Best of our wild blogs: 16 Feb 15

Identify and track key future trends with the Futures Centre
from Green Business Singapore

Batik Golden Web Spider (Nephila antipodiana) @ Sungei Buloh
from Monday Morgue

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Johor fire brings light haze to north-eastern areas

Today Online 15 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE — After reports of hazy conditions in the east over the past few days, a light haze and burnt smell lingered in the air over Sengkang, Hougang and Serangoon early this morning (Feb 15), causing some to wonder if the smog had returned.

As it turned out, the cause was a fire at a landfill site in southern Johor.

In an advisory tonight, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said its Malaysian counterparts confirmed that a bush fire last Thursday evening had affected one of the cells at the landfill in Pasir Gudang in southern Johor.

The Malaysian authorities said they were working to put out the fire in the area and cap burnt areas with soil to prevent fires from recurring, it added. “They are monitoring the situation closely, to prevent the fire from spreading further.”

The air quality in Singapore remained in the moderate range today, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) ranging between 55 and 70 at 9pm. Readings peaked at 73 in the southern region at 9am, easing to 70 at 9pm.

“NEA will continue to monitor the air quality readings and notify the public if there are any changes to the PSI,” the agency said.

In a Facebook post tonight, Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the Malaysian authorities are still trying to resolve the problem. “We stand ready to assist if requested,” he added.

Last October, the NEA said the threat of serious haze appeared to have been averted for the year, with the onset of the inter-monsoon season signalling the end of the traditionally dry period in the region. But last month turned out to be drier than usual for the second year running, with the dry phase of the North-east Monsoon setting in prematurely. Last Friday, some people reported hazy skies and a burning smell in eastern areas such as Pasir Ris, Tampines and Bedok.

Slight haze in Singapore caused by fire in Malaysian landfill
AsiaOne 15 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE - Slight haze in Singapore over the past few days was caused by a fire started at a landfill site at Pasir Gudang in Malaysia, said Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan in a Facebook post on Sunday night.

He said that the fire started last Thursday and smoke from it was blown to Singapore by north-east winds.

Pasir Gudang is an industrial town east of Johor Baru.

Dr Balakrishnan said the Malaysian authorities are still trying to resolve the problem.

"We stand ready to assist if requested," he said in his post.

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Sengkang, Hougang, Serangoon residents complain of haze and smoke smell

Channel NewsAsia 15 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE: Some residents in Sengkang, Hougang and Serangoon complained of haze and the smell of smoke on Sunday morning (Feb 15).

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said that these could be due to localised fires in southern Johor, blown to Singapore by the prevailing northeasterly winds. It said it is in touch with its Malaysian counterparts for their reports on the situation there. The NEA said it stands ready to provide assistance if requested.

This comes after hazy conditions were reported in the Eastern part of Singapore on Feb 13.

The air quality in Singapore remains in the moderate range. NEA will continue to monitor the air quality readings and notify the public if there are any changes to the PSI. For updates, you can go to the NEA website at www.nea.gov.sg, the haze microsite at www.haze.gov.sg or NEA Facebook (www.facebook.com/NEASingapore) and NEA Twitter (@NEAsg).

- CNA/ir

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Pasir Ris is third HDB town to have cycling path network

Olivia Siong, Channel NewsAsia 15 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE: Pasir Ris is now the third town in Singapore, after Tampines and Sembawang, to have its own cycling path network. It is part of the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) plans to build such networks in all HDB towns by 2030.

The network aims to make cycling safer and more seamless for residents. Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, officially opened the completed network on Sunday (Feb 15).

The new cycling paths add 9.3 kilometres to the existing network, which had been built by the town council previously. This brings the total length of the cycling network to 13.3 kilometres.

The town council had started building cycling tracks in the early 2000s, but Mr Teo said this had imposed many impediments on cyclists and did not cover the whole town. This resulted in the cycling tracks not being well utilised.

Residents can now cycle from their homes to places like Pasir Ris MRT station, the bus interchange, White Sands shopping centre, and other key amenities. They can also ride to adjacent towns like Tampines and Changi Village through the park connectors.

Residents told Channel NewsAsia the new cycling paths could ensure the safety of cyclists.

"In the past, there was no proper path just for cycling, so sometimes we bumped into each other. But now it's much better,” commented Pasir Ris resident Mdm Heng Meng Jee.

"It was difficult to pass by the cars or the motorcycles while cycling on the side of the roads. But now that they put the cycling path on the pedestrian side, so it's much easier and much safer," said Mr Dariush Taheri, who has lived in Pasir Ris for seven years and cycles three times a week.

Bicycle crossings have also been built at two traffic light junctions at Pasir Ris Drive 3 and Drive 1, where cycling traffic to and from the town centre is heavier. The bicycle crossings run adjacent to the pedestrian crossings and cyclists will not need to dismount to cross the road.

But Mr Teo also called on road users to look out for each other even as the Transport Ministry is currently working on developing clear rules and norms for cyclists.

