Challenges for photographers stalking Little Terns
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Snakesss at Pasir Ris with kids!
from wild shores of singapore
Morning Walk At Venus Drive (06 Sep 2014)
from Beetles@SG BLOG
Revision to the Common Names of Butterflies 2
from Butterflies of Singapore
The Grey-tailed Tattler in Singapore
from Francis' Random Yaks, Articles & Photos
Will the migrants still winter at Bidadari next year?
from Singapore Bird Group
Monica Kotwani Channel NewsAsia 6 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE: As Singapore transforms its energy supply landscape, the use of solar power as a source of electricity is poised for a dramatic increase.
A roadmap on solar energy launched in July forecasts that the use of solar power could jump by almost 200 per cent by 2050 if certain conditions are met. However, experts and stakeholders Channel NewsAsia spoke with said several issues need to be addressed before this transformation can take place.
At the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) researchers measure the amount of sunlight that they see on the ground to make weather forecasts and record cloud formations and movement. And as solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, which produce electricity directly from sunlight, become more commonly used, a more accurate forecasting system is needed. Currently, the forecasting software has an error margin of about 30 per cent when forecasting weather up to 15 minutes in advance.
“Today, solar contributes only a small amount of electricity for the country, so the weather does not play a role as of now,” said Andre Nobre, Research Associate, Solar Energy Systems Cluster, SERIS. “In the future, when you have hundreds of megawatts of PV systems deployed, the weather will start to play a role, meaning if it's a sunny day, you would need fewer amounts of conventional power sources. On the other hand, if it's a rainy day, you would have to ramp up these conventional resources."
The power grid of the future would also need to perform several functions. "When you're not at home and your solar panel is producing electricity, it either gets stored and controlled in a smart manner or it is pumped back into the grid and that amount pumped is recorded by a smart meter,” said Professor Low Teck Seng, CEO of the National Research Foundation. “And in the evening, when their solar cells are not contributing to supplying power, they can actually drop out from the grid. So the simple meter being able to measure two-way flow of power is already a level of smartness”
At the moment, only 0.1 per cent of energy is supplied by solar power. Operators of some energy-intensive industrial facilities have said they are keen to explore installing solar panels on a larger scale.
But they cited two issues. The first is when solar panels do not produce enough energy, and companies have to look to the power grid to ramp up supply. But if this means going beyond a specified amount, companies would then have to pay a hefty sum.
Second, energy demands fluctuate for some companies, and solar panels are costly to set up. It takes years before companies can reap the benefits of their investments. Selling excess energy back to the power grid would allow them to recover some of their financial investments, but they face challenges in doing so.
"Removing some of these disincentives would be more attractive for companies to put more power generating facilities because energy cost is a huge cost to companies,” said George Lam, Director, Operations Excellence & Sustainability, GlaxoSmithKline. “So anything that would generate electricity without being too cumbersome will be a competitive advantage to companies."
In response, the Energy Market Authority said it is working with Singapore Power to "further simplify" processes. The Authority added it is further simplifying licensing requirements and the registration process that consumers have to comply with.
- CNA/rw
ICCS next Sat – Independents join Toddycats at Tanah Merah 7 to battle marine trash
from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore
When is the best time to see the Shorebirds at Sungei Buloh?
from Singapore Bird Group
APP can meet projected pulp demand without clearing more forest
from Mongabay.com news
Xue Jianyue Today Online 6 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE — In response to the Government’s plans to redevelop Mandai, nature groups yesterday called for buffer zones to be created between any future man-made and existing forest areas and for the minimisation of any impact on the ecosystem.
The groups also welcomed the Government’s decision to seek their advice on its plans for the area, which is currently home to the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and the River Safari.
In a joint statement yesterday, the Singapore Tourism Board and the National Parks Board (NParks) said the latter will guide the development so it is sustainable for and sensitive to the natural environment.
The statement reiterated that views from nature groups would be sought to ensure the sustainable development of the area.
It added: “The development should not encroach on the nature reserves and reservoirs. An Environmental Impact Assessment will need to be undertaken to avoid or mitigate any impact of the development on the nature reserves and reservoirs. Through sensitive design and management, the development could potentially strengthen and enhance the nature reserves.”
While he noted that more details had yet to be revealed, Mr Tay Kae Fong, president of the Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore), said any redevelopment should “work with the land”, which meant taking time to study the ecology of the forests that surround the new attraction and minimising the number of trees that would need to be cut.
“What I don’t want to see is them bulldozing the entire place down, (leaving a) blank canvas, and then they start doing planting and manicuring the whole place because they want it to be grand. I’m hoping they would take into account what’s already there,” said Mr Tay.
To reduce any adverse impact on the animal wildlife there, nature groups have called for buffer zones to be set up along the forest edge to separate it from man-made infrastructure.
Nature Trekker founder Ben Lee said this was necessary, as the redevelopment would increase road traffic in Mandai significantly.
Passing traffic could kill animals such as the macaque monkeys, which dwell in the periphery of the forests, said Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) founder Louis Ng, who had previously called for such buffers to be created in the Dairy Farm area.
He said the authorities have approached ACRES on two occasions since the start of the year and he hoped they would continue to do so.
As part of the redevelopment plans, the Jurong Bird Park could be relocated to Mandai.
Mr Ng said the bird park’s relocation presented an opportunity to redesign the park and replace outdated small cages with larger enclosures. “It’s moving in the right direction. A lot of new enclosures are already free-ranging for the birds, whereas the old ones are all cages. We are hopeful that as they move and develop a new bird park, they will follow and move along what they have already been doing to more free-ranging enclosures.”
