Malaysia: Bird lovers call for review of Wildlife Conservation Act

Jastin Ahmad Tarmizi The Star 14 Apr 11;

BIRD lovers, bird catchers and operators of wildlife shops have voiced their concerns about the new Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 to the Wildlife and National Park department (Perhilitan).

The bird lovers are concerned that the Murai Kampung now requires a licence under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 that took affect last year on Dec 28.

The bird lovers, accompanied by Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai voiced their concerns in a dialogue held with Perhilitan over the new Act at the office in Cheras.

“We want to know why we need a licence as it is not a rare or endangered species. We understand if it is a rare or endangered species but Murai Kampung is not a rare species and they breed three times a year,” said a representative of the bird lovers, So Chong Thye.

“This is a Chinese tradition. It is also a century-old hobby and many retired people enjoy this hobby. We want to know how they evaluate which type of wildlife requires licences.

“We do agree with Perhilitan that some licences are required to help with conservation but all these people are bird lovers not smugglers who exploit wildlife,” he said.

“They also have to understand we bird lovers who keep the Murai Kampung only take the male and we do not take babies and the female. We do not cause any problems to the conservation as we do not harm the babies and the females,” he added.

Perhilitan deputy director general Dr Zaaba Zainal Abidin, who was at the dialogue, said the licence imposed was to help with the conservation of the Murai Kampung species.

“Now there might be lot of supply but we see a rising demand, so we have to step in to control the situation. This was decided after consulting many local and international NGOs and agencies. he said.

“The old Act is more on species management while the new one geared towards preventing animal cruelty. There were many problems of animal cruelty and back then, under the old Act we had no authority to punish them as it was not in the law. The laws were not strict enough to conserve wildlife which is why the new Act is a revised version,” he added.

He said a grace period of six months would be given to all those who had not applied for a licence.

“Those who do not have a licence can start to apply for one now. Since the new Act took effect from Dec 28 last year, the last day of the grace period is on June 26. After that we will take action against those who do not have a licence,” said Zaaba.

“We have taken note of the opinions voiced today and we will look into the matter and bring it up to the ministry so they can look into it,” he added.

Tan said representatives of the bird lovers and wildlife traders would prepare a memorandum to Perhilitan over the issue.

“They have already heard the people and they understand their concerns. The representatives of all these bird lovers will prepare a memorandum to be passed to Perhilitan in three weeks,” he said.

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New hope for survival for elusive saola

WWF 14 Apr 11;

Quang Nam, Vietnam: Indochina’s elusive saola, a recently discovered and critically endangered relative of antelopes and cattle, now has new hope for survival with the establishment of a dedicated nature reserve in the province today.

Quang Nam’s People Committee today agreed to the Forestry Protection Department establishing a Saola Natural Reserve in the Annamite mountains along the border of Viet Nam and Laos.

The Saola, described as a primitive member of the bovine family which includes cattle, sheep and antelopes, was discovered only in 1992 by a joint WWF and Vietnam Department of Forestry survey.

Threatened by illegal hunting with snares and dogs for its horns, the current population of saola is thought be to a few hundred at maximum and possibly only a few dozen at a minimum. None have survived in captivity.

Since the species discovery, WWF has worked closely with Vietnamese scientists, protected area staff and rangers and local communities, to understand the species population status and ecological requirements; identify the threats to the Saola and implement conservation actions to reverse its decline.

New reserve creates corridor

In response to the alarming status of the species in the wild, WWF Vietnam has worked with Vietnam’s authorities and agencies to promote the establishment of Saola Nature Reserve in Quang Nam, the Saola Nature Reserve in Thua Thien Hue and to extend Bach Ma National Park.

“The establishment of this new Saola Nature Reserve shows a strong commitment by the Vietnamese Government and Quang Nam Province in the conservation of this highly threatened endemic species,” said Ms. Tran Minh Hien, Country Director of WWF Vietnam.

“This new reserve will create a biodiversity corridor connecting the East of Vietnam to West side of Xe Sap National Park in Laos.”

Protection of the Saola population in this landscape is the highest priority for WWF and provincial authorities. Teams of WWF Forest Guards and FPD rangers are patrolling the nature reserves on a daily basis and have removed thousands of snares and destroyed many illegal hunting camps within the first few months of this new cooperative enforcement programme.

The Saola Natural Reserve in Quang Nam is located in an area where the highest point is 1,298 meters characterised by narrow valleys and water falls which creates ideal habitat for Saola. The establishment of the Nature Reserve will promote the conservation of lowland tropical forest ecosystems in the Annamite mountains, which contain many globally threatened species.

