New biodiversity research facility on Pulau Ubin: Desmond Lee

A new facility will be set up on Pulau Ubin to support biodiversity research, says Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee. Phase one of the development will be opened by the end of 2015.
Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia 14 Jun 15;

SINGAPORE: A new facility to support biodiversity research and floating wetlands to attract new species will be opened on Pulau Ubin by the end of 2015, announced Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee announced on Ubin Day on Saturday (Jun 13).

More than 1,500 people gathered on Pulau Ubin to celebrate Ubin Day and partake in a weekend of games, cultural events and activities. Among them were some 1,000 Siglap residents including National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan.

The island is known for its rustic charm and the diversity of its flora and fauna. Several initiatives were announced last year by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to better protect and enhance the nature and heritage spaces.

The Ubin Living Lab is among the initiatives announced and will be situated at the former Celestial Resort, which consists of 25 buildings.

Two of the buildings will undergo restoration and be transformed into seminar rooms, classrooms, a field laboratory and a 12-bed facility. It will be open to schools, community groups and researchers.

"A lot of researchers are not being able to store the samples they've collected, not having the facilities to do proper research and identification of species. They have to go back to the mainland," said Mr Lee.

"If they have Ubin Living Lab, they can operate out of this facility and thereby enable them to better study and better support our biodiversity."

Mr Lee said a feasibility study is being carried out for Phase two of the development. This includes having a jetty to accommodate a large group of students, and an outdoor classroom.

Other new features are bat houses at two locations and floating wetlands on the Pekan Quarry.

The base of the wetland will be a floating mat through which roots are able to grow. The second layer will be made of woven coconut fibres which are permeable and can yet hold nutrients and the top-most layer will have plants of different height, all of which will come together to mimic a natural island.

The quarry is currently a habitat for herons but National Parks hopes the wetlands will also be ideal for birds like kingfishers, as well as frogs and dragonflies.

A group called "Friends of Ubin Network’, or Fun, has developed a code of conduct to preserve the island’s heritage and biodiversity. Its five tenets include respecting and bonding with the community and being considerate towards the island.

Volunteers intend to impart these points to children and other people who visit. These values will also be put up on signboards around the island.

- CNA/ec

Integrated lab facility on Pulau Ubin to be ready by end 2015
AsiaOne 13 Jun 15;
SINGAPORE - A new Ubin Living Lab with facilities for students and researchers, new bat houses, as well as floating wetlands prototypes, are some of the new installations that visitors can expect on Pulau Ubin by the end of the year.

Rolled out under The Ubin Project, the Ubin Living Lab was unveiled by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last November, in conjunction with his launch of Ubin Day 2014, according to a media release by Ministry of National Development (MND).

The Ubin Project was launched in March 2014 by MND to gather public feedback and work with the community to preserve and sensitively enhance the island. The aim is to keep Pulau Ubin an enjoyable rustic destination for the public.

At the two-day Ubin Day event on Saturday, Minister of State for National Development Mr Desmond Lee said since the project was launched, many Singaporeans have come forward to share ideas on how to "sensitively enhance Ubin and keep it rustic".

Mr Lee said: "With the development of the Ubin Living Lab, various species recovery and habitat enhancement programmes and cultural mapping initiatives."

Ubin Day is a community event which celebrates the different facets of the island, organised by more than 20 community groups including Team Seagrass, Nature Society (Singapore) and Butterfly Circle.

The event is also supported and facilitated by relevant agencies.

Ubin Day was first held in 2002, this is the fourth time that the event is being organised.

At the event, Mr Lee also encouraged participants of Ubin Day 2015 to adopt the "Ubin Way", a Code of Conduct guiding ecologically and socially responsible behaviour on the island.

By following the "Ubin Way", Mr Lee said the island can remain a familiar and rustic destination for current and future generations of Singaporeans.

Visitors to the island this weekend can participate in Ubin Day with activities such as guided nature walks, bird watching, mangrove and quarry kayaking, and coastal clean-ups.

NParks to build 'homes' on Pulau Ubin for bats, birds and other creatures
CHEW HUI MIN Straits Times 14 Jun 15;

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of National Development is concerned not just with housing Singaporeans, but also other rarer species.

The National Parks Board (NParks) will be installing bat houses and other "homes" for animals on Pulau Ubin, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan revealed on the Ministry's official blog on Sunday (June 14).

"Singaporeans love Pulau Ubin for its lush greenery, rustic landscape and laid-back charm. Animals are fond of Ubin too," he wrote on a blog entry titled "Ubin is for all".