Mandai mega-attraction will appeal to all: WRS
Wildlife Reserves unveils vision of integrated hub that boosts conservation, education efforts
Joy Fang Today Online 6 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE — An integrated conservation hub, an educational and research destination, as well as a spectacular tourist attraction that caters not just to Singaporeans but also the international crowd. It could also be home to a bird park with one of the biggest walk-in aviaries in the world.
This is the vision that Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) chairman Claire Chiang has for the new mega development planned for the Mandai area. WRS manages the three existing attractions in the area — the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and River Safari — as well as the Jurong Bird Park, which may be relocated to Mandai as part of the redevelopment plans announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday.
Ms Chiang’s vision of a top-drawer attraction that would appeal to all came as Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said yesterday the focus is on making available public spaces for Singaporeans to enjoy what Mandai has to offer.
Speaking to the media yesterday at a Panda Party at River Safari, Ms Chiang also revealed that an expansion of its three existing attractions in Mandai is necessary, given the high volume of visitors that is affecting visitor experience. For example, during Chinese New Year, daily visitorship numbers for the zoo can hit as high as 15,000, said Ms Chiang, adding that there is also greater efficiency under an integrated attraction.
On the possible relocation of the Bird Park, which was opened in 1971, Ms Chiang said the proposal had been discussed in the past few years. “Every product will need renewal and new ideas,” she said. “My wish is to see possibly one of the biggest walk-in aviaries (in the world) ... the open zoo concept is what won WRS its name.”
On Thursday, Mr Lee had announced during a live television forum that the Mandai area would be redeveloped into an all-encompassing wildlife attraction. Adding that the nature reserves would not be infringed upon, Mr Lee said the Government was mulling over the use of available space around the nature reserves, such as an unused orchid plantation and an old fruit orchard. The developments would create something bigger and better, Mr Lee said.
In a joint statement yesterday, the Singapore Tourism Board and the National Parks Board (NParks) reiterated that the Mandai area has the potential to be developed into a precinct of nature-themed attractions for education and recreation, and green public spaces for Singaporeans to enjoy and appreciate nature. “The STB is still working out development plans for Mandai and will share more information when ready,” it added. NParks will guide the development so it is sustainable for and sensitive to the natural environment, the statement said.
Ms Chiang said WRS is looking at using the development as a research platform to boost exchanges among experts, who can look at issues such as rainforest sustainability and biodiversity. “This is yet another new development that is going to make a mark in the global perspective,” she said. “Surely we are going to take every care to study seriously the host of factors related to safeguarding biodiversity and sustainability.”
The Jurong Bird Park was built at a cost of S$3.5 million more than four decades ago, excluding the price of the land.
Speaking to TODAY, Mr Bernard Harrison — former chief executive of WRS who has been credited for helping transform the zoo into being one of the most successful in Asia — said it would be extravagant and unnecessary to relocate the Bird Park. While the attraction could do with an upgrade, a relocation is much more costly, said Mr Harrison, who runs zoo design company Bernard Harrison and Friends. He said: “A bird park is a bird park. People find birds boring, that’s the problem ... How are you going to make the birds more exciting than they are already?”
Responding to Mr Harrison’s comments, Ms Chiang said it was important to innovate and find new ways to attract visitors.
She pointed out that there were also naysayers — citing the high costs — when WRS began creating River Safari. But the attraction has proven to be a success, she said.
Citing hefty entry fees to the zoo, Mr Harrison felt the new development must be geared towards catering for Singaporeans. Public transport to the Mandai area should also be improved, he said.
Speaking on the sidelines of a West Coast community event, Mr Iswaran said yesterday the Government must make sure the new development has a strong attraction for Singaporeans to visit. And then it has to look into augmenting the development to also appeal to tourists.
“I don’t think it’s mutually exclusive. But, as the Prime Minister mentioned, the focus is on the public spaces and what can be available in terms of open areas for Singaporeans to enjoy,” he said, adding that it is not only about gated attractions.
Stressing that plans are at a preliminary stage, Mr Iswaran described Mandai as a very special area consisting of existing attractions, the nature reserves and a reservoir. “It has the potential to be enhanced as a nature-themed, eco-friendly kind of precinct that all of us — Singaporean families — can enjoy,” he reiterated. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LAURA PHILOMIN
Mandai makeover of zoo; Bird Park could be there too
Audrey Tan and Charissa Yong The Straits Times AsiaOne 7 Sep 14;
Get ready for the massive Mandai makeover. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong revealed last night that the leafy northern swathe of Singapore will be transformed with a "bigger, better zoo", and even Jurong Bird Park could migrate to Mandai.
The 41-year-old zoo will be overhauled and could expand to take up available land next to it. This will significantly enlarge its present 26ha plot, which is about the size of 23 football fields.
The neighbouring space now houses an old orchid plantation and an old fruit orchard.
The plans should start coming together soon and could be rolled out by as early as 2020.
"You want something which is green, you want something which improves on what is there, you want something which will enhance the nature reserves and not infringe into the nature reserves. And I think we have some interesting ideas," he said.
"By 2020, we should see something, and beyond that, we should have even more. This is not so complicated to do as moving Paya Lebar Airbase to Changi. So, within the next 10 years, we should have quite a lot to see."
He also said that the Bird Park could be moved from its current 20ha site to Mandai: "The Bird Park is all by itself down in Jurong. Why not move it to where the zoo is?"
Asked if its iconic waterfall would move too, he replied: "I think they (the planners) have something in mind which is even more spectacular than the waterfall," he said, without wanting to reveal more details.
He was speaking at a live television forum titled Ask the Prime Minister, in which he fielded wide-ranging questions, from hot-button issues on retirement adequacies and paper qualifications to light-hearted takes such as which superhero he would like to be. The answer: Superman.
On plans for Mandai, The Straits Times has learnt that a fifth zoo - on top of the current zoo, River Safari, Night Safari and Bird Park - is on the cards.
