Dan Friess on “Carbon policies such as REDD+ are doomed for coastal conservation” (Wed 30 Oct 2013: 4.30pm @ NUS E1) from Otterman speaks
Call of the Red Jungle Fowl this morning – in the Kent Ridge forest at NUS! from Otterman speaks
Butterflies Galore! : Purple Duke
from Butterflies of Singapore
Lim Yi Han Straits Times 29 Oct 13;
A PYTHON measuring 3m in length was caught yesterday morning at an industrial park in Ang Mo Kio after it was spotted by workers in the area.
Driver Ronald Ong, 29, told The Straits Times that he learnt about the snake from another worker there, who spotted it at Block 5048 in Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2 at around 8.15am.
The men alerted the police and the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), an animal rights group.
About an hour later, two officers from Acres arrived and caught the snake, which was hiding under a container.
Mr Ong said: "I don't think this is the first time a snake has been spotted here. But we're not scared or worried. We'll just take care not to provoke them."
He noted that signs had been put up to warn people of snake sightings in the area.
The 10kg python had eaten a cat, said Ms Anbarasi Boopal, the group director of wildlife at Acres, who added that it would be released into the wild.
She noted that Acres receives about three to five calls a day about snakes, and they usually do not pose a public danger.
"Not all the snakes are rescued, because they are found in their natural habitats. People might be alarmed, not knowing that they can be harmless," she said.
"For example, pythons can be found in canals but it's all right to let them be."
Members of the public can call Acres' 24-hour Wildlife Rescue Hotline at 9783-7782.
It studies impact of development and serves as link between Govt, activists
Straits Times 26 Oct 13;
THE National Heritage Board (NHB) has set up a new division to study the impact that development can have on the country's heritage, in the wake of rising civic activism.
Called the impact assessment and mitigation division, it comprises a small team supervised by Mr Alvin Tan, 41, the new group director of policy at the board.
He was previously in charge of three heritage institutions - the Malay Heritage Centre, Indian Heritage Centre and the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall - among other things.
When asked, NHB said the division was set up on July 1 as part of an "internal re-organisation". Its job is to "conduct impact assessments of redevelopment works on heritage sites and structures and work with the necessary stakeholders to establish mitigation measures".
There has been a growing, ground-up movement in recent years advocating for some of Singapore's built and environmental heritage to be preserved.
Civic groups and the authorities have locked horns in some cases, such as the Government's decision to build a road over Bukit Brown cemetery.
Since setting up, the team has played a mediator role between these civic groups and other government agencies, such as helping to negotiate the lease extension of the dragon kilns in Jurong.
Heritage groups said the establishment of the team has been a long time coming. It also signifies the Government's move away from a more "bulldozer" approach in the 1970s and 1980s to a more engaging one, said Mr Kwek Li Yong, 24, who founded civic group My Community, citing the loss of important buildings and landmarks such as the Stamford Road National Library and the National Theatre over the years.
"The new team serves as a link for civic groups and government agencies, and its assessment efforts help to bridge the expectations of statutory boards and the community," said Mr Kwek.
My Community submitted a paper to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in July to save 18 historic sites in Queenstown, Singapore's first satellite estate. The NHB team helped assess these sites on their architectural, historical and community merits. It found that eight were of "high heritage value" and three, including the Queenstown Public Library, were subsequently conserved by the URA.
Mr Benson Ng, 54, a managing partner at Focus Ceramic Services, which operates Jalan Bahar Clay Studios at 97L Lorong Tawas - where the 43m-long Guan Huat dragon kiln from the 1950s lies - said he appreciated the team working as an intermediary.
The site had been earmarked for the development of an eco-friendly business park. "Before the team approached us, we didn't know who to approach and how to state our case in terms of heritage value," he said.
The team has also worked on including certain heritage elements, such as the preservation of 20 tombstones of notable Singaporeans, at a 10ha park in the new Bidadari housing estate. It also contributed to the documentation and preservation efforts of Bukit Brown cemetery.
Heritage groups such as the Singapore Heritage Society (SHS) said assessments should be "holistic", and not merely focus on historical research alone but consider both built and social heritage and a site's surrounding environment as well.
