
Last month, TODAY reported that the nature group has called for Pulau Ubin to be given the same level of protection as a nature reserve. The island is currently designated a nature area, but can be developed if the need arises.
Sustaining Pulau Ubin's rustic charm
Sara Grosse Channel NewsAsia 30 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE: Habitat enhancement, species recovery, shoreline restoration and a new centre for research at Pulau Ubin are some of the initiatives to help retain and enhance the island's rustic charm. The plans were unveiled by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Nov 30).
He was speaking at Ubin Day - a community event to celebrate the different facets of the island organised by community groups including Team Seagrass, Nature Society (Singapore) and Butterfly Circle.
For example, habitat enhancement programmes will focus on establishing wetlands for the nesting and roosting of birds such as herons. The first prototype of the floating wetlands at Pekan Quarry can be expected in the third quarter of next year. There are also plans to build observation points and boardwalks for visitors.
Reforestation efforts are also underway, such as at Tanjong Tajam, where three hectares of land were damaged in a bushfire in March 2014. To date, the community has worked with various agencies to reforest 0.1 hectares of land. The National Parks Board (NParks) will also embark on efforts to recover certain species of animals and plants such as rare seagrasses.
To protect the shoreline at Noordin Beach, NParks will carry out a study to determine the main causes of shoreline erosion and identify appropriate long-term measures to restore it. To encourage research, a new centre for field studies, education and outreach will be built on the site of the former Celestial Resort.
Mr Lee said efforts to preserve and enhance Pulau Ubin will ensure that it continues to be part of Singapore's heritage. "I've accumulated many good memories of Ubin - like many Singaporeans. And I hope our children, too, will also have the chance to do the same as they grow up. Every Singaporean has an important role to make this a liveable and sustainable city, and what we are doing in Ubin is a prime example of this."
Current and former residents of the island have welcomed the initiatives. Ramlan Ali, whose father was the chairman of Pulau Ubin CC, spent his childhood on Pulau Ubin. He said: "Most of the Singaporeans don't know where the island is, what Ubin looks like. Even the children don't know what is Ubin. So if the government promotes the island, I think it should be good. A lot of people will come to Ubin. This would make the Ubin residents more happy, because (it will mean) more business for them."
The initiatives to preserve and enhance the island were proposed through the Ubin Project.
Since the Ubin Project was announced in March, members of the public have contributed more than 2,000 ideas on how the rustic charm of the island can be enhanced. The project is led by Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee.
A Friends of Ubin Network (FUN) was formed to facilitate discussions. The group allayed fears that the island might be overdeveloped. Choo Yi Feng, a FUN member, said: "Anyone who knows this island well enough also knows that sustainability by leaving it alone is not going to happen. There definitely needs to be some kind of repairs and restoration works, not necessarily a full scale development, but definitely some maintenance is needed."
Nonetheless, the government gave the assurance that the residents' concerns will be met. Mr Desmond Lee said: "We made special arrangements to come to the island to engage the residents, to assure them that their concerns will be addressed, to assure them that their community, their way of life, the heritage that they have been maintaining of this island will continue."
Currently, the island sees some 3,000 visitors on the weekends. With visitorship to the island expected to increase with the new initiatives, measures will be put in place to control crowds. For example, certain biodiverse areas will be restricted to guided tours or researchers while other areas that are used for hiking, cycling or kayaking will be open to all.
It is also hoped that Ubin Day will become an annual event.
- CNA/xq/ir
Singaporeans can play a role in retaining Pulau Ubin's charm, says PM Lee
NUR ASYIQIN MOHAMAD SALLEH Straits Times 30 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE - The Government, working with the community, will roll out a series of initiatives to retain Pulau Ubin's charm as a rustic haven over the coming months.
These include studies that tackle the erosion of its shoreline, which has receded by as much as 40m in areas in northern Ubin, to planting trees and supporting the recovery of endangered bird species.
Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee, who is overseeing the effort, said these are just the first wave of ideas thrown up by the Ubin Project that are being put into action.
Since the project was announced in March, members of the public have chipped in more than 2,000 ideas to sustain Pulau Ubin's special character.
A Friends of Ubin Network (Fun) was also formed to facilitate discussions between concerned citizens and the authorities.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong held up these efforts as an example of how Singaporeans can do their part for the environment and Ubin, when he visited the island for Ubin Day, where volunteers organised tours and talks for the public.
"With Fun, we can do much more," PM Lee said in a short speech.
These include preserving nature and biodiversity, documenting Ubin's heritage and culture, pursuing outdoor activities, and making Ubin a field lab for students as well as a "cradle for sustainable living", he said.
"I'm glad that through this we have involved many Singaporeans interested in Ubin to come up with ideas and to pool the ideas so we can do something about it," he added.
PM Lee recalled how he made trips to the island for seafood and cycling and spent 17 days on the island as a teenager on an Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) programme. His last trip to the island in 2007 was also to visit the new OBS centre.
"I've accumulated many good memories of Ubin - like many Singaporeans. And I hope our children, too, will also have the chance to do the same as they grow up," he said.
PM Lee also paid tribute to the volunteers and students who took an active interest in preserving, recording and enhancing Pulau Ubin so that it "continues to be part of our shared heritage and shared memories".
New and surprising things continue to be discovered on Ubin, he noted, singling out its rich biodiversity including the Chek Jawa wetlands, hornbills and endangered mangrove trees like the Eye of the Crocodile.
This tree species will be a target of recovery efforts, and 11 of 200 such remaining trees in the world can be found in Singapore, two of them on Ubin.
"Collectively, we have developed a vision of Ubin that will honour our past, treasure our present, and shape our future," he said.