Among the ideas being considered for it: A jungle adventure theme and suspension bridges built through a tree canopy for visitors to enjoy.
The Mandai makeover is just one of several big redevelopment plans Mr Lee has announced over the past year, such as for Paya Lebar and Jurong.
He said that the new nature area in Mandai will also have areas for the public to relax for free, much like Marina Bay's Gardens by the Bay. "You also have public areas where you can wander around and you can go and take wedding pictures, and you can enjoy the waterfront and watch the sunset on Upper Seletar Reservoir. I think it can be a very beautiful, very nice place."
The redevelopment will be done in a way which preserves the environment and enhances the current nature reserve in the area, he said. The nature reserve itself - known as the Central Catchment Nature Reserve - is Singapore's largest, occupying over 2,000ha of forest cover.
Mr Lee added that the authorities have been talking to some nature groups: "I am sure that as they understand what is happening, they will help us to refine and to improve the scheme."
His announcement drew a cautious reaction from the green community, many of whom acknowledged that it was an "ambitious plan".
Some praised the move as one that would create an impressive nature hub, while others feared the loss of biodiversity.
Mr Jose Raymond, chief executive of the Singapore Environment Council, said: "The plan to create a nature reserve in the Mandai area... will definitely bring Singaporeans closer to nature and biodiversity."
But lobbyist groups, such as the Nature Society (Singapore), said existing biodiversity could be at stake, and called for a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment.
But Professor Leo Tan, director of special projects at the National University of Singapore's Science faculty, noted that the areas planned for redevelopment are on land already in use. He is confident that "care will be taken to ensure the green aura of the place is maintained".
Olivia Siong Channel NewsAsia 5 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE: With its existing wildlife attractions, the Mandai area could be redeveloped into a precinct for nature-themed attractions for education and recreation, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and National Parks Board (NParks) said. Both agencies released a joint statement on Friday (Sep 5), a day after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a forum on Channel NewsAsia that a "bigger and better" Mandai zoo is in the works, as part of a larger makeover of Mandai that could happen by 2020.
A joint statement from both agencies on Friday (Sep 5) said STB is still working on development plans and will share more information when ready.
RESORT ATTRACTION?
Currently, Mandai is not only home to the Singapore Zoo, but the recently opened River Safari and the Night Safari as well. Mr Lee said an old orchid farm and orchard could be used for the zoo's extension. One idea from the Association of Singapore Attractions (ASA) is to create a resort immersed in nature, and turn Mandai into a place that could boost tourism.
Said ASA chairman Kevin Cheong: "We should not look at the Mandai area as just a place to visit. It should be a must-see, must-stay, and stay overnight. People can stay, live in nature for two or three days and that can prolong the length of their stay in Singapore. That would generate repeat visitorship to other precincts in Singapore."
Mr Cheong added the redeveloped Mandai should not just cater to tourists, but Singaporeans as well. "When I say wildlife resorts, I don't mean a five-star resort, I don't mean living it up in luxury, I mean going back to nature. Could it be staying in a 'kampung'? Could it be in a longhouse? Through social media, our residents become not just visitors, but advocates for nature, advocates for our attractions, telling their friends from overseas to visit Singapore and experience their favourite parts of Singapore. That is true tourism."
"NATURAL" ESCAPE
Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said various Government agencies have been studying how the area can be enhanced as an entire precinct, in ways that preserve Mandai's natural charm. “It's not just about gated attractions such as the Zoo or the Night Safari. It is also about creating public spaces, green spaces, that more Singaporeans can enjoy.There is a lot of potential for that in the area, by virtue of the fact that it is contiguous with the reservoir and the natural setting that it has."
Hospitality and tourism management lecturer Shirley Tee, who teaches at Nanyang Polytechnic, said activities involving nature are becoming popular. “Because of the stress of life that everybody has now, there is this need to escape from your daily routine, go back to nature and let your mind relax and be at peace. That is something I think a lot of tourists would look forward to - a place where you have enjoyment, but can also be relaxed," she said.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
Prime Minister Lee had said the Mandai development will be green and enhance the existing nature reserve without infringing it. He also mentioned ongoing talks with nature groups that are expected to help improve and refine the plans for the area.
The Nature Society (Singapore) said it was consulted about a month ago, though it noted that the history of the project goes back a few years. "There was a large STB-organised consultation in 2012 and an earlier one in 2007. There has been a long history of engagement with stakeholders," said Nature Society president Shawn Lum. “The earlier engagement, consultation, envisioning activities that I was privileged to be part of, were mainly kind of scoping out what would an appropriate, nature-friendly, sustainable attraction be for this area, given its proximity to the zoo and so on."
While the group is concerned about the impact the development will have on the environment and wildlife, it hopes a middle ground can be found. "What we can't sugarcoat is we will lose habitat," said Dr Lum. "But in terms of the net benefits of the whole project, in terms of changing perceptions towards nature, getting kids excited about wildlife, increasing the people's sense of wonderment at nature, if these things can all be accomplished and the thing will synergise existing attractions and existing NGO efforts, it could be something quite special."
NParks said it will guide the development so that it is sustainable and sensitive to the natural environment. An Environmental Impact Assessment will also be done to avoid or mitigate any impact on the nature reserves and reservoirs.
THE "BIGGER AND BETTER" ZOO
Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) - the holding company of Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, River Safari and Singapore Zoo - said the planned expansion of the zoo will focus on its mission of conservation, biodiversity and maintaining the area's environmental sustainability.
Speaking to reporters at a party to celebrate the birthday of pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia, WRS chairman Claire Chiang said: "Edutainment has always been our mission and I think this is one opportunity to create a Singapore with that focus. With that sort of exchange among experts and with all our biodiversity experts in the region, this is yet another new development that is going to make a mark in the global perspective on sustainability."