Singapore should also look towards common international assessment standards, especially since it has put in a bid to list the Singapore Botanic Gardens as a Unesco World Heritage site, said heritage conservation expert Johannes Widodo.
"This may give Singapore an opportunity to show its ability in nurturing our heritage at the global level and might set a good example for other nations in heritage preservation and management areas," said Professor Widodo, a jury member of the Unesco Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards.
Dr Chua Ai Lin, president of SHS, said that while the society welcomes the new division, the assessment of vulnerable sites not protected by law is just one step in a larger process. The next step is to assess if a further level of legal protection is required.
This requires more than just input from NHB alone, but also an intra-agency effort on the part of the Government and community participation to come to a solution together, said Dr Chua.
MIDDLEMAN
The new team serves as a link for civic groups and government agencies, and their assessment efforts help to bridge the expectations of statutory boards and the community.
- Mr Kwek Li Yong, founder of civic group My Community
BOARD GETS NEW NAME
AFTER 42 years of being known as the Preservation of Monuments Board, this government department under the National Heritage Board (NHB) has a new name.
On July 1, it was renamed the Preservation of Sites and Monuments, to "more accurately reflect the division's expanded role of championing nationally significant heritage sites", said a spokesman for the NHB.
These sites include the Singapore Botanic Gardens, which has put in a bid to be listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The division was set up to gazette and preserve national monuments.
There are currently 65 of these. They include the former Supreme Court and Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church.
The division is responsible for identifying monuments worthy of preservation and disburses money for their restoration, repair and maintenance, among other things.
The division is also in charge of promoting 100 existing heritage sites, such as Alexandra Hospital and Changi Beach.
MELODY ZACCHEUS
(AFP) Google News 26 Oct 13;
Banda Aceh — An Indonesian military tribunal has jailed two soldiers for illegally possessing two stuffed Sumatran tigers and a stuffed bear, with the men forced to appear in court alongside the protected animals.
The court in Banda Aceh, on western Sumatra island, Thursday handed Chief Sergeant Joko Rianto a two-month jail term and Chief Private Rawali a three-month sentence.
Rianto was given a five million rupiah ($460) fine while Rawali, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, was ordered to pay 2.5 million rupiah.
"Rawali and Joko Rianto have been found legitimately and convincingly guilty of illegally possessing dead protected animals," judge Lieutenant Colonel Budi Purnomo said.
Rianto, who was caught with one of the tigers and a bear in his house, argued he had purchased the critically endangered tiger to use its teeth to cure his sick wife.
Tiger parts are frequently used in traditional medicine in Asia despite the lack of peer-reviewed scientific evidence showing that they have any medicinal benefits.
Rawali claimed a friend had given him the tiger to repay a debt.
Ratno Sugito, a local animal activist, welcomed the sentences: "Even though the sentence was weak, at least the military court showed its willingness to enforce the law."
The Sumatran tiger is critically endangered and there are only an estimated 400 to 500 still alive in the wild on the island from which the animal takes its name.
Its numbers are rapidly dwindling due to destruction of its rainforest habitat and poachers targeting the animals to sell their parts, mainly for use in Chinese medicine.
The court did not disclose the species of the bear although it said the animal was protected by law.
The Jakarta Post 25 Oct 13;
The Riau Police have named two Malaysian citizens as suspects for their role in starting forest fires, believed to be a way of clearing land for plantations in Riau province last June.
"The two suspects hold high-ranking positions in PT API, a subsidiary of a Malaysia-based company," said Riau Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Guntur Aryo Tejo in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Thursday as quoted by Antara news agency.
"But they have not been arrested yet as we are still conducting an investigation in the case," Guntur said, adding that the suspects, who are identified with the initials TKY and DKRS, allegedly helped locals burn forested lands in Pelalawan regency to clear land for oil palm plantations.
Last June, Riau province was blanketed by thick haze due to large-scale forest fires, forcing thousands of people to move from the area. Even neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia filed complaints with Indonesia as the haze from the burning forests spread into their territories.
Previously, the police named seven other companies for their alleged involvement in setting off the forest fires, namely PT JJP, PT LIH, PT BMS, PT BBHA, PT RUJ, PT SPM, and PT SRL, according to Antara.