“We believe that, with the guidance from the People’s Committee, related local Departments and the cooperation with WWF, the Management Board will carry out the Saola’s conservation well which will not only help improve the Saola’s survival but also have long term value in developing and maintaining the biodiversity of the area.” said Mr Dang Dinh Nguyen, Director of Quang Nam Provincial Forest Protection Department and also the Acting Director of the Saola Nature Reserve.

'Asian Unicorn' Reserve Created to Protect Mysterious Species
Andrea Mustain LiveScience 14 Apr 11;

A new protected area designed to save one of Earth's most mysterious and elusive creatures has been established in a lush, mountainous region of Vietnam, officials announced today.

The creature, the saola (known colloquially as the "Asian unicorn") is a small, horned animal that resembles a strange goat-antelope hybrid, but is more closely related to a kind of wild cow.

"It's a very beautiful forest ungulate, and really looks like nothing else in Asia," said Barney Long, manager of the Asian species conservation program at the conservation group WWF and a key figure behind the creation of the newly established Saola Natural Reserve, which covers an area about three times the size of Manhattan along the Vietnam-Laos border.

Long said saola first got their mythical nickname a year or so ago — in spite of the fact that the animals have more than one horn. [Related: The World's Freakiest Looking Animals.]

"They obviously have two horns," Long said, laughing, "but it is a cylindrical horn and pretty straight, so if you look at it from the side, it looks a bit like it has one horn."

However, it was chiefly the animal's elusive nature that earned it the fairytale name, Long told OurAmazingPlanet.

"It's so rare to see that it would almost be like seeing a unicorn," he said.

Storybook beasts

Indeed, scientists only discovered the critically endangered species in 1992, making the saola one of the last large mammals discovered on the planet, and one whose population may number in the few hundreds.

Even when Vietnamese scientists first identified the new species, it was only through skulls that villagers showed them in the isolated region of the Annamite Mountains where saola live, an area fit for fairytale creatures. Waterfalls festooned with vines and orchids tumble down steep slopes covered with evergreen rainforests, countless streams clatter over rocky beds, and palms as tall as a man crowd the steamy forest floor.

Adding to the allure and mystery of saola, any creatures taken alive die after just a few weeks in captivity.

Just last year, villagers in Laos captured a male saola. It was the first confirmed sighting of the species in a decade. But the creature died a few days later.

Long said scientists think there are three reasons behind the saola's bizarre and fatal reaction to captivity.

"When they're in captivity they seem to act extremely tame, and they're very open to having people come up to them and touch them," Long said, but explained that the docile behavior is actually a sign of extreme stress. "The animal is freaking out," he said.

In addition, the animals may be injured when captured and are likely fed things — rice, bananas, grass — that aren't part of their natural diet.

Accidental victim

Although saola don't appear to be targeted directly for hunting, they are inadvertent victims in snares set for other wild animals — the wild meat trade, including tiger meat, is big business in Vietnam's restaurants.

Conservation organizations and scientists from around the planet are working to design a method to better study and understand the rare creatures, Long said, and are urging authorities in the region to crack down on poaching.

Today's announcement establishes the fourth protected area in suspected saola range, and Vietnamese officials said the new park is intended to protect not only the Asian unicorn, but to save the other unique species that dwell there.

Long, who spent many years trudging through the Annamite Mountains' wet, tropical forests, said despite the discomfort, heat and dampness, the region is unrivaled in its biodiversity. "It really is an amazing place," he said.

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Tigers could reappear in Kazakhstan under new plan

WWF 14 Apr 11;

Tigers could roam again in Central Asia under a new plan by the Kazakhstan government to reintroduce them in part of the country where they went extinct decades ago.

WWF-Russia, together with the government and experts of the Republic of Kazakhstan announced today a new programme to return tigers to the region.

The plan seeks to relocate Amur tigers from the Russian Far East to suitable habitat in Kazakhstan near the delta of the Ili River, south of Balkhash Lake.

A recent study has shown the tigers from both the Caspian and Amur regions are genetically identical so the translocation of tigers between these areas is a suitable option. The tigers of the Caspian region, which includes Kazakhstan, went extinct because of poaching and habitat loss, but both these threats are now starting to be adequately addressed.

The Caspian or Turan tiger (panthera tigris virgata) was last recorded in the wild in the early 1970s, and there none in captivity, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources’ (IUCN) Red List.

In March 2011, the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Masimov underlined his interest in developing the tiger restoration programme in a meeting with WWF-Russia Director Igor Chestin and WWF Central Asia Programme Head Olga Pereladova.