Ubin, he added, was a prime example of how "every Singaporean has an important role to make this a liveable and sustainable city", urging people to continue giving their ideas and taking part in activities on the island.
"Look around and ask yourself: "What can I do to make our environment better, to make Ubin a more interesting place," he said.
"Imagine it, commit yourself to it, and we will partner you to make it happen."
Pulau Ubin to have new centre for research & education
AsiaOne 30 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE - Shoreline restoration, habitat enhancement, species recovery, cultural mapping and a new centre for research and education are among some of the initiatives that the Government will roll out in a bid to sustain the rustic charm of Pulau Ubin.
The initiatives were proposed by and refined in consultation with the public through The Ubin Project, which has garnered more than 2,000 ideas and suggestions since it was announced in March.
In the next few years, the National Parks Board (NParks) will carry out a study aimed at protecting and restoring the shoreline at Ubin and set up a new centre to support various educational objectives and outreach programmes.
At the same time, NParks will improve basic amenities on Ubin such as wayfinding signs, shelters and boardwalks.
The National Heritage Board will be partnering tertiary institutions and non-government organisations to carry out a cultural mapping project to "map" Ubin's layered past and its tangible and intangible heritage elements.
In addition, it will work with the Urban Redevelopment Authority and stakeholders on a set of guidelines for existing buildings and structures on the island, to sensitively restore or rebuild them when required.
Ubin will have a new Code of Conduct, dubbed the "Ubin Way", put together by grassroots leaders, nature lovers, Ubin operators, educators and volunteers to encourage socially and ecologically responsible behaviour on the island.
Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee, who oversees The Ubin Project, said in a statement: "We are very encouraged that many Singaporeans have come forward to share with us their ideas on how Ubin can remain rustic.
"In the next few years, we will be embarking on the first round of programmes and initiatives that we have for Pulau Ubin. These initiatives will keep Ubin's rustic charm, biodiversity, history and heritage alive, so that future generations of Singaporeans can continue to enjoy the island.
"But our work does not stop there. We will continue to explore other ideas and suggestions received and see if these too can be sensitively rolled out, aligned with our vision for Ubin."
More visitors likely but 'numbers will be managed'
Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh The Straits Times AsiaOne 3 Dec 14;
Seafood restaurant owner Tan Chee Kiang, 67, expects his business to be buoyed by the new plans for Pulau Ubin in the next few years.
But even as the Ubin native looks forward to larger crowds, he said this should not come at the expense of the island.
"If they come here to experience our lifestyle, our kampung life, it's okay. But they cannot come here and ask for all the comforts they have on the mainland," he said. "They cannot change the island, they cannot be selfish."
For the 30-odd remaining residents like Mr Tan and the 2,000 to 3,000 visitors to Ubin every weekend, the island's charm lies in its laid-back lifestyle. Fleets of bicycles ply the sandy roads, and its haphazard smattering of squat buildings is a glimpse into Singapore's past.
The opinions of residents like him were not forgotten under the Ubin Project, where government officials reached out to civil society and the public for ideas on shaping Ubin's future while preserving its past, some of which were unveiled on Ubin Day yesterday.
Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee told reporters yesterday that islanders have been part of the engagement process, with several of them in the Friends of Ubin Network (FUN). It brings together naturalists, heritage experts, sports enthusiasts, researchers and students.
Mr Lee acknowledged that the new initiatives to sustain Ubin's rustic charms will draw more visitors, but said the authorities will "manage the numbers".
They may, for instance, restrict numbers to areas whose biodiversity may be sensitive to overwhelming crowds, either through guided tours, or allowing only researchers to frequent these spots.
Ubin resident Ahmad Kassim, 79, said the new efforts will let more people learn about Ubin life.
"More people coming to the island means we islanders won't feel lonely," he added.
One of the new programmes announced yesterday was a monthly kampung-themed tour of Ubin.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority and the National Heritage Board will also come up with a set of guidelines to restore buildings while retaining their charm.
Students can also build bat boxes or otter dens for breeding, while educators will help develop the curriculum for a new centre for field studies and education.
Volunteers will also play a key role in these efforts. One of them is 17-year-old Choo Yi Feng, a FUN member and National Parks Board volunteer, who started helping out in primary school. The youth said the new efforts strike a balance between development and conservation.
"In Ubin, there are some natural processes that will happen to cause the infrastructure or the architecture to collapse," he said. "It's good that there are some plans for restoration and repair."
Keeping Ubin's old school charm
The New Paper AsiaOne 6 Dec 14;
When a place is known for being rustic and laid-back, how do you improve it and still retain that old school charm?
Thousands of people who live in or have been to Pulau Ubin have come up with more than 2,000 ideas on how the National Parks Board (NParks) can do just that.
The ideas range from protecting the biodiversity and heritage of the island to supporting educational and nature-based recreational activities there.
Studies will begin on how to solve a massive shoreline erosion in the northern edge of the 10.2 sq km island.
Noordin Beach was closed last year for public safety and studies will be carried out to determine the main causes of the erosion and ways to rectify it.
About 3,000 trees will be planted in the western tip of the island in an area known as Tanjong Tajam, where a large part of the forested area was destroyed due to forest fires during the drought in March.
More boardwalks with lookout points will be built to let visitors get up close to the island's plants and animals.
While some of the suggestions will need to be implemented soon due to pressing needs, others are still being discussed.
The Friends of Ubin Network (Fun) was also formed in March to facilitate discussions between members of the public and the authorities.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited the island on Ubin Day, reinstated for the first time since 2003. Fun had suggested bringing it back this year.
Mr Lee said: "I've accumulated many good memories of Ubin, like many Singaporeans. And I hope our children, too, will also have the chance to do the same as they grow up."
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