However, no individual suspects have been named from the seven companies yet. Investigations into the case are ongoing.
77 dead in Oct alone; govt struggling to respond to annual problem: Experts
Nirmal Ghosh Indochina Bureau Chief In Bangkok Straits Times 26 Oct 13;
IN ITS worst floods in 50 years caused by heavy rain and overflowing dams, eastern Thailand has seen 600,000ha of farmland in more than 20 provinces inundated and 77 people die this month.
This follows floods in 2011 that claimed 800 lives and inundated eight industrial parks just north of Bangkok, dealing a heavy blow to Thailand's export sector.
But the country is still groping for a response to the annual flooding cycle which, with erratic weather caused by global warming and overbuilding of urban infrastructure in low-lying flood plains, is only likely to get worse, said experts.
Government agencies and experts are wasting time arguing instead of basing decisions on sound scientific data, said one of the country's top climate scientists, Dr Anond Snidvongs, director of the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency.
"We have to consider investing more to cope. But if we base our future on personal opinion and arguing against one another, it is not going to work. We need the data. But nobody really wants to discuss this, it's all personal opinion and emotion," he said.
The government launched a 350 billion baht (S$13.9 billion) national water management scheme last year, but it is still in the early stages and has run into opposition from many sectors, including local communities who do not want more dikes and dams.
Meanwhile this month, heavy rain from a tropical typhoon, on top of monsoon rains that fall from June to October, caused rivers like the Chi river in Chaiyaphum to overflow.
On Wednesday, the Moon river in Nakhon Ratchasima burst its banks, inundating rice-growing areas and houses in the north-eastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima.
The province of Chachoengsao, east of Bangkok, has been badly affected by waters from the Bang Pakong river and runoff from an overflowing upstream dam.
"People living near the river are in water up to their necks; it is higher even than in 2011," Chachoengsao Member of Parliament Thitima Chaisang told The Straits Times over the phone. "Industry is safe, but pig farms, rice farms and mango orchards have been affected," she added.
And last week, in an echo of 2011, Thailand's largest industrial park was partially flooded after 10 hours of heavy rain.
Located east of Bangkok, the Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate where around 700 factories provide close to 200,000 jobs, is in a low-lying area about 3km from the sea. It escaped the 2011 floods unscathed, but this time, 17 factories had to shut down for a day and a half when workers could not commute.
Government ministers, worried about Thailand's credibility with foreign investors, rushed to the park.
Army units were deployed to help create sandbag walls and pump water out.
To help factories stay open, the army also sent about 30 buses and trucks to ferry workers to and from flooded communities in the surrounding countryside.
Industrial park director Viboon Kromadit said no production lines were affected by the water. He added that the cost of the flood control operations had yet to be assessed.
He blamed road works and a dam under construction for blocking the flow of water to the sea.
Speaking to The Straits Times at the park on Wednesday, Minister for Industry Prasert Boonchaisuk agreed. "What we need to do… is build concrete walls or dikes as high as 60cm to 1m," he said.
And in a sign of the greater social and political complexities of the flood problem, Mr Viboon said: "We had to let some of the water into the park, using our roads as flood ways, to reduce the resentment of communities outside who would otherwise point at us and say we are privileged."
Judith Burns, BBC News 25 Oct 13;
Children are being urged to take back their "wild time", swapping 30 minutes of screen use for outdoor activities.
The call to renew a connection with nature comes from a collaboration of almost 400 organisations, from playgroups to the NHS.
The Wild Network wants children to take up activities like conkers and camping.
"The tragic truth is that kids have lost touch with nature and the outdoors in just one generation," said chairman Andy Simpson.
The organisers argue that swapping 30 minutes of television and computer games each day for outdoor play would increase the levels of fitness and alertness and improve children's well-being
Marketing nature
"Time spent outdoors is down, roaming ranges have fallen drastically, activity levels are declining and the ability to identify common species has been lost," said Mr Simpson.
He referred to recent research by the RSPB which suggested only one in five children aged eight to 12 had a connection with nature.