"Given that Singapore has land constraints, we are not that big. It is not possible to build dedicated cycling paths for all popular routes everywhere,” said Mr Teo. “So there will be situations, many situations where pedestrians, those walking and cyclists need to cross paths or to share space, and we want to avoid accidents as far as possible.”

“The less vulnerable should look out for and give way to the more vulnerable. Those who are more vulnerable should also be aware of their own vulnerability,” he added.

LTA said it is on track to bring dedicated cycling paths to more HDB towns. Yishun residents will be the next to benefit, with their dedicated cycling path network expected to be completed by the second quarter of this year. Works will also start in Taman Jurong and Changi-Simei, with completion expected by the end of this year.

- CNA/by/xq

Pasir Ris the third town to get cycling path network
YVONNE LIM Today Online 16 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE — Pasir Ris is now the third town in Singapore to have its own network of dedicated cycling paths, after Tampines and Sembawang.

With the network spanning 13.3km, residents can use their two-wheelers to get to main amenities in the town, such as the MRT station, bus interchange and White Sands mall.

Cyclists can now also ride to nearby towns, such as Tampines and Changi Village, through the park connectors.

The Government plans to build intra-town cycling paths in all Housing and Development Board (HDB) towns by 2030. The project aims to make it safer and more convenient for people to opt for this green mode of transport.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) also plans to build cycling paths that are integrated with the National Parks Board’s Park Connector Networks. Together, the two will form an islandwide, off-road cycling path network spanning more than 700km by 2030.

In December last year, a comprehensive blueprint was unveiled to transform Ang Mo Kio into the model town for being bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly by 2018.

Preliminary ideas include narrowing roads to slow motorists down, carving out an extensive network of dedicated paths segregating pedestrians and two-wheelers, as well as a 2.6km-long all-weather channel spanning Yio Chu Kang MRT Station and Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park for pedestrians and cyclists.

One of these ideas, signalised bicycle crossings, has been put in place in Pasir Ris. Cyclists can now cross roads without dismounting, using dedicated crossings next to pedestrian crossings on Pasir Ris Drive 3 and Drive 1, which see more traffic to and from the city centre.

Cycling “ambassadors” have also been designated to educate residents on safe and responsible cycling.

At the launch of the Pasir Ris cycling network yesterday, Parliamentary Secretary (Transport and Health) Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said a set of rules and norms for cycling conduct and behaviour was being pieced together.

“With these in place, I believe more people would find it safer and more convenient to cycle as a mode of transport, especially for short trips within the HDB town,” he said.

Meanwhile, the LTA said residents in Yishun can also expect new dedicated cycling paths by the second quarter, while those in Taman Jurong and Changi-Simei will see cycling path networks completed by the end of this year.

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Madagascar’s New Shark Sanctuary Protects 19 Shark Species

Environment News Wire 13 Feb 15;

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, February 13, 2015 (ENS) – The New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society has assisted the Government of Madagascar to create the country’s first marine sanctuary for sharks as part of a new law to safeguard the country’s marine resources and the communities that rely on them.

At a news conference held in the capital Antananarivo February 2, government officials announced the law establishing a shark sanctuary in Antongil Bay while granting coastal communities exclusive use and management rights for local fishing areas.

The new shark sanctuary is inhabited by 19 species of sharks. A third of these species, including the great hammerhead shark and the zebra shark, are now threatened by unregulated fishing.

The new law restricts international fishing boats from operating in Antongil Bay, a 1,446-square-mile body of water slightly larger than Long Island Sound.

“With the support from Wildlife Conservation Society, we chose a participatory and collaborative approach for the development of this law and management plan and we opted for the search for a balance between fishing activities and ecological integrity to ensure rational and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources,” said Minister of Marine Resources and Fisheries Sem Ahmad.

The Wildlife Conservation Society has been working in Madagascar for over two decades, a partnership that resulted in the new shark sanctuary.

Alison Clausen, country director of the WCS Madagascar Program, said, “Long-term strategic alliances and partnerships forged with local communities, government agencies such as the Ministry of Marine Resources and Fisheries, and stakeholders during two decades of field presence of WCS investing in wildlife protection and sustainable natural resources management in Antongil Bay is key to this success.”

Madagascar’s local fisheries provide livelihoods and food security for hundreds of thousands of some of the poorest coastal communities in the world. The new law will facilitate a system of co-management between communities, fishers, and government to manage their local fish populations.

The new law legally empowers local communities to manage nearshore fishing grounds through a growing network of locally managed marine areas (LMMAs), 25 of which have already been established with the support of WCS.

The regulations of these areas, including no-take marine reserves and temporary closures, are locally designed and enforced.

By securing management and use rights of LMMAs for local communities for the first time in Madagascar, the law aims to transform marine resources from open access areas that typically result in short-term exploitation at the expense of long-term sustainability to exclusive access for local fishers, who can reap the benefits of managing their own marine resources.