"We have agreed that WWF and the Ministry of Environment in Kazakhstan will draw up a comprehensive programme to reintroduce the tiger in the area around Lake Balkhash", said Chestin. “With a strong plan and proper protections in place, tigers can again roam the forests and landscapes of Central Asia.”

Research done by Dr. Hartmut Jungius in 2010 showed the Ili River Basin has at least 400,000 hectares of suitable tiger habitat. A separate study has shown the Amur tiger is genetically identical to the Turan tiger.

The Turan tiger has traditionally been an important symbol of the culture of Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

“We congratulate the Kazakhstan government for taking this opportunity to help the tiger,” said Mike Baltzer, Head of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. “Restoring tigers to Central Asia will require building both strong partnerships and a strong protection regime.”

On the heels of good news for tigers

The new initiative comes after an announcement last month by the Indian government that its tiger population had increased, based on a newly completed survey.

The announcement came during a follow-up meeting in India of governments participating in the International Tiger Conservation Forum, or Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia in November 2010 hosted by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The Summit produced the groundbreaking Global Tiger Recovery Programme, an international plan joined by tiger range countries to save the big cat from extinction and double its numbers by 2022.

At the Summit, Prime Minister Putin expressed a willingness to assist Kazakhstan with a tiger reintroduction programme.

Numbering more than 100,000 at the turn of the 20th century, the tiger population today is estimated to be just 3,200, scattered across 13 countries in Asia and the Russian Far East. Tigers have been lost from more than 93 percent of their habitat during this decline, including the area in Kazakhstan where the reintroduction programme is to take place.

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Indonesia: saving mangroves, improving village economy

Elly Burhaini Faizal The Jakarta Post 14 Apr 11;

Wayan Sukitra, 47, recalls a time when degraded mangrove forests in his small fishing village in Jungut Batu in Nusa Lembongan, Bali, allowed seawater to inundate it in high tides. “Seawater could reach our houses and farming land each time the sea level rose,” said Sukitra.

Huge mangrove areas disappeared from Jungut Batu due to massive wood extraction. Villagers used to chop down mangrove trees to make fire for cooking and salt production, important to their economy.

However, coastal erosion caused by mangrove extraction might create new challenges for villagers since they lack dense mangrove forests that act as protective barriers against the ocean.

“Degraded mangrove forests may leave us unprotected against abrasion, ocean waves and even tsunamis,” said Sukitra, adding these forests were also fish habitats that villagers depended upon for their livelihoods.

Mangrove forests in Indonesia reach 3 million hectares or about 23 percent of total mangrove forests in the world, making them the largest share of mangroves on earth. Conserving wetlands, which include mangrove forests and tropical peatland swamps, has become an important issue in reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) due to the fact it is much easier and more cost-effective to protect the wetlands.

“You have to keep in mind that wetlands can store carbon in their soil better than other forest types,” said Sebastian Persch, a researcher from the University of Göttingen, Germany.

Conserving mangrove forests became an essential issue in Jungut Batu from early 2000 when local people began interacting with conservation activists. Sukitra and other villagers, especially school students, then started replanting their degraded mangrove forests in his village.

Since 2005, the community group with its 42 members has developed a “mangrove seedlings bank” where at least 2,000 mangrove seedlings are being cultivated. Replanting mangroves rely on relentless efforts as only 10 percent of replanted mangroves will survive.

Jungut Batu villagers are now using gas stoves for daily activities such as cooking, instead of using mangrove tree branches. More villagers are now working as seaweed farmers. Producing salt gave them only Rp 50,000 (US$5.8) per daywhile working as seaweed farmers enables them to earn at least Rp 100,000 per day.

They are even exploring tourism potentials in their village. With his colleagues, Sukitra developed the “Mangrove Tour”, taking tourists around the mangrove forest with a canoe. A canoe can take four passengers at only Rp 70,000 per trip. There are 33 canoes available, all owned by the villagers.

“It’s good to see our people make livings without destroying the ecosystem,” said Sukitra.

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Substandard dam assessment opens way to fisheries destruction on Mekong

WWF 14 Apr 11;

Bangkok, Thailand: Disruptions to fish migration and food supplies for millions in the Mekong basin are likely if the first mainstream dam on the lower Mekong is allowed to go ahead, WWF predicted as it released expert analysis showing the dam feasibility study and environmental impact assessment failed to address key environmental risks.

The WWF commissioned review – coordinated by the WorldFish Centre with participation from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) found that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed Xayaburi dam in Laos and assessment were woefully inadequate and fell well below international standards for such studies.

Xayaburi is the first of 11 dams proposed for the lower Mekong mainstem. Lower Mekong countries are scheduled to decide on whether the dam project can move ahead on April 22.

