Best of our wild blogs: 2 Sep 17

Toddycats @ Public Libraries in September for “Friends of the Forest”
Toddycats!

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St John's Island launches first curated trail, guided tours

Deborah Wong Channel NewsAsia 2 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE: The first curated trail at St John's Island was officially launched on Saturday (Sep 2), along with free guided tours led by trained volunteers.

The 2.8km trail, which starts at the entrance of the main jetty, has 15 stations marked out with signboards. Visitors will see coastal forests and coral reefs, and may spot birds such as the great-billed heron, reptiles such as the gold-ringed cat snake and the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, according to the National Parks Board (NParks), which is organising the tours.

During low tide, visitors can walk along the intertidal flat at the lagoon and look out for sea stars, sea cucumbers, crabs and marine snails. The trail also brings visitors to the Marine Park Outreach and Education Centre, where visitors can learn about local marine life.

The free guided tour will cover 1.6km and take visitors to 14 stations on the trail. It takes around 90 minutes to complete, and up to 45 people can take part in each tour. A map is available on NParks' website for those who want to explore the trail on their own.

The tours will take place on the first weekend of every month starting in October. Registration begins this Sunday at 2pm via the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park website.

“The centre of gravity of our conservation approach cannot be to keep people away from nature,” said Mr Desmond Lee, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development, at the event.

“Instead, we want to instill a sense of wonder and appreciation among Singaporeans for our blue and green areas.”

SISTERS' ISLAND MARINE PARK PUBLIC GALLERY EXPANDED

New exhibits were also launched on Saturday at the Sisters’ Island Marine Park Public Gallery on St John’s Island.

The new exhibits include live specimens in a viewing pool, a mangrove mesocosm to study ecosystem behaviours, as well as a virtual reality experience for an immersive "dive" tour around the marine park.

The Sisters’ Islands Marine Park Public Gallery first opened in 2015, while the marine park was designated in 2014. The marine park spans 40 hectares, encompassing Sisters' Islands, the western reefs of St John's Island and Pulau Tekukor.

The region was chosen for its rich biodiversity and conservation efforts aim to enhance the marine habitat there, NParks said.

More features are expected to be added in the next two years, such as a boardwalk on Big Sisters' Island, an intertidal walk as well as a floating pontoon.

Regular ferry services to St John’s Island departing from Marina South Pier are available twice a day on weekdays and up to five times a day on weekends and public holidays.
Source: CNA/cy


New trail on St John's island marking out its history and vast biodiversity
Kok Xing Hui Straits Times 2 Sep 17;
SINGAPORE - The National Parks Board (NParks) is beefing up offerings on idyllic St John's Island by launching a 2.8 km trail marking out its history, natural habitats and vast biodiversity.

On Saturday (Sept 2), Second Minister for National Development and Home Affairs Desmond Lee launched the new trail, along with other features, at St John's Island, which is located approximately 6.5 km to the south of the main island of Singapore.

The trail includes 15 stations and will take visitors through various eco-systems on the island, including mangroves, coastal forests and intertidal zones.

Wildlife in the area include hawksbill turtles, Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins, the Great-billed Heron, and many heritage trees.

"The centre of gravity of our conservation approach cannot be to keep people away from nature. Instead, we want to instill a sense of wonder and appreciation among Singaporeans for our blue and green areas," said Mr Lee.

Exhibits at the Sisters' Islands Marine Park Public Gallery on St John's Island - once a quarantine centre for new migrants with infectious diseases - have also been given a new lease of life.

The centre, which receives more than 100 visitors a month, now has a 5m-long mangrove mesocosm, a tank that holds wildlife known to mangroves and also mimics the actual tides in the mangrove.

There are also aquarium tanks showing corals and giant clams, and a 2m-long viewing pool with sea anemones, starfishes and clown fishes.

Mr Lee also announced the formation of the friends of the Marine Park community, comprising boaters, divers, scientists, fishermen and more, who will work on projects to conserve the island.

For example, the community will see dive professionals helping to maintain the dive trail and developing guidelines for kayakers entering the park.

Visitors to St John's Island can get there on a 30-minute ferry from Marina South Pier which departs every two hours from 9am-3pm on Saturdays, and from 9am-5pm on Sundays. On weekdays, the ferry runs at 10am and 2pm.


Wildlife, history part of new trail on St John's Island
2.8km trail has signboards and covers various ecosystems such as mangroves, coastal forests
Kok Xing Hui Straits Times 3 Sep 17;

Primary school pupil Leah Thorpe, 11, spent yesterday morning walking around St John's Island with her mother and sister, listening to stories about the island's history, habitats and wildlife.