The law also establishes collaborative arrangements between artisanal and industrial fishers, civil society, and government to work together on the sustainable management of fisheries in Antongil Bay.

The regulatory changes build on previous initiatives to decentralize the management of marine resources and establish local fisheries management plans and collaborative management arrangements.

At the 2014 IUCN World Parks Congress, President of Madagascar Hery Rajaonarimampianina said Madagascar “already [has] positive models of locally managed marine areas, of which Madagascar is proud to be a pioneer in the Western Indian Ocean region.”

He emphasized his commitment “to establish legal and regulatory frameworks for community management of marine and coastal resources.”

Venor Rason is a local fisherman and president of the community association managing the LMMA of Analanjahana in the southern part of Antongil Bay. “We are very pleased to hear that this new law that we helped develop has been released,” he said. “It will help us manage sustainably our marine resources by limiting the number of small-scale and industrial fishers allowed to fish in the bay and by delivering fishing licenses to local professional fishers.”

Dr. Ambroise Brenier, marine technical director of the WCS Madagascar Program, said, “This pilot initiative will reduce coral reef degradation, improve abundance of endangered species of sharks, and sustain fisheries yields with long-term livelihoods and food security benefits thanks to restored fish stocks potentially reaching 100,000 coastal inhabitants living around Antongil Bay.”

“WCS looks forward to working with the Government of Madagascar to implement this new pilot fisheries co-management initiative in Antongil Bay and promote its replication to other sites,” Clausen said.

The WCS Madagascar Program works to ensure the long-term conservation of the country’s unique biological diversity with a focus on activities in Antongil Bay and other priority landscapes and seascapes such as Makira Natural Park, Masoala National Park, Nosy Be seascape and the Toliara seascape.

The Wildlife Conservation Society manages about 500 conservation projects in more than 60 countries; and educates millions of visitors at the five institutionsit manages in New York City including: the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo.

WCS’s field work in Madagascar was supported in part by The Helmsley Charitable Trust and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

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Best of our wild blogs: 15 Feb 15

Life History of the Blue Nawab
from Butterflies of Singapore

Night Walk At Lower Peirce Reservoir (13 Feb 2015)
from Beetles@SG BLOG

Plantain Squirrel eats Aristolochia acuminata fruit
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Golden Spider
from My Nature Experiences

Identify and track key future trends with the Futures Centre
from Green Future Solutions

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Two-year project to survey Bukit Timah reserve's flora and fauna to start in March

FENG ZENGKUN Straits Times 14 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE - Singapore will be conducting a year-long survey of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve's animals and plants starting from March, and the results will be published in March 2017.

The comprehensive effort is timely as the last time the reserve was surveyed on a similar scale was almost 20 years ago, between 1993 and 1997, said the National Parks Board (NParks) on Saturday.

"The findings will provide us with a sound basis for the systematic long-term monitoring and management of the reserve, and help us ensure a sustainable nature reserve for future generations to enjoy," said Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee at an event.

The survey will include NParks staff, scientists from academic institutions and people with expertise in some of the wildlife. It will focus on key groups of animals and plants that are crucial to the rainforest ecosystem, such as mammals, reptiles, butterflies, fishes, spiders, birds, amphibians, dragonflies and aquatic invertebrates. The work will also include the reserve's primary forest, which includes one of the largest forest patches in Singapore that has never been cleared by people.

Researchers and experts who were involved in the 1993-1997 survey will also be roped in. They include Mr Khew Sin Khoon, an architect who is an avid butterfly enthusiast and photographer. He is also author of the book, Field Guide To The Butterflies Of Singapore.

The reserve has at least 40 per cent of Singapore's native flora despite occupying only 0.2 per cent of its land. It is home to more than 840 species of flowering plants and more than 500 species of animals, including the rare and native ones like the Singapore Freshwater Crab.

On Saturday, MND's Mr Lee also launched a new coffee table book, Rainforest in a City, which was written by NParks volunteer Dr Chua Ee Kiam and published by the agency. Mr Lee also planted a tree as part of reforestation efforts at the new Windsor Nature Park, will be opened in 2016.

Bukit Timah reserve's flora and fauna to be surveyed
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 15 Feb 15;

Nearly 20 years after the last major survey of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, one of Singapore's most important ecological oases will come under scrutiny again.

A two-year project to survey the reserve's plant and animal life will begin next month, with the results expected to be published in 2017.
The findings will be used for the long-term management of the reserve, which has at least 40 per cent of Singapore's native flora and fauna despite occupying only 0.2 per cent of the island.

"The findings will provide us with a sound basis for the systematic long-term monitoring and management of the reserve, and help us ensure a sustainable nature reserve for future generations to enjoy," said Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee, who announced the project yesterday.

The new effort is timely as the last time the reserve was surveyed on a similar scale was almost 20 years ago, between 1993 and 1997, said the National Parks Board (NParks).

The reserve is home to more than 840 species of flowering plants and more than 500 species of animals, including rare and native ones like the Singapore freshwater crab.