Ignored published studies

The review found that the EIA ignored published studies and relied heavily on “a very light field sampling” that captured “less than a third” of the biodiversity in the impact area.

Just five migratory species from a list compiled in 1994 were mentioned and just three of more than 28 studies of Mekong fish migration were referenced. In contrast, current studies show that 229 fish species exploit habitats upstream of the dam site for spawning or dry season refuges, with 70 classified as migratory.

The review finds the proposed fish passes for the dam ignore design guidelines, lack critical detail including any specification of target species and have a slope and steps which would be challenging even for salmon – not a Mekong species.

Among the species threatened is the Mekong’s famed giant catfish with only known spawning areas in the upper Mekong between Chiang Rai province (Thailand) and Bokeo (Laos). While the Mekong Giant Catfish is symbolic and culturally important, smaller fish like the Pa Soi are important food sources for villagers in the Mekong River.

"How can you devise mitigation measures for fish passage without addressing the biology and the needs of target species, which in this case range from a small Siamese Mud Carp or Pa Soi to a 3 metre long giant catfish," said Dr Jian-hua Meng, WWF International Sustainable Hydropower Specialist.

“Fish ladders of the design proposed have had some success in Europe and North America, but this

is where only a handful of species are migratory, and many of those are of the salmon family, that are much stronger swimmers and jumpers than most Mekong migratory species.”

Repeating mistakes of Pak Mun Dam

The review noted other studies that concluded that fish passes are not a realistic mitigation option for Mekong mainstream dams, and “that the Mekong should never be used as a test case” for proving or improving fish passages technologies.

WWF fears a much larger scale repeat of the environmental damage of the dam on the Mun River in Thailand, a key Mekong tributary. After similar bland assurances of only low level impacts on fisheries prior to construction, the first d ecade of the dam’s operation saw damaging impacts on 85 per cent of fish species present before the dam’s construction, with 56 species disappearing entirely and reduced catches for a further 169 species, according to a World Commission on Dams study.

Consultations on the Xayaburi dam have so far had to proceed in the absence of much detail on the project, with the abbreviated Feasibility Study dated 2008 but made available only in February this year which was prepared by Thai group TEAM Consulting and Swiss company AF-Colenco and the final EIA by TEAM completed in August 2010 but made available only in March 2011.

WWF was unsuccessful in attempts to brief the consultants on the risks posed by the project.

WWF supports a 10-year delay in the approval of lower Mekong mainstream dams, including the Xayaburi hydropower dam, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of all the impacts of their construction and operation, while immediate needs are met with less challenging projects applying state of the art sustainable hydropower solutions are fast tracked on selected tributaries.

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Military Debris Threaten Oceans

Malini Shankar IPS News 14 Apr 11;

BANGALORE, Apr 14, 2011 (IPS) - Military debris dumped into the world’s oceans are hazardous to coral ecosystems, reefs, fish and marine wildlife, say experts, who also warn - in light of the recent tragedy in Japan - that earthquakes and tsunamis could disturb this debris and even wash it ashore.

"The tsunami from the Japan earthquake increased the likelihood of sea dumped conventional and chemical weapons washing ashore as they rest at a shallow depth of 200 metres in Choshi Bay of Chiba Prefecture in Japan," said Ryo Sato, marine researcher at Global Green, the U.S. affiliate of the NGO Green Cross International.

The Baltic Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Pacific Ocean are hotspots.

In the Philippines "Coron, Subic Bay and Leyte Gulf have the highest density of planes and ships sunk during the Second World War, and numerous shipwrecks and airplanes litter the seafloor in the reefs," according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Philippines.

"The U.S. Army dumped over 8,000 tonnes of chemical weapons off Hawaii," said Paul Walker, director of Global Green, at the recently concluded Fifth U.N. International Marine Debris Clearance conference in Hawaii. Around 300,000 tonnes of chemical warfare agents were dumped in oceans from 1946 to 1965. Upwards of 400,000 gas filled-bombs and rockets float in U.S. waters. 40,000 tonnes of Conventional Weapons (CW) are in the Baltic Sea. 21,000 tonnes of CW agents float in Australian waters, and more than 6,600 tonnes off the coast of Japan.

"Marine debris... adversely impacts marine life, destroys habitat and entangles food for marine organisms and seabirds," says Finn Longinotto, senior programme fellow at Global Green.

France conducted 137 undersea nuclear tests between 1975 and 1996 in French Polynesia creating an artificial crater 140 metres in diameter - disturbing one million cubic metres of coral and sand. The explosions injected nuclear material into the carbonate rocks that will be released gradually into the ocean. Earthquakes and undersea landslides will intensify release of the radioactive material, affecting seafood, ocean currents, and rain bearing clouds around the whole planet in the long term.