- CNA/xy
Mandai mega-attraction will appeal to all: WRS
Joy Fang Today Online 6 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE — An integrated conservation hub, an educational and research destination, as well as a spectacular tourist attraction that caters not just to Singaporeans but also the international crowd. It could also be home to a bird park with one of the biggest walk-in aviaries in the world.
This is the vision that Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) chairman Claire Chiang has for the new mega development planned for the Mandai area. WRS manages the three existing attractions in the area — the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and River Safari — as well as the Jurong Bird Park, which may be relocated to Mandai as part of the redevelopment plans announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday.
Ms Chiang’s vision of a top-drawer attraction that would appeal to all came as Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said yesterday the focus is on making available public spaces for Singaporeans to enjoy what Mandai has to offer.
Speaking to the media yesterday at a Panda Party at River Safari, Ms Chiang also revealed that an expansion of its three existing attractions in Mandai is necessary, given the high volume of visitors that is affecting visitor experience. For example, during Chinese New Year, daily visitorship numbers for the zoo can hit as high as 15,000, said Ms Chiang, adding that there is also greater efficiency under an integrated attraction.
On the possible relocation of the Bird Park, which was opened in 1971, Ms Chiang said the proposal had been discussed in the past few years. “Every product will need renewal and new ideas,” she said. “My wish is to see possibly one of the biggest walk-in aviaries (in the world) ... the open zoo concept is what won WRS its name.”
On Thursday, Mr Lee had announced during a live television forum that the Mandai area would be redeveloped into an all-encompassing wildlife attraction. Adding that the nature reserves would not be infringed upon, Mr Lee said the Government was mulling over the use of available space around the nature reserves, such as an unused orchid plantation and an old fruit orchard. The developments would create something bigger and better, Mr Lee said.
In a joint statement yesterday, the Singapore Tourism Board and the National Parks Board (NParks) reiterated that the Mandai area has the potential to be developed into a precinct of nature-themed attractions for education and recreation, and green public spaces for Singaporeans to enjoy and appreciate nature. “The STB is still working out development plans for Mandai and will share more information when ready,” it added. NParks will guide the development so it is sustainable for and sensitive to the natural environment, the statement said.
Ms Chiang said WRS is looking at using the development as a research platform to boost exchanges among experts, who can look at issues such as rainforest sustainability and biodiversity. “This is yet another new development that is going to make a mark in the global perspective,” she said. “Surely we are going to take every care to study seriously the host of factors related to safeguarding biodiversity and sustainability.”
The Jurong Bird Park was built at a cost of S$3.5 million more than four decades ago, excluding the price of the land.
Speaking to TODAY, Mr Bernard Harrison — former chief executive of WRS who has been credited for helping transform the zoo into being one of the most successful in Asia — said it would be extravagant and unnecessary to relocate the Bird Park. While the attraction could do with an upgrade, a relocation is much more costly, said Mr Harrison, who runs zoo design company Bernard Harrison and Friends. He said: “A bird park is a bird park. People find birds boring, that’s the problem ... How are you going to make the birds more exciting than they are already?”
Responding to Mr Harrison’s comments, Ms Chiang said it was important to innovate and find new ways to attract visitors.
She pointed out that there were also naysayers — citing the high costs — when WRS began creating River Safari. But the attraction has proven to be a success, she said.
Citing hefty entry fees to the zoo, Mr Harrison felt the new development must be geared towards catering for Singaporeans. Public transport to the Mandai area should also be improved, he said.
Speaking on the sidelines of a West Coast community event, Mr Iswaran said yesterday the Government must make sure the new development has a strong attraction for Singaporeans to visit. And then it has to look into augmenting the development to also appeal to tourists.
“I don’t think it’s mutually exclusive. But, as the Prime Minister mentioned, the focus is on the public spaces and what can be available in terms of open areas for Singaporeans to enjoy,” he said, adding that it is not only about gated attractions.
Stressing that plans are at a preliminary stage, Mr Iswaran described Mandai as a very special area consisting of existing attractions, the nature reserves and a reservoir. “It has the potential to be enhanced as a nature-themed, eco-friendly kind of precinct that all of us — Singaporean families — can enjoy,” he reiterated. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LAURA PHILOMIN
New plans for Mandai will be 'sensitive to area'
Melissa Lin And Samantha Boh The Straits Times AsiaOne 8 Sep 14;
The new developments at the Mandai area will be sustainable and sensitive to the surrounding area, with an Environmental Impact Assessment to be undertaken to address any impact on the nature reserves and reservoirs.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the National Parks Board (NParks) said in a joint statement yesterday that the development "should not encroach on the nature reserves and reservoirs".
"Through sensitive design and management, the development could potentially strengthen and enhance the nature reserves," it said. NParks added that views from nature groups will be sought to ensure the sustainable development of the area.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said during a live television forum on Thursday that leafy Mandai will be transformed with a "bigger, better zoo", and the Jurong Bird Park could be moved to the area, home to the Singapore Zoo, River Safari and Night Safari.
Second Minister for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran said last night that the green groups here are important stakeholders in the development of Mandai. "They will be engaged; (we) already have spoken to some. As the idea develops, there will be more engagement to ensure that some of the key concerns that already have been outlined can be addressed in a fair manner," he said.
In the joint statement, STB said it is "still working out" the development plans for Mandai. It noted the area's potential "to be developed into a precinct of nature-themed attractions for education and recreation, and green public spaces for Singaporeans to enjoy and appreciate nature".
Moving the Bird Park to Mandai would be a win-win situation for the attraction and its neighbours, as such a cluster would be more marketable to tourists, said industry players and experts. A new Bird Park would also create a buzz among Singaporeans for the 43-year-old attraction.