Public access to the reserve has been limited since last year for workers to carry out repair and restoration works.

The survey will focus on key groups of animals and plants that are crucial to the rainforest ecosystem.

It will also involve researching the reserve's primary forest, which includes one of the largest forest patches in Singapore that has never been cleared by people.

The project will involve NParks staff, scientists from academic institutions and people with expertise in some of the wildlife.

Researchers and experts involved in the 1990s survey will be roped in. They include Mr Khew Sin Khoon, an architect who is an avid butterfly enthusiast and photographer. He is also author of the Field Guide To The Butterflies Of Singapore.

Nature Society president Shawn Lum, who helped to survey primary forest tree species in the reserve in the 1990s work, plans to study the younger trees and saplings this time around to see if the forest is regenerating itself. He has already been doing this work as part of his own research with the National Institute of Education.

"This survey will be better than the last one as there are more people involved, and those returning have also become more experienced. The 1990s project was more of a warm-up," he said.

NParks to start 2-year survey of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
AsiaOne 14 Feb 15;
SINGAPORE - The National Parks Board (NParks) will be conducting a two-year-long biodiversity survey of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) in March this year.

This is to better understand the conservation status and distribution of plants and animals in the 163-hectare reserve, said NParks in a statement released on Saturday.

NParks staff, scientists from academic institutions and individuals with knowledge of some of the taxonomic groups will be undertaking the survey.

The BTNR survey will focus on key groups of animals such as mammals, reptiles, butterflies, fishes, spiders, birds, amphibians, dragonflies, and aquatic invertebrates and plants that are integral to the rainforest ecosystem.

Previously, ad-hoc research and surveys on varied species were carried out by different researchers, organisations and NParks.

NParks said that this new survey will build upon past findings, as well as the information found from a 1993 survey.

To facilitate continuity and comparability of data, researchers and experts in the field who were involved in the 1993 survey will be involved in this new survey.

The results from this survey will be used for long-term monitoring and management of BTNR which contains at least 40 per cent of Singapore's native flora and fauna.

The BTNR is home to more than 840 flowering plants and over 500 species of animals, which include rare and native species such as the Singapore Freshwater Crab, the Colugo and the Straw-headed Bulbul.

NParks added that the last time a survey of similar scale was conducted some 20 years ago between 1993 and 1997.

Results of the new survey will be published in March 2017.

New nature park at Upper Thomson to be ready by end 2016
Eileen Poh Channel NewsAsia 14 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE: The 75-hectare Windsor Nature Park at Upper Thomson will be ready by end-2016, with works for the site expected to start by the middle of this year, the National Parks Board (NParks) said in a statement issued on Saturday (Feb 14).

The area is currently a forested plot of land, bounded by Venus Drive and Island Club Road. It is also adjacent to private homes at Venus Road and serves as one of the entrances to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

The park is one of the four new nature parks which will serve as buffers to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. The other three include Springleaf, which opened to the public in November 2014, Chestnut and Thomson Nature Parks. NParks said works for the Chestnut Nature Park have commenced in 2014, and the park will be completed by end-2016, while plans for Thomson Nature Park are still in early stages.

These parks will help to "reduce visitorship pressure on the nature reserves," said NParks, by providing "alternative venues" for the public to enjoy nature-related activities

Enhancement works at the park include the building of boardwalks to complement the existing trails, NParks said. The total trail length in the park will also be expanded to 4.1km, and reforestation will be carried out.

Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee said: "Apart from being places for recreation and exercise, and some romantic hand-holding on a moonlit night, nature parks serve as green buffers for the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve as well as the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, in the sense that they help to reduce visitorship pressure on the core nature reserves by providing alternative green spaces for people to visit."

The plans are part of the Government's approach to strengthen biodiversity conservation in Singapore's nature reserves. To this end, Mr Lee announced that NParks would be starting a two-year comprehensive biodiversity survey in March for the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

The last time a survey of similar scale, covering the entire 163-hectare nature reserve, was conducted was nearly two decades ago between 1993 and 1997.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is home to 840 flowering plants and over 500 species of animals. These include rare and native species such as the Singapore Freshwater Crab and the Colugo.

NParks, which will be leading the surveying team comprising scientists from local academic institutions and volunteers with professional knowledge of some of the species, said results from the survey will help them better manage the reserve.

Dr Lena Chan, director of NParks' National Biodiversity Centre, said: "For example, areas that have animals that are more sensitive to the public, then it's an area where it is best that we don't have so many visitors.

"And areas where we find that the species are more people-friendly, then we can allow for more visitors to go to those areas. Hence the survey allows us to say, these are the areas where you have trails, these are the areas where there might not be so many trails."

The survey will extend into the primary forest core, which contains one of the largest forest patches in Singapore that has never been cleared by man.

Results of the survey will be shared in the second quarter of 2017. Information from this latest survey will help NParks to continue to "sensitively manage" the nature reserve, first established in 1883, NParks said.