"With many more parents becoming concerned about the dominance of screen time in their children's lives, and growing scientific evidence that a decline in active time is bad news for the health and happiness of our children, we all need to become marketing directors for nature," said Mr Simpson.
"An extra 30 minutes of wild time every day for all under 12-year-olds in the UK would be the equivalent of just three months of their childhood spent outdoors.
"We want parents to see what this magical wonder product does for their kids' development, independence and creativity, by giving wild time a go."
The campaign launches on Friday with the release of a documentary film, Project Wild Thing.
It tells the story of how, in a bid to get his daughter and son outside, film-maker David Bond appoints himself marketing director for nature, working with branding and outdoor experts to develop a campaign.
'Misty-eyed nostalgia'
"I wanted to understand why my children's childhood is so different from mine, whether this matters and, if it does, what I can do about it," said Mr Bond.
"The reasons why kids, whether they live in cities or the countryside, have become disconnected from nature and the outdoors are complex.
"Project Wild Thing isn't some misty-eyed nostalgia for the past. We need to make more space for wild time in children's daily routine, freeing this generation of kids to have the sort of experiences that many of us took for granted.
"It's all about finding wildness on your doorstep and discovering the sights, sounds and smells of nature, whether in a back garden, local park or green space at the end of the road."
The campaign, said to be the biggest ever aiming to reconnect children with the outdoors, includes the National Trust, the RSPB, Play England and the NHS, as well as playgroups, businesses and schools.
Children told to go play outdoors in new nature campaign
Wild Network aims to get schoolchildren off their computers and outdoors to experience the wonders of the wilderness
Steven Morris The Guardian 25 Oct 13;
A campaign is being launched to encourage children to surrender 30 minutes of screen time a day to head for the great outdoors.
The newly formed Wild Network – a collaboration of nearly 400 organisations - is attempting to attract youngsters away from television and computer screen and into fields, woods and parks.
Organisers say it is the UK's biggest ever campaign to reconnect children with nature and outdoor play, and claim it could help improve fitness, mental alertness and general wellbeing.
A documentary film, Project Wild Thing, will herald the launch at more than 50 cinemas across the UK from Friday. It looks at the increasingly fragile link between children and nature.
Members of the network include the National Trust, RSPB, Play England and the NHS sustainable development unit.
Andy Simpson, chairman of the Wild Network, said: "The tragic truth is that kids have lost touch with nature and the outdoors in just one generation.
"Time spent outdoors is down, roaming ranges have fallen drastically, activity levels are declining and the ability to identify common species has been lost."
Suggestions of how to get more time in nature include collecting conkers, camping or snail racing, and observing autumn colour on trees.
From January, the network will aim to make suggestions to politicians on how government can do more to get children muddy and bright-eyed.
This is not the first time the message of less screen, more play has been brought up. Children in the 1980s were entreated to do the same by the BBC TV series Why Don't You, which somewhat confusingly called on its viewers to "switch off your TV set, and go do something less boring instead".
Clean & Green Hackathon in November
from Green Drinks Singapore
Getting to know our Singapore sotong
from wild shores of singapore
Butterflies Galore! : Colour Sergeant
from Butterflies of Singapore
Straits Times Forum 25 Oct 13;
MR HAN Cheng Fong expressed concerns over the aggressiveness of macaques and recommended culling as a solution ("Do more to curb monkey population"; Wednesday).
While the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) understands his concerns, the reality is that culling is not an effective solution and also does not address the root of the problem.
The root of the problem is the readily available food sources in human areas.
In addition, the reality is that macaques are opportunistic animals which naturally live on the edge of the forest rather than deep in the forest. We have now built our houses on their natural habitat and as such, there will undoubtedly be an increase in human-macaque interactions.
It is, however, possible to co-exist with the macaques. Steps must be taken to actively manage the interactions between the macaques and humans, and residents must also take active steps to ensure that there is no readily available food source in their property.
Acres has now embarked on an awareness programme to create the much-needed awareness on how to interpret macaque behaviours and understand their language. This will undoubtedly help to reduce the aggressive interactions between the macaques and humans.
There is currently no need to curb Singapore's monkey population as there is no evidence indicating that there is an overpopulation of macaques here.