Residual nuclear material is negligible according to a study initiated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the behest of the France in 1998.

According to a study undertaken by the University of Florida, missiles, torpedoes, and submarines emit sonar waves leaving cetaceans like dolphins, dugongs and whales hearing impaired - affecting their hunting ability, group communication, migration patterns, and mating behaviour.

India’s armed forces have also destroyed fragile marine habitat and coral ecosystems. In the Bay of Bengal, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducts missile tests in the middle of a turtle-nesting site within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.

"DRDO is not supposed to carry out missile testing during the turtle nesting season. However, they flout this rule despite regular forest department objections," charges Biswajit Mohanty, of the Wildlife Society of Orissa.

"In one recent incident, the missile misfired, resulting in the destruction of the turtle nesting habitat in Nasi Island inside the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary - a breeding ground for olive ridley turtles. The vibration coming from missile launches being almost equal to seismic intensity can have an impact on the fragile eggs, we still don’t know scientifically what happens as an impact on the eggs," Mohanty told IPS. "The DRDO is insensitive that the state’s unique natural heritage - olive ridley turtles - might abandon the nesting grounds if the missile activity disturbs them."

The DRDO "have not disclosed the nature of debris littered in the sea," Mohanty added.

The government response: "DRDO takes due care to avoid any adverse effect on eco-system while planning and conducting missile tests from DRDO ranges. The launching pad has been designed in such a manner that it does not affect the fauna and flora of that area or cause any adverse effect on the environment."

"The flares emanating from missile launch heat the habitat, and disorient the turtles and hatchlings especially when they head to the sea," says a concerned Mohanty.

The DRDO however told IPS that, "All illuminated lights are placed in inverted position with shades and flames coming out of missiles lasting less than a minute, which do not affect the nesting of olive ridley turtles."

The Indian Navy has also chosen the coral island of Netrani on India’s west coast for "target practice," V. N. Nayak, marine biologist at the post graduate centre of Karnatak University in Karwar told IPS. "Netrani Island is home to diverse fauna, enlisted both in the IUCN [International Union for Conservation of Nature] Red Data List and the Indian Wildlife Protection Act’s Schedule One."

Naval exercises are a dire threat to the ecosystem, Nayak said. The large number of bullets, bombs, missiles and torpedoes fired at the endemic wildlife of the island and the seas cause mass mortality of fish and corals in this ecosystem. "Target practice on endangered wildlife is irresponsible," he stressed. "Netrani Island is located under the Coastal Regulatory Zone 4 and fishing zone."

Netrani Island’s fauna includes the white bellied sea eagle, corals, coral fish, whale shark, tiger shark, giant groupers, giant clam, dolphins, sea snakes, crustaceans, reef sharks, stingrays, squid, sea cucumbers olive ridley turtles, jelly fish, sea urchins, killer whales and edible nest swiftlets. The island is the only place outside of the Andaman Nicobar Islands where edible nest swiftlets live.

"Naval firing practices are periodically conducted on a 16-metre barren rock, located close to Netrani Island," the Indian Navy told IPS. "Such firing practices have been conducted for the last six decades." With chances of an outbreak of hostilities stemming from the terrorist attacks in Mumbai "the necessity for the Indian Armed Forces to remain combat-ready... at all times can hardly be over-emphasised. It is precisely this realisation that has already led the Karnataka Biodiversity Board to drop the proposal to consider Netrani Island a Biodiversity Park."

"Who is the enemy for the Indian Navy to bombard unarmed wildlife?" asks K. S. N. Cikkerur, the additional director general of the police forest cell of Karnataka, in Bangalore. Is the enemy the rare "Schedule One species listed in the Wildlife Protection Act?" Cikkerur wonders.

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'Red' sky worries Iran as sandstorms wreak havoc

Yahoo News 14 Apr 11;

TEHRAN (AFP) – Iranians are worried by crippling air pollution as "unprecedented" sandstorms mostly originating from neighbouring Iraq hit 20 provinces, forcing the shutdown of schools and government offices.

The blinding sandstorms hit western, central and southern provinces on Wednesday due to winds blowing at high speed, considerably reducing visibility to as low as 50 metres (yards) in some cities.

"Unprecedented sandstorms which entered from west are the most violent storms that have ever reached Iran," said Touraj Hemmati, a top environmental official in the southwestern Khuzestan province which borders Iraq.

Arman newspaper said "small Arabian sands... marked a red situation across the country's sky."

The Kayhan daily said "yellow sand rained in Khuzestan," where the rate of air pollution reached 70 times the permitted amount. It said 123 people were hospitalised in the nearby province of Ilam, also bordering Iraq.