- CNA/rw/al

NParks to Start New Comprehensive Survey of BTNR
Nparks News Release

14 February 2015 – Today, Minister of State for National Development, Desmond Lee announced that the National Parks Board (NParks) will be starting a two year comprehensive biodiversity survey in March 2015, to better understand the conservation status and distribution of plants and animals in the 163-hectare Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR). The last time a survey of similar scale, covering the entire BTNR, was conducted was some 20 years ago between 1993 and 1997. Information gathered from this latest survey will help NParks to continue to sensitively manage this ASEAN Heritage Park, which was first established as a Nature Reserve in 1883.

This survey will be undertaken by NParks staff, scientists from academic institutions and individuals with domain knowledge of some of the taxonomic groups. The BTNR Survey will focus on key groups of animals and plants that are integral to the rainforest ecosystem. For animals, these include mammals, reptiles, butterflies, fishes, spiders, birds, amphibians, dragonflies, and aquatic invertebrates. The survey will extend into the primary forest core, which contains one of the largest forest patches in Singapore that has never been cleared by man. HSBC has pledged a donation and staff volunteers' support for the survey.

Over the years, ad-hoc research and surveys on varied species have been carried out by different researchers, organisations and NParks, allowing for substantial knowledge and expertise to be built up for the various taxonomic groups. This new survey will build upon this knowledge, as well as the baseline information gleaned from the 1993 Survey. It will delve deeper, focusing on interactions between a larger variety of taxonomic groups and harness new technology such as updated GIS for analysis.

To facilitate continuity and comparability of data, researchers and experts in the field who were involved in the 1993 Survey will be involved in this new survey. The results from this survey will be used for systematic long-term monitoring and management of BTNR which contains at least 40% of Singapore’s native flora and fauna even though it occupies only 0.2% of its land area.

BTNR is home to more than 840 flowering plants and over 500 species of animals. This includes rare and native species such as the Singapore Freshwater Crab (Johora singaporensis), the Colugo (Galeopterus variegatus) and the Straw-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus).

New Coffee Table Book “Rainforest in a City”

Many of the animals found in BTNR were featured in a new coffee table book launched by Mr Lee today. Published by NParks and written by Dr Chua Ee Kiam, an active NParks volunteer and passionate nature writer-photographer, the “Rainforest in a City” is a 200-page book that showcases the habitats and unique biodiversity of BTNR and CCNR. Featuring some 477 photographs taken by Dr Chua and his team of over a hundred photographers and contributors, the book provides interesting details of more than 200 species of animals and more than 80 species of plants. The book highlights many species that have rarely, if ever, been photographed before. In celebration of Singapore’s golden jubilee, a special section pays tribute to plants and animals that are named after Singapore, or found only here. (See Media Factsheet – Coffee Table Book: Rainforest in a City for more information)

Mr Lee shared, “Flipping through this book, I was captivated by the myriad of fascinating plants and animals captured through the lenses of Dr Chua and his photography buddies. This is photographic evidence of the rich biodiversity that exists in our nature reserves. … It is timely to embark on another survey of our nature reserves now. I am happy to announce that NParks has initiated the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Comprehensive Survey, which will be carried out over two years beginning this March. … The findings will form a sound basis for systematic long-term monitoring and management of the nature reserve, and help us to ensure a sustainable nature reserve for future generations to enjoy.” (to check against delivery)

Planting trees as part of reforestation efforts for the new Windsor Nature Park

The announcement of the new BTNR Survey was made at a reforestation activity at the site of the new 75-hectare Windsor Nature Park. Together with grassroots advisor Hri Kumar and some 200 residents, NParks volunteers and school students, Mr Lee planted 100 trees to enhance the forest habitat there. Works on the new nature park will commence in mid-2015 and be completed in late 2016.

The current 75-hectare site is largely forested and rich in biodiversity. It serves as a habitat to many animals, both native and migratory. These include frogs, squirrels, dragonflies and damselflies. The freshwater streams in Venus Drive are also home to many native species such as the Malayan Forest Betta (Betta pugnax), the Common Barb (Puntius binotatus) and the Tree Fern (Cyathea latebrosa).

The intent is to sensitively enhance the forest habitats and restore existing trails. One such enhancement will be the inclusion of boardwalks to complement existing trails. Basic amenities such as restrooms and shelters will also be provided. (See Media Factsheet – Windsor Nature Park for more information)

Windsor Nature Park is one of four new nature parks which will serve as green buffers to the CCNR. These parks will help to reduce visitorship pressure on the nature reserves by providing interesting alternative venues for the public to enjoy nature-related activities. The development of these nature parks is part of a holistic approach to conserve the biodiversity in Singapore’s nature reserves.

The other three new nature parks that were recently announced to serve as buffers to the CCNR are Springleaf, Chestnut and Thomson Nature Parks. Springleaf Nature Park was officially opened in November 2014. Works for the new 80-hectare Chestnut Nature Park have commenced since the end of year, and the park will be completed by the third quarter of 2016. Plans for Thomson Nature Park are still in the early stages, and will be shared at a later date.