But a cluster could also result in saturation of attractions and increased competition among them, said Dr Guan Chong, marketing lecturer at SIM University's School of Business.
Dr Michael Chiam, Ngee Ann Polytechnic's senior lecturer in tourism, said the problem with the Bird Park is its "isolated location, with no other attractions around to support it". A crocodile farm next door closed in 2006.
A move would allow Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), which runs the four parks, to hold joint promotions and events to draw crowds back to the ailing attraction, said Dr Chiam.
Last year, the Bird Park attracted nearly 800,000 visitors - nearly 14 per cent less than in 2012 and the lowest in at least seven years, according to Singapore Department of Statistics data.
Dynasty Travel "usually omits" the Bird Park from its itinerary in Mandai as it takes 20 to 30 minutes by coach to reach the park from there, said director of marketing communications Alicia Seah. If the Bird Park moves to Mandai, it could be added to the current package under a special price, she added.
Attractions overseas have already found success with this concept. The Darling Harbour area in Sydney has a zoo, aquarium, wax museum and observation tower.
The expansion of the wildlife parks is necessary, said WRS chairman Claire Chiang yesterday. The zoo saw a peak of 15,000 people a day during Chinese New Year. "That kind of crowdedness is not giving us the guest experience," Ms Chiang added.
Khairul Amri Mohd Sidik Today Online 6 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE — A narrow, nondescript two-way street under a raised section of retired train tracks leads to one of Singapore’s largest and most pristine patch of primary rainforest at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
As you make your way into the nature reserve via Hindhede Road, there is the common and uplifting sight of a myriad of visitors — from the serious hiker to the occasional jogger and families — gathering.
Among them is 61-year-old Keng Chong Wong, who has a standing weekly appointment with his friends. As he does some light stretching near the visitor centre, he recounts his regular trips to the reserve since the ’90s.
In addition to helping him keep fit, he said his time here is crucial for his social well-being in his silver years — He “meets old friends, makes new friends”. For seniors who have encountered countless changes in Singapore’s fast-changing landscape, there is a sense of familiarity and nostalgia at the reserve, he adds. “(It) reminds me of the olden days.”
Once the closure kicks in, Mr Keng hopes to continue his weekly meet-ups elsewhere. “I like the slopes over here and I come down with friends. Where will we go after this?” he wondered.
In June, the National Parks Board (NParks) announced that the 163ha nature reserve will be closed for about two years from Sept 15 for restoration works. Heavy rainfall and an increase in visitorship over the years — from 80,000 in 1992 to 400,000 last year — has taken a toll on the grounds. As part of the restoration, about half of the reserve’s 9km of trails will be repaired, a 1.3km-long raised boardwalk will be built and the visitor’s centre will be upgraded.
A little way off from the visitor centre is a resting spot up a slope, and there I chatted with 43-year-old Razali, who, like many others, goes to the nature reserve to train for hiking expeditions. “We are going to Mount Kinabalu and this is part of our training,” he said.
Clad in red polo tees, the interest group he trains with meets every Sunday for some intermediate-level circuit training on the slopes. There is a lot of camaraderie and encouragement among the avid hikers, adding a certain buzz and vibrancy to the nature reserve.
“A lot of people who actually come here are training for an expedition. In Singapore, Bukit Timah is the best place to go to for such trainings,” Mr Razali said. “We come to this place every week and it’s sad … One fewer place to go to for a trek,” he added regarding the impending closure.
Perhaps they will now train using the staircases at Housing and Development Board flats, said 22-year-old Lu Jiaxi, who recently returned from a hiking expedition. “What I’ll miss is the convenience and it being nearby.”
“When it reopens, I hope it doesn’t become too commercialised or look like something that people will think is (man-made),” said 25-year-old Lim Ai Ting, who trained at the reserve for her climb up Mount Everest base camp. She now exercises at the reserve once a month to keep fit.
United Kingdom citizen Ian Wright, 53, who has lived in Singapore for almost a decade and is a fan of the reserve for its technical courses, shared: “What I’m fearing is that they’ll put down gravel everywhere.” The naturally undulating slopes serve as excellent training areas for enthusiasts.
“The natural surroundings need to be allowed to heal itself, but don’t do what they did to the MacRitchie (nature trail), where they just chopped down six inches of ground over a technical section just because one or two people wanted to go out for a short walk,” he said.
The authorities said the main road that leads to the summit will reopen on weekends next March, but the rest of the reserve will remain closed for another one-and-a-half years. But some visitors, like 52-year-old Richard Yong, are hopeful that other areas can reopen sooner.
“Some of the grounds are badly eroded, so I can understand if you need to close it for a longer period of time, but (for) the other (areas) not affected, I think they should be open,” he said.
Green Drinks: Networking Friday!
from Green Drinks Singapore
Jurong Eco Garden- a green treasure
from My Nature Experiences
I want a Swinhoe’s Snipe
from Singapore Bird Group
Carolyn Khew The Straits Times AsiaOne 5 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE - Littering is not just bad for the environment - the rubbish you throw haphazardly could end up polluting the source of your drinking water.
That is the message Mr Eugene Heng, founder and chairman of environmental group Waterways Watch Society (WWS), wants to drive home, as Singapore continues to find effective solutions to tackle littering.
Yesterday, the 65-year-old retiree received the President's Award for the Environment - Singapore's highest environmental accolade - from President Tony Tan Keng Yam. The other award recipients were the Institute of Technical Education and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
In the past, water in the drains would end up in the sea, said Mr Heng. "But today, the drains are actually collection systems for our drinking water. They are not for you to dump rubbish," he said.
"The right mindset is very important, and that is the challenge we have."
Mr Heng should know. He has, after all, spent the past 16 years monitoring Singapore's waterways and picking up litter in canals and rivers here.