Authorities in six western provinces, including Khuzestan and Ilam, were forced to suspend school and university activities and shut down government offices, Tehran Emrouz daily reported.

Air traffic was partially affected in the country, with incoming flights and departures cancelled in some western cities, according to Hamshahri newspaper.

State air pollution chief Amir Jamali announced on Wednesday that Iran was hit by sandstorms three times more frequently in the first Iranian month of Farvardin, from March 21 to April 20, compared to the same period last year.

"We have witnessed dust storms thrice... Drought that we experienced (last year) has intensified this phenomenon," Fars news agency quoted him as saying.

Iranian media blamed most of the sandstorms on countries west of the Islamic republic, particularly Iraq which is hit by desertification and deforestation due to a decline in the flow of water disrupted by construction of dams as well as a disappearing agriculture industry.

Arman reported that 23 lawmakers, in a letter to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday, demanded the government "resolve the problems caused by the sandstorms in western and southern provinces."

The weather phenomenon continued Thursday with less intensity in the western provinces, as adverse winds blew further into the central parts of the country. Authorities expect the sandstorms to continue until later in the evening.

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Best of our wild blogs: 14 Apr 11

A sneak peek at Singapore's new natural history museum!
from wild shores of singapore

A Congregation of Tiger Beetles
from Macro Photography in Singapore

Uvaria curtisii: Remembering James Sinclair
from Flying Fish Friends

pink-necked green pigeons @ Sg Buloh
from sgbeachbum

Collared Kingfisher - Cicada prey and cicada rain
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Yellow-vented Bulbul nesting in a hanging basket
from Bird Ecology Study Group

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Plants that help to clean rainwater

Ong Dai Lin Today Online 14 Apr 11;

SINGAPORE - Planted by the road, they are unlikely to attract even a passing glance. But these plants along the junction of Margaret Drive and Kay Siang Road in the Dawson estate have a special role - they cleanse rainwater before it flows into the Marina Barrage reservoir.

The seven species - including the lalang look-alike pennisitum - form the bio-retention swales, a project by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to improve the quality of rainwater before it enters the reservoirs. Construction for the project started last year and will end when the swales built along Kay Siang Road to Tanglin Road are completed.

Having plants and soil removing components in rainwater like nutrients and nitrogen before they flow into reservoirs helps to prevent algae bloom, which lowers the cost of treating water.

The project is part of a scheme under the PUB's Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters Programme to include design features, such as bio-retention swales, rain gardens and wetlands, in housing estates and schools, to cleanse rainwater.

The scheme was launched in 2009 and 14 certified projects were started last year. If successful, more projects will be added.

Ms Angela Koh, assistant director of the catchment & waterways department at PUB, said the ABC Waters Programme goes beyond beautifying drains. "We thought it is important to keep water clean and wanted look at different ways to do so," she said.

Partners like the HDB were engaged for the projects, so they could be extended to more areas, said Ms Koh, noting that the HDB builds 80 per cent of housing in Singapore. The PUB is also engaging private developers and other public agencies to come on board, as well as schools.

"If you think of the over 300 schools in Singapore, as well as private and public agencies it (the water cleansed) can be quite substantial," she said.

The first rain garden was built in Balam estate in MacPherson in 2008 as a pilot project. Seeing that the project was working "quite well", the PUB decided to increase the number of projects, said Ms Koh.

Assumption Pathway School is the first school in Singapore to have its own rain garden under the scheme.

An 85m-long rain garden with a boardwalk to provide an outdoor classroom has been built in the school near its entrance.

The rain garden absorbs and treats 12 per cent of the rainwater that falls onto the school's area.

After the rainwater flows through the ground around the plants, such as the butterfly nectar plant and three layers of soil, it is transferred to roadside canals through underground pipes and then on to the reservoirs.

The PUB is currently in talks with other schools to build such rain gardens, said Ms Koh.

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NEA releases first 'green' music album

Mustafa Shafawi Channel NewsAsia 13 Apr 11;

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) has released the first official Clean and Green Singapore music album.

Entitled Eco Music Challenge Season 1, it said the music album hopes to touch the heart of every individual in the community, encouraging them to safeguard and cherish Singapore's beautiful environment.

The music album comprises 15 environment tracks of different music genres and languages, ranging from jazz, pop and soft rock to contemporary folk.

These are original compositions by the selected 13 finalists of NEA's inaugural Eco Music Challenge held last year to inspire the youths to show their appreciation for the environment through music.

Chief Executive Officer of NEA, Andrew Tan, said the album is uniquely Singapore, produced by youths, for youths. He added that just as Total Defence is the nation's responsibility, environmental protection is the duty of every Singaporean.