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Nightly buzz at Jurong for the catch of the day

Danson Cheong The Straits Times AsiaOne 13 Feb 15;

IT IS just past midnight and as the rest of Singapore winds down, the lights and motors in a little corner of Jurong are just getting started and revved.

Tucked away in Singapore's west end, the Jurong Fishery Port is abuzz with activity through the wee hours of the morning.

In a 200m-long carpark, forklifts carrying carts of ice zoom about while shirtless men, covered in the salt of their sweat and the sea, drag crates full of the day's catch.

The 46-year-old Jurong Fishery Port is Singapore's oldest and largest seafood wholesale market, where seafood comes fresh off the boats.

Last year, 51,200 tonnes of seafood passed through the market and its stalls.

Everything from red snapper to milkfish to prawns to flower crabs to even Norwegian salmon is sold here.

Scouring the 9,000 sq m cement-floor space are buyers from large supermarket chains such as Sheng Siong, along with fishmongers from neighbourhood wet markets. The latter drive their pickup trucks across the island to the fishery port to buy some of the 200 tonnes of seafood available each day.

Many of them have been fishmongers for decades. Among them are 53-year-old twin sisters Loh May Lam and Loh May Hong, who have been running a fish stall at Bukit Timah Market for more than 30 years.

"We like to come here early, so we have more time to look around," said younger sister May Lam, as she prepared her empty styrofoam boxes to be filled with fish. The sisters arrive at the market around 2am every trading day, about an hour before the action starts.
Then they slosh through icy-cold water with other buyers.

The day's catch is laid out on the floor with ice dumped over it to keep it cool. But in Singapore's heat, the ice melts quickly and the fishy-smelling water runs everywhere, in rivulets over slippers and the ubiquitous rubber boots.

"It's a fish market. Some people come here because it's interesting, but for us it's work," said the younger Madam Loh in between dodging Hokkien-yelling porters, who help to carry boxes full of fish, and picking out two baskets of prawns and sotong (Malay for squid). "We don't have a list for what to buy - we get whatever is fresh."

Prices at the market can be up to 20 per cent lower than at wet markets, so on weekends a small crowd of seafood lovers visit the place to haggle and make purchases straight from the wholesalers.

By 5am, the action winds down and most of the workers head to the canteen for breakfast.

The Jurong Fishery Port started operating in 1969 and was last renovated in the 1980s.

There are plans to give the 5.1ha space, which includes a port for docking fishing vessels, a 400m-long wharf and the fish market, a facelift.

But the authorities have not given details on when that would take place or what would be upgraded.

Wholesalers, however, have come up with their own wish lists.

Many hope the fishery port can become a bustling tourist attraction, like Fishermen's Wharf in San Francisco or Tsukiji Market in Tokyo.

"We could add another level to the market and have fish processing services there, and have seafood restaurants for the public," said Mr Lee Boon Cheow, 76, who runs High Tide Frozen Food. He is also president of the Singapore Fish Merchants' General Association.

The fishery port is underutilised, he noted. It is busy from midnight to 6am, but empty at other times. "This is one of the oldest public facilities in Singapore - look at how much Housing Board flats have changed over the years," he said.

Many are hoping the upgrade will attract younger Singaporeans to the industry.

"This is backbreaking work. Young people these days cannot do hard work," said Mr Yang Ah Ming, 72, who works as a porter hauling loads of fish and ice.

He makes about $600 a month dragging loads of between 30kg and 40kg for three hours. "I've been doing it for so long that my hands always smell of fish."

Many of the older fishmongers and wholesalers are worried they might not live to see the new port.

"They've been talking about renovating the place for so long, but it hasn't happened," said Mr Cher Chek Cher, 72, a supervisor at Teo Seng Fish Agency.

"I'm so old already. I don't know if I will be alive to see it."

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Off-the-beaten-track outings

tabla! AsiaOne 13 Feb 15;

Ms Savita Kashyap is executive director of Journeys, a heritage tour company, which operates The Original Singapore Walks. It aims to bring people to the city's best-kept secret places.

She is also a member of a walking group called Jeywalkers which is named after its founder, Jeya Ayadurai, a prominent local historian who heads an associate company, Singapore History Consultants.

The walking group explores the lesser-known corners of Singapore every Sunday.

"We typically walk an average of 12km every time," Ms Kashyap says. These are her recommendations:

The Green Corridor: One of my favourite getaways, the old railway tracks of the former Malayan Railway that ran from Tanjong Pagar station all through Malaysia up to southern Thailand.

We've walked the entire 25km in Singapore up to Woodlands station. The railway line ran through some quiet but beautiful estates.

Today, only two old stations are left standing, Bukit Timah and Tanjong Pagar. My children and husband often join the group when we explore such places.