Mr Heng and his volunteers spend at least two hours every weekend picking up flotsam along waterways such as Marina Reservoir, Punggol Waterway and Kallang River.
On getting the award, he said: "It goes to (WWS) members. I can't do all this by myself."
- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/singapores-water-warrior#sthash.NjhrBF7t.dpuf
Joy Fang Today Online 5 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE — The Mandai area, home to the Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari and the River Safari, is set for major redevelopment, with plans for an all-encompassing wildlife attraction with educational, recreational and “green” elements.
The new attraction, which could be ready around 2020, would be similar to the likes of Gardens By The Bay, where beyond viewing wildlife, one could also take walks in public areas, enjoy the waterfront and watch the sunset on Upper Seletar Reservoir.
This was revealed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on the ‘live’ television programme Ask the Prime Minister last night, where he also said that Jurong Bird Park could relocate to Mandai. The Government has been seeking the advice of nature groups on how to refine its plans for Mandai, he added.
Asked whether the plans are an extension of the zoo, Mr Lee said what the Government has in mind is “something bigger and better”, which will enhance the nature reserves and not infringe onto the reserves.
Mr Lee had shared the plans for Mandai in response to a question from the programme host on what large-scale projects Singapore can look forward to in future.
The Government, Mr Lee said, is considering using the available space outside of the nature reserves, such as an unused old orchid plantation and old fruit orchard for its plans.
“If you can extend the zoo to those parts, I think it’ll be very interesting,” he said. “For example, the Bird Park is all by itself down in Jurong. Why not move it to where the zoo is?”
Asked if the waterfall at the Jurong Bird Park — a signature of the park — would be moved as well, Mr Lee said: “I think we have something in mind which is even more spectacular than the waterfall.”
TODAY understands that besides the relocation of the 43-year-old Jurong Bird Park to the area, a museum may be housed there as well, together with a research facility and a hotel employing green technology in areas such as how it cools its facilities and housekeeping.
In recent weeks, talks have been rife that big plans were afoot for the Mandai area.
A member of a nature group whom TODAY spoke to said that as recently as last month, a potential developer was quietly holding talks with environmental groups, and was considering getting a consultant to look into the feasibility of their plans. But it is all at an exploratory stage. “I don’t know if they have made up their mind”, he said.
When TODAY contacted the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on plans for Mandai earlier this week, Mr Poh Chi Chuan, its Director of Cultural Precincts and Tourism Concept Development, said the STB is studying various options for Mandai and would share more information when ready.
“The Mandai area, with its existing wildlife attractions (Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and River Safari) has the potential to be developed into a precinct of nature-themed attractions for education and recreation,” he said. He added that any development of the site “will also have to be sustainable and sensitive to its natural environment”. TODAY understands that an environment impact assessment will be carried out before any plans are finalised.
The three existing attractions as well as Jurong Bird Park are managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore.
Talks to develop the Mandai area first surfaced some time in 2007, prompting Nature Society (Singapore) to publish a report in November that year highlighting their concerns.
The report said the STB was exploring an eco-tourism project south of the Mandai Road area and on both sides of Mandai Lake Road. Two parcels of land were involved — a patch of about 15ha bounded by Mandai Road, Mandai Lake Road and the boundary of the Western Catchment Reserve; and another patch of about 18ha between Mandai Track 15 and the Western Catchment Reserve up to the military firing range.
The society also listed concerns such as how the area is already in a “fragmented and degraded state”, and that the project would degrade the area as a forest ecosystem or habitat, creating instead a parkland landscape which would result in the loss of variety of habitat niches.
Areas involved in the latest plans have not been finalised.
When contacted last night , Dr Ho Hua Chew, vice-chair of the conservation committee in Nature Society (Singapore), said they are concerned about the planned development and hope that a comprehensive environmental impact assessment can be done, covering noise pollution, hydrology and more.
He said the area is rich in biodiversity and the wildlife there — such as the leopard cat, pangolin, the mouse deer — could be put in danger.
‘Bigger and better’ plans for Mandai
Joy Fang Today Online 4 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE — The Government is looking into developing the Mandai area, with plans to turn it into an all-encompassing wildlife attraction, much like Gardens By The Bay.
It will include educational, recreational and green aspects on top of its wildlife theme, with the possibility of the Jurong Bird Park relocating there as well, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today (Sept 4) in a live television forum, Ask the Prime Minister.
The show aired on MediaCorp’s Channel 5 and Channel NewsAsia from 8pm to 9pm. He was addressing questions on what the future of Singapore would be like.
Asked by host Dawn Tan if the plans are an extension to the zoo, Mr Lee said what they have in mind is “something bigger and better”.
Mr Lee, who said the attraction may take shape sometime in 2020, noted it will be something that enhances the nature reserves and does not infringe into the reserves. He also said the Government will seek the advice of nature groups on how to improve on its plans for Mandai.
LIVEBLOG: Ask PM Lee 2014
Channel NewsAsia 4 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE: Over the last two weeks, the public has been invited to send in their questions for a '"live" forum with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Here is what he has to say on issues ranging from retirement adequacy to education.
8.57PM On Singapore's future: We are a small country. We used to say we are a sampan, now maybe we are a boat with a motor, self-propelled. The seas are unpredictable. We didn't expect to come this far. In the next 50 years, we hope to go as far. Things can go wrong, and we must be be prepared for that. You must have that steel in you. We have to take the setbacks, and move on, and move on together.