Culling is not endorsed internationally and is an unethical practice. This year, Gibraltar stopped culling its macaques and is now focusing on public education and legal enforcement against people who feed the macaques.
The key to resolving the human-macaque conflict is to learn to co-exist with the macaques.
We share residents' concerns about the current conflicts and Acres has recently established a Macaque Rescue Team to assist residents with any human-macaque conflict issues and also embark on public education campaigns. Members of the public can call our hotline on 9783-7782.
See Han Sern
Campaign Executive
Acres
Practical solution needed for monkey problem
Straits Times Forum 25 Oct 13;
I SHARE Mr Han Cheng Fong's concern on the monkey situation in Singapore ("Do more to curb monkey population"; Wednesday).
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority placed a monkey trap in our housing estate when my family member alerted it to a troop of monkeys plaguing our estate, although it is very far from forested areas.
The trap did not work as the monkeys have learnt to avoid such traps.
They move in packs and use overhead cables to enter the estate. They rummage through the closed disposal bins, creating a mess.
Once last month, I came face to face with two monkeys in the kitchen. They had come in through the narrow window grille. They opened the refrigerator and took the fruit drinks and fruits. They dirtied the kitchen and left faecal droppings behind.
Something constructive and practical needs to be done by animal activists and interested monkey researchers to tackle the real monkey problem in Singapore.
These monkeys need to be lured back to their natural habitat.
Ada Chan Siew Foen (Ms)
John Leong Channel NewsAsia 24 Oct 13;
SINGAPORE: The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will be updating its building regulation to include reflectivity requirements for all kinds of facade materials.
Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan said in a blog post that currently, such requirements only pertain to glass.
Mr Khaw said there has been some feedback on excessive glare from sunlight reflected from the metal roof of other buildings in Singapore.
He said it is an issue of concern as there are more buildings with glass and metal facades, and covered with metal roofs.
He noted that building designs are getting more complex and elaborate with more developers and architects exploring the use of less conventional materials.
Mr Khaw said there must be some form of check and balance to ensure that the building design does not come at the cost of comfort and safety.
He said the regulatory update is useful to ensure that new designs add to the neighbourhood, allowing residents, users and commuters to enjoy without causing any inconvenience or hardship to anyone.
Citing examples of similar cases overseas, Mr Khaw said certain buildings were in the news recently because their reflective surfaces had caused inconvenience to city dwellers.
A London building was dubbed "fryscraper" as it had reflected so much sunlight that its rays could even fry an egg nearby.
The tallest building in Hong Kong, the International Commerce Centre, was a subject of debate in their Parliament.
He cited how Sydney has responded to the use of reflective materials in building facades.
The Australian city regulates the daylight reflectance of all facade materials.
Sydney's regulation requires that light reflectivity from building materials used on external facades must not exceed 20 per cent.
There is an additional requirement for buildings in the vicinity of arterial or major roads and Sydney Airport, given the safety concerns.
Architect Lim Ching Tung has called for more consultations before the update of BCA's building regulation.
Mr Lim, senior project architect at ARCHURBAN, said: "It should be more widely consulted, so that the profession can be more aware, and then throw in more discretions or ideas on how to take care of these issues.
“I think there are already a lot of cases or a lot of regulations that have been very limiting of the creativity of the designers. Creativity is about getting around things, but of course, the choice of material is still very important."
- CNA/xq/nd
BCA to update rule on use of reflective materials in buildings
Sumita D/O Sreedharan Today Online 25 Oct 13;
SINGAPORE — The use of reflective building materials, such as metal roofs and cladding, which can cause blinding glare and raise safety concerns, will soon come under greater scrutiny.
Calling it “an issue of concern” in his blog entry yesterday, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan said the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will update its building regulation on the use of reflective materials, following feedback on unwelcome glare from sunlight that is reflected from the metal roofs of buildings.
“One resident said he has had to wear sunglasses in his own home!” said Mr Khaw.
Current regulation covers only the use of reflective glass.
With an increasing number of buildings with glass and metal facades, Mr Khaw said more developers and architects are exploring the use of less conventional materials, and “some form of check and balance has to be in place to ensure the building design does not come at the cost of comfort and safety”.