NEA hoped to raise S$10,000 from the album sales to support the environmental initiatives of the Nature Society.

Proceeds from the album sales will go to the society's activities of nature appreciation and nature study at Semakau Landfill.

Songs from the Eco Music Challenge album are available for download at S$0.99 per song or S$9.90 for the full album download at www.nea.ecomusic.sg. It is also on sale as a hardcopy compilation album at the NEA's Customer Service Centre at S$11.90.

-CNA/ac

Greening Singapore, one NEA song at a time
Today Online 14 Apr 11;

SINGAPORE - The sound of music has gone green.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has released the first official Clean and Green Singapore music album, comprising 15 environmental tracks of different music genres and languages.

Entitled Eco Music Challenge Season 1, the album hopes to encourage individuals to safeguard and cherish Singapore's beautiful environment.

The album, with tracks ranging from jazz, pop, soft rock to contemporary folk, features original compositions by the selected 13 finalists of the NEA's inaugural Eco Music Challenge.

It was held last year to in spire the youths to show their appreciation for the environment through music.

NEA's chief executive officer, Mr Andrew Tan, said the album is uniquely Singapore, produced by youths, for youths.

The NEA hoped to raise S$10,000 from the album sales to support the environmental initiatives of the Nature Society.

Proceeds from the album sales will go to the society's activities of nature appreciation and nature study at Semakau Landfill.

Songs from the Eco Music Challenge album are available for download at S$0.99 per song or S$9.90 for the full album at www.nea.ecomusic.sg.

It is also on sale at the NEA's Customer Service Centre for S$11.90.

Read more!

Singapore conducts multi-agency chemical spill exercise

Mustafa Shafawi Channel NewsAsia 13 Apr 11;

SINGAPORE: A multi-agency exercise, showing Singapore's readiness to respond to major chemical spills, was carried out Wednesday, observed by over 60 delegates at the International Chemical and Oil Pollution Conference and Exhibition.

Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) Group Director (Hub Port), Captain M Segar, said with the Straits of Malacca and Singapore being heavily used by vessels, it is essential to be operationally-ready in case of any major spills.

Code-named CHEMSPILL 2011, the scenario involved a chemical tanker, MT Chemical Carrier, suffering a steering failure and being hit by another tanker in the Sinki Fairway off Jurong Island.

The impact of the collision also caused three crew members of MT Chemical Carrier, who were on the catwalk to fall to the main deck.

More than 10 vessels and 120 personnel from 13 agencies were involved in the exercise.

The agencies included the Singapore Armed Forces, the Police Coast Guard, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport, the National Environment Agency and MPA.

The exercise was held in conjunction with the 6th Singapore Maritime Week.

- CNA/cc

CHEMSPILL 2011 validates Singapore's operational readiness
MPA Press Release 13 Apr 11;

Over 60 delegates from the International Chemical and Oil Pollution Conference and Exhibition (ICOPCE) 2011 observed an action-packed chemical spill exercise today. The exercise demonstrated Singapore's readiness to respond to a major chemical spill in its waters.

Aimed at testing and validating the Chemical Contingency Plan (Marine) for combating a major chemical incident in Singapore waters, the exercise consisted of two aspects - a seaward equipment deployment demonstration and a table-top exercise at MPA's Port Operations Control Centre 2 at PSA Vista.

"With the Straits of Malacca and Singapore being heavily used by vessels, it is essential for us to be operationally-ready in case of any major spills. Regular exercises ensure that various agencies are prepared at all times and that our contingency plans are regularly reviewed. The multi-agency involvement in this chemical spill exercise is a good example of how close coordination allows Singapore to respond quickly and effectively to any spills in Singapore's waters," said Capt M Segar, MPA's Group Director (Hub Port).

Code-named CHEMSPILL 2011, the scenario involved a chemical tanker, MT Chemical Carrier suffering a steering failure and being hit by another tanker in the Sinki Fairway off Jurong Island. The chemical tanker, which was loaded with 10,000 tonnes of Benzene, suffered damage to its cargo tanks and some 500 tonnes of Benzene was spilled. The impact of the collision also caused three crew members of MT Chemical Carrier, who were on the catwalk to fall to the main deck. One crew member was seriously injured and required immediate medical attention.

The spill response teams deployed primary and secondary booms and treated the spill with foam to prevent more Benzene escaping from the damaged tanks. Api Api, MPA's fire-fighting craft also sprayed water at the incident site to reduce the risk of fire and cool the surface and disperse the flammable gas cloud. A Republic of Singapore Air Force helicopter was also activated to provide medical evacuation of the injured crew.