8.55PM On redeveloping Mandai: We have something in mind to make the zoo much better, and bigger. There is space - land is available next to the nature reserve. If you can extend the zoo to those parts, I think that would be very interesting. We have something in mind - green, improved, that will enhance the nature reserves while not infringing on it. Why not move the Jurong Birdpark to where the zoo is? You want an attraction like Gardens By The Bay, with public areas where you can wander around, watch the sunset. It can be a very beautiful place. By 2020 we should see something. We have been talking to some of the nature groups, and I'm sure they will help us to refine and improve the plan.
8.47PM On space constraints and heritage: We have ideas for putting plants, factories underground. We will explore that further. We cannot keep everything undisturbed, but important things we have to keep - like Chinatown, Little India. From time to time we have to make tough choices. We have to build in Bukit Brown, but we can try to disturb fewer graves.
8.45PM On future leaders: Will there be a female PM? I hope there will be one. I shouldn't be PM when I am 70. Our young ministers are good and promising, and with time a leader will emerge.
8.42PM His childhood ambition: In Primary 3, I wrote an essay about being a pilot. Each time I go on an aeroplane. I peek in the cockpit and wonder what it would be like. Maybe it will be my hobby. My childhood heroes included Superman and Tarzan. I didn't like Batman very much.
8.40PM PM Lee shares parenting tips: I did change diapers, and in those days we used safety pins so you have to be very careful. As the child grows up you have to be his friend, his guide, his role model. Spend time with them, engage them. It's a very trying time for your wife when the baby is born, so support her.
8.35PM On NLB controversy on withdrawn children's books: It is an illustration of social tensions, and we have to bridge those differences. We are never going to be single-valued, single-cultured Singapore. We are diverse - that is our strength, provided we don't let it tear us apart.
8.33PM Will there be more MPs who are ITE and poly graduates in the future? I hope so. We will try very hard to look for them. Whenever we find a good man or woman we will field them. Charles Chong, Liang Eng Hwa - we didn't choose them because they were poly graduates, we chose them because they were good. We are casting our net very wide, we are inviting a lot of people to tea.
8.32PM Is there a glass ceiling for diploma-holders in the civil service? It should depend on your performance. Whether you are a graduate or not should not be so critical - for many jobs degree- and diploma-holders work side by side.
8.30PM PM Lee answers more questions on education: When you study for a degree, you have to be sure the degree is rigorous, and there is a market demand for it. Government universities, we make sure the standards are there, and the right courses are there in the right numbers. In private universities, you have to be careful. We can't say every degree or diploma is worth exactly the same and will be able to guarantee you a job. What counts is what skills you have, what contribution you'll be able to make.
8.25PM On the importance of PSLE: We have been grappling with the PSLE for a while. It's important because we use it to know how well we've done, and which secondary school you can get into. In other countries with no PSLE, the school exam is important and pressure is there. We have one good exam, PSLE, to decide which secondary school you go to, but we try to make every school a good school. PSLE won't be the last time you have to prove yourself. But beyond the PSLE, other things come into play.
8.20PM More questions come in about extending the retirement age: Australia has made the age 70, and they are taking many years to phase this in, it won't happen till 2030. I think Singapore can take a similar approach.
8.17PM On CPF: We want to make sure everyone has the basic provided for in CPF, which is why we said if you want to you can take out 20 per cent, but you don't have to. We should allow people to put more into CPF if they want to.
8.15PM On retirement age: We would like people to work as long as they are healthy, to stay active and stay connected. We have pushed the re-employment age to 65, and we would like to push it further. On a voluntary basis, we would encourage companies to keep re-employing people as long as they are fit. We are working towards raising the retirement and re-employment age, but that may take a few years.
8.11PM: What kind of growth should Singapore aim for? Growth that creates good jobs, that Singaporeans can benefit from. We used to grow more than 10 per cent a year when we were taking off very fast, then we slowed down. Looking forward, I think we have to get used to maybe 2 to 3 per cent a year.
8.00PM PM Lee answers questions on cost of living in Singapore: Expectations have changed. Today people have fewer children, but people put more pressure on themselves and for their children. Cost of living is on many people's minds. Yes, things have become more expensive, but incomes have gone up faster than prices.
- CNA/xy
Channel NewsAsia 4 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE: The number of hotspots detected on Indonesia's Sumatra island soared to 177 on Thursday (Sep 4), up from 80 the day before, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in an advisory posted on its website. Most of these hotspots were in southern Sumatra.
NEA said there was slight haziness in the morning in Singapore due to accumulation of dust particles in the air under light wind conditions. As of 6pm, the 24-hour PSI is 66-74, in the Moderate range.
NEA said the slight haziness would likely continue on Friday, with light winds from the south forecast. Air quality is expected to be in the Moderate range. However, thundery showers are forecast for the late morning and early afternoon.
- CNA/ly
Number of Sumatra hot spots spikes
Today Online 5 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE — The number of hot spots detected on Indonesia’s Sumatra island soared to 177 yesterday, up from 80 the day before, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in an advisory on its website.
Most of these hot spots were in southern Sumatra.
The NEA said there was slight haziness in the morning in Singapore due to accumulation of dust particles in the air under light wind conditions. As of 6pm, the 24-hour PSI was 66-74, in the moderate range.
The agency said the slight haziness would likely continue today, with light winds from the south forecast.
Air quality is expected to be in the moderate range. However, thundery showers are forecast for the late morning and early afternoon.
Xue Jianyue Today Online 5 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE — The Land Transport Authority (LTA) plans to place solar panels on the roofs of two new train depots by 2016, taking advantage of their large roofs to generate clean energy for depot operations.
It is the first tender the LTA is calling for solar panels on a rail depot. Scheduled to begin operations in 2016, the solar panels will serve the Tuas and Gali Batu rail depots, which will open that year to serve the East-West and Downtown lines.
“As both Tuas and Gali Batu depots are at-grade depots with large roof areas and are not surrounded by tall buildings, they present opportunities for the LTA to harvest solar energy for electricity to operate depot equipment,” said the authority in response to TODAY’s queries.