“This is a useful regulatory update to ensure new designs will add to the neighbourhood, allowing all residents, users and commuters to enjoy, without causing any inconvenience or hardship to anyone,” said Mr Khaw.
Last month, a London skyscraper was dubbed the “fryscraper” after sun rays reflected from the building reportedly melted parts of several cars, including a luxury Jaguar.
The tallest building in Hong Kong, the International Commerce Centre, also became the subject of much debate in the Hong Kong Parliament because the glare it created inconvenienced residents, said Mr Khaw.
He cited what Sydney had done in response to the use of reflective materials in building facades.
According to the minister, the city’s regulation covers daylight reflectance of all building-facade materials. There is also an extra requirement for buildings in the vicinity of arterial or major roads and Sydney Airport, given the safety concerns.
Responding to media queries, the BCA said it received feedback on unwanted glare from 18 residential and commercial buildings in recent years.
One such case involved the shopping mall myVillage at Serangoon Garden.
It had to apply an opaque finishing on its facade and have two-way tinted glass installed after residents complained that their homes were warmer due to the building’s reflection of sun rays onto their houses.
The BCA said the new regulation would include reflectivity requirements for all kinds of facade materials and be applicable to all projects in which building plans are submitted after the amendment of the rule. Existing buildings that do not meet the new regulation will not be affected.
BCA to take some shine off new buildings
Range of prohibited facade materials to be expanded, to reduce reflection of light
Charissa Yong Straits Times 25 Oct 13;
BEING dazzled by the glare from buildings that reflect too much light could soon be a thing of the past here.
Rules will be updated by the authorities to ensure that building facades are not too blinding, with metal roofs a likely early casualty.
The aim of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is to increase the types of materials banned for use as buildings' external surface because they are too reflective. Now, the only shimmering culprit disallowed is glass.
But the range of materials will soon be broadened to include "all kinds of facade materials", wrote National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan on his blog yesterday.
Metal roofs, in particular, have been flickering too much for their own good.
"We are beginning to get some feedback on unwelcome glare from sunlight reflected from metal roofs of other buildings," said Mr Khaw, adding that one resident has even had to wear sunglasses in his own home.
To date, BCA has received feedback on 18 residential and commercial buildings on the glare from sunlight reflected from glass facades, metal roofs and metal claddings, which are coverings on a building.
Notably, myVillage in Serangoon Gardens darkened its floor-to-ceiling windows in 2010, after nearby residents complained that the glass reflected too much sunlight and heated up their homes in the evenings.
The neighbourhood mall subsequently replaced the reflective glass with two-way tinted glass a few months later.
The regulatory update is so that designs can be enjoyed by all without causing anyone inconvenience or hardship, said Mr Khaw.
It comes as building designs here are becoming more complex and elaborate.
"With an increasing number of developers and architects exploring the use of less conventional materials, some form of check and balance is necessary so that design does not come at the cost of comfort and safety," he said.
For example, he noted, London is home to a skyscraper which reflects so much sunlight that the rays have fried an egg nearby.
Nicknamed the Walkie-Talkie for its shape, it was in the spotlight a month ago, when a businessman complained that the reflected rays melted the side of his car parked near the tower.
Singapore Institute of Architects council member Lim Choon Keang said that building facades here generally reflect less light, compared to those in countries which do not prohibit reflective glass.
But he also suggested that the regulation be relaxed in less dense areas where the distances between buildings are farther.
"Then you can have slightly more varied designs and greater selection of materials," he said.
John Lim Today Online 25 Oct 13;
I agree with the views expressed in “Would East Coast Park still be for all to have after redevelopment?” (Oct 21).
I wish to add that many foreign visitors, several of whom are Americans, have praised Singapore for the greenery on the stretch of East Coast Park, which is quite unlike California’s boisterous beaches, for example.
Due to this unique sense of being close to nature, many of them look forward to visiting the park each time they return to Singapore.
If the greenery were to be replaced by entertainment establishments, in the pursuit of commerce, I envisage the park becoming another Phuket or Pattaya, laden with litter and inebriated patrons.
Furthermore, the noise and potential overcrowding would create negative externalities for Marine Parade residents. In a nutshell, this uniquely Singapore beach should be saved.