CHEMSPILL 2011 successfully demonstrated the close cooperation between various agencies in Singapore to combat major chemical spills in our waters. More than 10 vessels and 120 personnel from 13 agencies were involved in the exercise. The agencies included the Singapore Armed Forces, the Police Coast Guard, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport, the National Environment Agency and MPA.

Held in conjunction with the 6th Singapore Maritime Week, ICOPCE 2011 (11 to 13 April) was officially opened on 11 April by Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport.

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MPA, PSA to collaborate on technology research

Mustafa Shafawi Channel NewsAsia 13 Apr 11;

SINGAPORE: The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and port operator PSA Corp are joining hands to research and test bed new technologies for future container terminals.

Areas of focus under the five-year Port Technology Research and Development Programme include green port technologies.

MPA will fund the programme with up to S$10 million over five years from the Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund (MINT Fund).

PSA, together with local institutes of higher learning and other industry partners will provide co-funding and in-kind resources of up to S$10 million over the same period.

A key project to be undertaken by PSA under the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is the development of Automated Guided Vehicles which will reduce manpower and improve port productivity.

PSA will also develop more intelligent systems that will streamline port planning processes and operations.

Through this programme, MPA hopes that Singapore will continue to be at the forefront of technology in port operations and services adding to its development and growth as an international maritime centre.

-CNA/ac

Singapore ports to get $20m shot in the arm
Joyce Hooi Business Times 14 Apr 11;

SINGAPORE'S ports are going to get a $20 million boost over the next five years through the Port Technology Research and Development Programme.

Yesterday, the programme was launched by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and PSA Corporation (PSA) with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

MPA will fund the programme with up to $10 million over five years from the Maritime Innovation and Technology (Mint) Fund.

PSA, local institutes of higher learning and other industry partners will provide co-funding and in-kind resources of up to $10 million.

The programme will focus on three areas - automated container port systems, advanced container port optimisation techniques and technologies, and green port technologies.

Under the programme, automated guided vehicles for future container terminals will be developed.

'For the world's busiest transhipment hub, technology is vital in ensuring that its terminal customers are served seamlessly, efficiently and effectively round the clock,' said Lam Yi Young, chief executive of the MPA during the signing of the MOU at the International Maritime-Port Technology and Development Conference 2011.

'Through this programme, MPA hopes that Singapore will continue to be at the forefront of technology in port operations and services, adding to its development and growth as an international maritime centre.'

MPA and PSA Launch Port Technology Research and Development Programme
MPA Press Release 13 Apr 11;

Both parties will collaborate to conduct research and test bed new technologies for future container terminals

Paving the way for more technologically advanced container terminals in Singapore, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and PSA Corporation Limited (PSA) jointly launched the Port Technology Research and Development Programme today through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The MOU was signed by MPA Chief Executive Mr Lam Yi Young and Mr Tan Puay Hin, Regional CEO Southeast Asia, PSA International. The signing was witnessed by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Mr Choi Shing Kwok, who was the Guest-of-Honour at the opening ceremony of the International Maritime-Port Technology and Development Conference 2011, which was held in conjunction with the 6th Singapore Maritime Week. Joining Mr Choi to witness the signing were Mr Lucien Wong, Chairman of MPA and Mr Fock Siew Wah, Group Chairman of PSA International.

The five-year Port Technology Research and Development Programme will focus on three broad areas, namely automated container port systems, advanced container port optimisation techniques and technologies, and green port technologies. The Programme will see MPA, PSA, equipment and technology providers, local institutes of higher learning and other companies coming together to develop advanced port technologies for Singapore's container terminals.

MPA will fund the Programme with up to S$10 million over five years from the Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund (MINT Fund). PSA, together with local institutes of higher learning and other industry partners will provide co-funding and in-kind resources of up to S$10 million over the same period.

A key project that would be undertaken by PSA under the new MOU is the development of Automated Guided Vehicles (or AGVs) for future container terminals to reduce manpower and improve port productivity. PSA will also seek and adapt new technologies to develop more intelligent systems that will streamline port planning processes and operations. These seek to further raise the value-add of employees and overall productivity.

"For the world's busiest transhipment hub, technology is vital in ensuring that its terminal customers are served seamlessly, efficiently and effectively round the clock. Through this Programme, MPA hopes that Singapore will continue to be at the forefront of technology in port operations and services adding to its development and growth as an international maritime centre," said Mr Lam.

Said Mr Tan, "This MOU Programme will create new opportunities for collaboration with MPA and our industry partners to jointly develop more innovative port management solutions and tools. PSA is fully committed to propel itself to reach higher levels of productivity and effectiveness to serve our customers."

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