It did not specify how much power the solar panels will generate.
The tender specifications, released last month, require a hired contractor to monitor the panels’ performance and the amount of electricity generated over a period of one year.
The LTA’s initiative comes at a time when the Government is planning to expand the use of solar energy beyond Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, possibly to places such as schools and military camps.
Writing on his blog last week, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said government organisations, which could include the Defence and Education ministries, will ride on the HDB’s bulk tenders for solar panels.
Currently, the five existing train depots in Singapore serve five MRT lines. Construction at the new 21-ha Gali Batu depot, off Woodlands Road, started in 2009 and will complete next year. The 26-ha Tuas Depot, located at Tuas, is targeted to complete in 2016.
When it comes to generating solar power, depot roofs offer several advantages over HDB rooftops and empty land of the same total size, said several industry players and experts.
Dr Thomas Reindl, deputy chief executive officer of the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore, said there are economies of scale when installing one large solar photovoltaic (PV) system, compared with installing many smaller ones of the same total size.
“Train depots are a very good choice as there are typically no other buildings nearby and most of the infrastructure equipment is inside the building rather than on the rooftop,” he told TODAY via email.
Unlike those on HDB rooftops, solar panels on depot rooftops need not compete with other facilities such as water tanks, said Phoenix Solar managing director, Mr Christophe Inglin.
Electricity generated by panels on the depot’s roof can be channelled directly to the depot, reducing the need for more electrical infrastructure between the energy generator and the energy consumer. “It is like working from home instead of commuting to work,” Mr Inglin said.
Installing the solar panels directly on land is also not ideal in land-scarce Singapore, said Mr Nilesh Jadhav, programme director at the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University.
Looking ahead, the experts suggested that more warehouses and schools in industrials areas with large rooftops could be installed with solar panels.
Solar leasing company Sunseap Leasing’s business development manager Brandon Lee, whose firm intends to bid for the LTA tender, noted that the Singapore American School already has a large PV system on its rooftop.
Other buildings with PV systems on their large rooftops include Sheng Siong supermarket’s distribution centre in Mandai and the Ulu Pandan NEWater plant, said Dr Reindl.
“Since the cost of solar systems has come down a lot in the past few years, we will see many more such installations in the future, simply because it makes economic sense now to generate your own solar electricity and use it to lower the electricity bill,” he added.
Channel NewsAsia 5 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) on Friday (Sep 5) responded to a video circulating on Facebook showing a stray dog killed during a dog control operation in Ang Mo Kio.
The video, posted on Thursday on the Sg Dogslover Facebook page, said the dog was a nursing mother that was killed by a trap set by a dog catcher in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5. It added that a police report had been made, and called for volunteers to help locate the puppies.
The AVA said on Friday that the dog control operation was conducted in response to complaints about stray dogs in the area. However, its investigations showed that the trap used by the contractor had been modified and was not approved for use.
The contractor also did not monitor the trap as required to ensure that any trapped animal is removed quickly. As such, the AVA said it will be "taking enforcement actions against the contractor for the non-compliances".
- CNA/cy
Animal rights groups urge better oversight after dog death
Neo Chai Chin Today Online 6 Sep 14;
SINGAPORE — The deadly use of a modified dog trap by an Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) contractor on Thursday has led to calls from animal welfare groups for greater adherence to protocol and for training to be conducted for animal control contractors.
The AVA issued a statement yesterday in response to a video of a dead dog posted on social media. The stray dog was said to have been killed in a dog control operation at Ang Mo Kio Ave 5.
The authority said the trap used by its contractor had been modified and was not approved for use. It will be taking action against the contractor for non-compliance, its spokesperson said. Post-mortem results of the dog’s body are pending.
The contractor had used a modified collarum trap in the operation, which was in response to complaints about stray dogs in the area. Such traps are commonly used in Australia and the United Kingdom, and are approved by the AVA, said the spokesperson, who did not name the contractor or elaborate on how the trap had been modified.
The contractor was also required to monitor the trap to ensure any trapped animal is quickly removed, but had failed to do so. The contractor was deployed on Thursday afternoon and the AVA was informed on the same night that a dog had been killed.
Before this, the AVA had not received feedback on unapproved traps being used in dog control operations. An AVA vet checks the condition of trapped animals — which are euthanised as a last resort if they cannot be rehomed — when the authority receives them from its contractors, the spokesperson said.
Dog traps are necessary to trap dogs for purposes that include sterilisation, but not all traps are safe, said Dr Siew Tuck Wah, president of animal welfare group Save Our Street Dogs. The trap used involved a mechanism that trapped the dog’s head when it went for the food bait, and required the operator to be vigilant and quickly release a trapped dog to prevent any risk of strangulation, he said.
Dr Siew called for better regulation of traps to prevent further tragedy.
Other animal welfare groups said contractors should be trained — on top of guidelines jointly developed by the AVA and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) that they have to follow — to ensure they do their jobs properly.
Action for Singapore Dogs president Ricky Yeo suggested contractors wear surveillance devices such as small cameras on the job, to resolve differing accounts when incidents occur. Contractors should also show their letter of authorisation to conduct operations when asked by members of the public, he said.
Mr Yeo acknowledged that the AVA may feel compelled to act in the interest of public safety when complaints arise, but said there should be more discernment when trapping dogs and the right methods should be used.
SPCA executive director Corinne Fong headed to the site on Thursday night after receiving a call from a dog feeder who witnessed the incident. The SPCA will be looking into the matter, both independently and with the AVA.
Ms Fong said animal control operations should complement the work of rescuers and feeders who help to sterilise the animals, and there could be more communication so the efforts of the latter group to control the population are not undone when the animals are rounded up.
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