Southern Ridges: Another favourite with the Jeywalkers is the Southern Ridges area around Pasir Panjang and Alexandra.

We love walking from Kent Ridge Park, taking the various canopy walks and bridges all the way to Mount Faber.

Along the way there are beautiful black and white bungalows dating back to pre-war times in the 1930s. Nearby at Portsdown Road is Colbar, a unique colonial-style cafe run by Mr and Mrs Lim since pre-independence days.

Changi area: Yet another place we return to regularly is the Changi area which feels like Singapore in the '60s with the small and quaint shops at Changi Village and old chalets.

Haw Par Villa: Lastly, my current favourite is Haw Par Villa which was built in 1936 and opened to the public by Mr Aw Boon Haw, the brilliant businessman behind Tiger Balm.

The park has the most unique, even bizarre, sculptures and dioramas reflecting Asian philosophy and culture and Chinese classics.

A walk around this park is not only entertaining but extremely edifying and I love taking visitors there to learn about Asian culture.

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Higher PSI in eastern part of Singapore on Friday

AsiaOne 13 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE - The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in the eastern part of Singapore continued to hit the moderate range on Friday, after complaints of hazy conditions since Thursday night.

According to the National Environment Agency (NEA) website, the 24-hour PSI reading in the east was 79 as of 5pm. The rest of Singapore saw PSI readings between 56 to 63 at 5pm.

Residents living in the eastern part of Singapore have been complaining of a burning smell on Thursday night.

The Straits Times reported that those staying in Siglap, Bedok, Pasir Ris and East Coast Road were affected as early as 6.30pm.

The National Environment Agency showed a PSI level of 79 at 3am on Friday morning while the other regions reflected readings of 21 and below.

The amount of PM2.5 pollutants in the east also peaked at 155 at 3am on Friday, according to the NEA's MyEnb app, before dropping to 51 at 8am. At 2pm, the reading was 22. The PM2.5 reading measures small, toxic particles which can be emitted by forest fires, vehicles, power plants, refineries, ships and aircraft.

The PM2.5 reading for the rest of Singapore was in the range of 20-26 at 2pm, reported The Straits Times.

Twitter users flooded the site with pictures and updates on the haze. @Zhuangg said it "feels like a 300 outside my house" at 2am even though the reported PSI level was 68 then while @jkigay thought there was a "fire accident" in the east.

In response to speculation on fires, The Straits Times said that the Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed at 9.30pm that there had been none reported in the affected areas.

Eastern Singapore stench likely caused by industry or rubbish burning, scientist says
AUDREY TAN Straits Times 13 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE - A strong burning smell detected in eastern Singapore on Thursday evening was likely caused by unusual industrial activity or the burning of rubbish, a research scientist told The Straits Times on Friday.

Residents of Pasir Ris, Tampines and Bedok had complained of the stench, which some described as being like burning plastic.

But research scientist Erik Velasco of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology's Centre for Environmental Sensing and Modelling ruled out haze as a possible cause, saying it was an "isolated event".

"The smoke-haze from fires blanketed, in major or minor proportion, the whole island and not only one region like in this case," he explained.

He believed that the smell could have been caused by the burning of rubbish or unusual industrial activity, such as illegally using material like old tyres, plastic bottles and oil for electric transformers as fuel.

"By 11 am (on Friday), the PM2.5 (a type of pollutant particle) concentration in the east had dropped to typical levels," he said. "However, if the spike on PM2.5 and bad smell occurs again, the authorities will have to investigate the origin."

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Friday that it had contacted its Malaysian counterparts to enquire if any changes have been observed in the air quality in Johor. It added that the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) - a measure of air quality here - has remained in the moderate range.

"NEA will continue to monitor the air quality readings and notify the public if there are any changes to the PSI," a spokesman said. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) also confirmed that there had been no fires reported in the affected areas.

At 9pm on Thursday, the east had a PM2.5 reading of 44, while the north, west and central Singapore hovered at 16. The south had registered a reading of 5.

PM2.5 dropped to 24 in the east at noon on Friday. That hour, the rest of Singapore registered readings ranging from 21 (north) to 34 (south and west). And as of 5pm on Friday, the hourly PM2.5 readings stabilised in the 'good' range across Singapore.

Dr Velasco said the PM2.5 concentration spike in the east is likely to be a "very local emission source" and not caused by wildfires in neighbouring islands.

NEA: Air quality in eastern Singapore remains 'moderate'
Yahoo News 13 Feb 15;

A spokesperson for Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) on Friday said that the air quality in Singapore continues to be “moderate”, in response to queries from Yahoo Singapore.

She also added that NEA has contacted their counterparts in Malaysia to check if any changes to air quality had been observed in Johor.

“NEA will continue to monitor the air quality readings and notify the public if there are any changes to the PSI,” she said.

This comes after the pollutant concentrations index, better known as the PM2.5 reading, spiked in the East area of Singapore overnight on Friday, following complaints from residents in the area of a "burning smell" on Thursday evening.