Parks are more than just event venues
Tay Yong Hong Today Online 25 Oct 13;
I agree with the writer of “Would East Coast Park still be for all to have after redevelopment?” (Oct 21).
I cycle on weekend mornings from eastern Singapore to the Central Business District. Watching a sunrise at Gardens by the Bay or Marina Bayfront is a joyful experience. I use the park connectors, as they are safer than the road, which means I pass through East Coast Park.
However, the increasing use of the park for paid events on weekend mornings, especially around the Lagoon food centre, is inconveniencing users. For example, while a recent triathlon there was no doubt a success for its organiser, many park users were upset that public paths — the beach path, footpath and cycling path — were closed to them.
There were one or two crossing points, but no proper indications for users, and members of the public had to wait for 20 to 30 minutes to pass. Some of them ran through at the expense of a possible accident or injury.
Even if the revenue from these events is being used for redevelopment of the park, the authorities could also find other suitable venues, such as the site slated for the Changi Motorsports Hub, for such activities.
Steve Thomas BBC Travel 23 Oct 13;
Just a five-minute ferry ride from Singapore’s busy streets is Pulau Ubin, a near pristine island oasis with some of the best city-fringe cycling and mountain biking in Southeast Asia, perfect for those seeking a little respite from the city.
A slice of history
For many years Pulau Ubin – which mean “granite island” in Malay – was used as a quarry for the granite used in many of the nation’s major structures, including the causeway that links Singapore to Malaysia.
But quarrying started to decline in the 1970s and only small-scale operations exist on the island today. This withdrawal has left behind a slice of Singapore from 50 years ago: an overgrown and rugged landscape, a small number of wooden, old-style Malay and Chinese kampongs (villages), around 100 residents and little else.
Despite being earmarked for high-rise housing development and a proposed MRT tunnel link to the mainland, Pulau Ubin has managed to remain green and natural. There are no traffic jams or shopping complexes, not a single KFC or Starbucks, and very little urban stress, making it a favourite weekend retreat for both locals and visitors.
There are very few motorised vehicles on Ubin, and even fewer roads. Bicycles are the way to get around, and in 2007 a superb mountain bike trail network was put in place; the 45 hectare Ketam Mountain Bike Park, an all-weather, manmade route that has solidified the island’s unofficial title of “Bicycle Island”. The park even has International Mountain Bicycling Association endorsement, which pays testimony to its quality riding.
From gridlock to greenery
Stepping off the old “bumboat” ferry onto Ubin’s narrow wooden jetty is a relief, with the hustle and the stress of the city suddenly a world away.
Just a few metres from the shore is a tiny kampong with a few restaurants, all set in traditional, single-storey wooden shops. There are also bikes – hundreds of them – that are purely for visitors. Rent a bike (or bring your own) and follow the only pathway out of the village. This is the start of 10km of mountain bike trails.
Weaving through calming woodland and across open grassland on gently winding singletrack trails is a tonic to the heat and hurry of the city. For experienced mountain bikers there are demanding single sections, with short but tough climbs, hillside switchbacks and rocky sections.
For less-skilled riders, Ubin also has a network of rolling and flat gravel roads, and even the odd sealed stretch. By using the gravel roads you can reach the more remote areas of the islands, including the 100-hectare Chek Jawa wetland area, which has a walkway and viewing platform, affording great bird and marine life spotting opportunities.
Ketam’s master trail builders have also created a skills area with manmade obstacles to negotiate and a pump track (a BMX-style section for jumping) by the trails’ starting point, which can be great fun for those wishing to spice up their ride.
You can circumnavigate the entire island in half a day, and would be unlikely to hear the roar of a single engine. With its one-way directional ride system you can plod – or blast – away in peace.
Practicalities
Pulau Ubin is a short ferry ride from Changi Point Ferry Terminal. Bikes are not allowed on the MRT or on local buses, so if you are taking your own wheels then it is best to ride to the terminal or to take a taxi.
Bike rental costs between eight and 14 Singapore dollars, depending on the rental duration and bike quality. The rental mountain bikes found on the island are well used and of reasonable standard.
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