The bat houses are meant for two species to roost in: the Ashy Roundleaf Bat, a native of Ubin, and the Lesser False Vampire Bat, which is found only in Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong.

"We are also making provisions to encourage nesting for three uncommon bird species - the Red-wattled Lapwing, the Baya Weaver and the Blue-throated Bee-eater," he added.

NParks will also be installing floating wetland units at the Pekan Quarry.

Other resident species including herons, crakes, rails, kingfishers, dragonflies, and frogs will benefit from the programmes as they can look forward to more nesting and roosting sites, Mr Khaw said.

Plans for new Living Lab on Pulau Ubin unveiled at Ubin Day 2015
NParks Press Release 13 Jun 2015

Community groups celebrate the adoption of “Ubin Way”


13 June 2015 - A new Ubin Living Lab with facilities for students and researchers, new bat houses, as well as floating wetlands prototypes, are some of the new installations that visitors can expect on Pulau Ubin by end 2015 (Please see media factsheet for details.)

Rolled out under The Ubin Project, these initiatives were first unveiled by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last year, in conjunction with his launch of Ubin Day 2014 in November last year.

Ubin Day is a community event which celebrates the different facets of the island, organised by more than 20 community groups including Team Seagrass, Nature Society (Singapore) and Butterfly Circle, and supported and facilitated by relevant agencies. First held in 2002, this is the fourth time Ubin Day is being organised.

At the event, Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee also encouraged participants of Ubin Day 2015 - which include volunteers, nature groups, grassroots leaders and residents of Siglap - to adopt the “Ubin Way”, a Code of Conduct guiding ecologically and socially responsible behaviour on the island, so that the island can remain a familiar and rustic destination for current and future generations of Singaporeans. Initiated and drawn up by nature lovers, grassroots leaders, Ubin operators, educators and volunteers, the “Ubin Way” encourages visitors to:

Relive and experience the kampong lifestyle
Appreciate and conserve our cultural heritage
Discover and cherish the diversity of nature
Respect one another and bond with the community
Care for Ubin, and be considerate towards its environment

“Since the launch of The Ubin Project, many Singaporeans have come forward to share with us their ideas on how we can sensitively enhance Ubin and keep it rustic. By the end of this year, we can see some of these ideas come to fruition, with the development of the Ubin Living Lab, various species recovery and habitat enhancement programmes and cultural mapping initiatives. But, what make the island truly special are our people - the residents, volunteers and visitors – who activate, discover and celebrate the island. I hope that everyone who visits Ubin will embrace the Ubin Way, so that the island will remain a special place for all Singaporeans, where our children and their children can build lasting memories” said MOS Lee.

This year, the annual Siglap Day was held in conjunction with Ubin Day. Guest-of-Honour Minister Khaw, together with Ministers of State for National Development Desmond Lee and Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman (also Adviser to East Coast GRC Grassroots Organisations), spent the afternoon on the island with Siglap residents participating in various Ubin Day 2015 activities and reliving the kampong experience. Some of the other activities organised by Siglap grassroots organisations include a showcase of a Malay wedding, and tours of House 363B (a traditional Chinese Kampong House) and the Sensory Trail.

The Ubin Day 2015 will take place on 13 and 14 June. The event is open to public. Visitors can participate in activities such as guided nature walks, birdwatching, mangrove and quarry kayaking, and coastal clean-ups at the event.

The Ubin Project Partnerships and Sponsors
NParks Press Release 13 Jun 2015

The Ubin Project has received strong support of sponsors, enabling outreach and conservation projects to be conducted on Pulau Ubin. With the generous contributions of these partners and sponsors, future generations of Singaporeans can continue to enjoy the island’s rustic charm, natural environment, biodiversity and heritage.

Some of the initiatives supported by our partners include:

Nature Gallery, children’s book and tree planting supported by HSBC

HSBC has pledged a sum of $170,000 to support conservation and education projects at Pulau Ubin. This sum will go towards refreshed educational displays at the Nature Gallery, a children’s book about Pulau Ubin, and the planting of trees on the island

Habitat enhancement efforts supported by Syngenta

Syngenta has contributed a sum of $30,000 to support reforestation and planting efforts at Ketam and the foothills directly below 363B home. These activities will be carried out later this year.

Plant-A-Tree Programme

Since 2013, many organisations have supported reforestation efforts at Pulau Ubin by supporting the Garden City Fund’s Plant-A-Tree Programme.

These organisations include:

TTJ Design and Engineering Pte Ltd [50 trees, 2015]
Burea Veritas Marine (Singapore Pte Ltd) [50 trees, 2014]
Norinchukin Bank [50 trees, 2014]
StarHub [50 trees, 2013]