The one-hour PM2.5 reading in the East area was 97 at 1am, and dropped to 76 before spiking to 155 at 3am. It later fell to 24 at 4am, but at 8am, it shot back up to 51 from 17 at 7am.

PM2.5 readings measure the amount of particulate matter smaller than or equivalent to 2.5 micrometers in size, which are considered to pose the greatest amount of health risk because they can lodge deeply into human lungs.

These levels were all below 22 around the rest of the island overnight, with only the West area showing a reading of 28 at 8am.

On Wednesday evening, residents in Siglap, Pasir Ris, East Coast Road and Bedok reported detecting a "strong burning smell". On Friday morning, commuters travelling from the East noticed hazier-than-usual conditions.

The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in the East was also consistently higher than in the rest of the country, staying well above 70 through the night, and stood at 78 at 8am. Around the North, West, South and central regions, PSI levels hovered mostly below 60.

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Malaysia: Air quality reaches unhealthy levels in Penang

PREDEEP NAMBIAR New Straits Times 12 Feb 15;

GEORGE TOWN: Haze has made its seasonal comeback to Penang, with an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) recorded at the Universiti Sains Malaysia station on the island here today.

With levels peaking slightly over 100 API, the situation is presently the worst in the country, before was Banting, Selangor at 80.

Checks showed that the island was not visible from the Penang Bridge.

As at 1pm today, the API reading on the island stood at 104, rising from a reading of 77 just an hour before.

The readings at the two stations on the mainland remained at moderate levels, with the Perai station recording a level of 58, and the Seberang Jaya 2, Perai station a reading of 74.

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Indonesia: Riau gears up for fires, haze

Rizal Harahap, The Jakarta Post 14 Feb 15;

The Riau provincial administration has kick-started the Haze Disaster Command Station at Roesmin Nurjadin Airport in Pekanbaru as the number of hotspots and forest and land fires has increased and is predicted to keep rising until next month.

Acting Riau governor Arsyadjuliandi “Andi” Rahman said the reactivation of the station was aimed at preventing the forest and land fires from further expanding and causing a haze disaster as occurred early last year.

“Forest and land fire mitigation will be carried out in a cross-sectoral manner and coordinated under a command. The mitigation measures will be jointly discussed and evaluated at the station on a daily basis,” said Andi on Friday.

Despite the further spread of hotspots in Riau, Andi had yet to consider it necessary to raise the status of the mission to the emergency-response level. “We remain in a state of caution. Every regency and city is equipped with a standard forest and land fire mitigation team involving the Indonesian Military, police, prosecutor’s office, Fire Awareness Community and companies, all of which are moving to the field,” said Andi.

He also said it was yet to be necessary for the provincial administration to ask for help from the central government in firefighting efforts. However, he said he would continue to coordinate with the Environment and Forestry Ministry and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) to anticipate emergency situations that might arise.

Andi called on all plantation and forestry companies in Riau to protect their concession areas and immediately put out any fires.

“The Riau provincial administration is never tired of appealing to every element of society to be aware and active to eliminate every potential fire in their respective surroundings because the weather in Riau will be further be dry from February until March,” added Andi.

Based on the latest satellite images issued by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) on Friday, the number of hotspots in Riau had reached 65.

The majority were detected in Bengkalis regency with 43 hotspots, followed by Indragiri Hilir (9), Siak (6), Pelalawan (4), Meranti Islands (2) and Rokan Hilir (1).

“As many as 29 of them have been indicated to be fire spots, with a credibility level of over 70 percent,” said Pekanbaru BMKG information and data division head Slamet Riyadi.

“Despite the increase in the number of hotspots, so far haze has yet to appear and visibility at a number of observation posts still remains at around 6 kilometers, which is normal,” said Slamet.

The weather in Riau is predicted to be bright and cloudy in the next few days with low rain intensity, with rain in the afternoon or evening in the eastern, southern and western parts of the province.

Bengkalis dominates with the highest number of hotspots in the past two weeks, while more than 100 hectares of forest have been razed in regencies directly facing the Malacca Strait.

To maximize firefighting efforts, the Bengkalis regency administration has raised its alert status to the level of forest and land fire emergency alert.

“The fires have been taking place for a month. They have razed a large area and spread to a number of spots so the firefighting teams are facing a big challenge to put them out,” said Bengkalis Regent Herliyan Saleh.

He urged the police to take legal action as the fires were believed to have been started intentionally, to make way for plantations.

Separately, Riau Police chief spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Aryo Tejo said at least 80 personnel had been sent to Bengkalis to help firefighting efforts as well as to investigate whether the cause of the fires was intentional or natural.

Haze from forest and land fires in Sumatra has been an annual problem for almost two decades. In the past few years, haze has begun to move toward Singapore and Malaysia, causing tension between the Indonesian government and its neighbors.

- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/02/14/riau-gears-fires-haze.html#sthash.DCvPqZcG.dpuf

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