The family was one of the first to walk along a new island trail curated by the National Parks Board (NParks).

Leah's mother, housewife Olivia Tay, 47, said the tour was very informative, while Leah piped up that her favourite part of the trail was the pufferfish in the mangrove exhibit.


"And the kapok trees, the bugs and the cats along the way," she said.

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NParks launched the island trail yesterday. It is 2.8km long with signboards along the trail to tell visitors about the island.

The trail's 15 stations take visitors through various ecosystems on the island, including mangroves, coastal forests and intertidal zones. Wildlife in the area include hawksbill turtles, Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins, great- billed herons and many heritage trees.


At the launch, Second Minister for National Development and Home Affairs Desmond Lee said he was happy about this development on St John's Island, which is located about 6.5km south of the main island of Singapore.

"The centre of gravity of our conservation approach cannot be to keep people away from nature. Instead, we want to instil a sense of wonder and appreciation among Singaporeans for our green and blue areas," he said.

Alongside the trail is a new volunteer-run guided walk that will take 45 guests around St John's Island on a 90-minute tour. This will be on the first weekend of every month, starting from next month.

Meanwhile, exhibits at the Sisters' Islands Marine Park Public Gallery on St John's Island - once a quarantine centre for new migrants with infectious diseases - have also been given a new lease of life.

The centre, which receives more than 100 visitors a month, now has a 5m-long mangrove mesocosm, a tank that holds wildlife found in mangroves. The tank can also mimic the actual tides in the mangroves.

There are also aquariums featuring corals and giant clams, a 2m-long viewing pool with sea anemones, starfish and clown fish, and a virtual-reality headset that takes viewers on a dive.

Aquariums at the Sisters' Islands Marine Park Public Gallery

Mr Lee also announced the formation of the Friends of the Marine Park community, which includes boaters, divers, scientists and fishermen, who will work on projects to conserve the island.

For example, dive professionals will help to maintain the dive trail and develop guidelines for kayakers entering the park.

Visitors to St John's Island can get there via a 30-minute ferry ride from Marina South Pier that departs every two hours from 9am to 3pm on Saturdays, and from 9am to 5pm on Sundays. On weekdays, the ferry departs at 10am and 2pm.

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EIAs: Enigmas in Action?

Natalia Huang For The Straits Times 2 Sep 17;

It's time to assess the Environmental Impact Assessment or EIA. How much of it is relevant in a Singapore context, for example?

It is exciting that Second Minister for National Development Desmond Lee has announced the strengthening of Singapore's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.

In June, he said: "We are seeing how we can strengthen the EIA process, taking on board all the lessons that we picked up in the last few EIAs - improving baseline survey methodology, understanding of Singapore's perspective and situation."

Mr Lee's comments followed two high-profile developments - the Cross Island Line and the Mandai eco-tourism hub - for which EIAs were done by international consultancy Environmental Resources Management.

Here are some observations about the process and what more can be done, especially in the Singapore context.

EIA LAW

When is an EIA legally required in Singapore? Never, if it is related to plants and wildlife. There are EIA laws for potential pollution, but none for any impact on nature. So why are EIAs undertaken at all?

First, because there are stringent behind-the-scenes government requirements. For example, the National Parks Board will request an EIA if the proposed development is within a certain proximity of nature reserves.

Second, because of public outcry. An EIA can be conducted simply because of concerns over public reactions.

However, the current practice does not offer equal or transparent treatment of developments. No one really knows if a development will need an EIA as there are no explicit policies or guidance. Presumably, the lack of an EIA law in Singapore was to ensure that development would not be restricted - understandable given the need to grow and land scarcity.

The very same reason now necessitates an EIA law, or at least a fully transparent EIA framework, to ensure that scarce land and natural resources are managed and cared for properly.

EIA SCOPE

An effective EIA is one that provides the best possible information for the authorities to assess the impact of a development and thus impose measures to minimise it.

What is the best possible information for an EIA and how do we gather that information?

The scope is the first opportunity to define this. Unfortunately, scopes vary across projects in Singapore, and these could be shaped by guidance statements.

EIA guidance statements are published by government departments across the world - but not in Singapore. These outline the methods for collecting the best possible information for EIAs. Without guidelines, Singapore consultants are left to decide for themselves what is needed.

STRATEGIC INFORMATION GATHERING

Information on plants and animals that depend on a site can be collected in two ways - desktop studies based on previously published articles and books, and field studies that involve surveying plants and animals on-site.

In some cases, in-depth field studies might not be necessary. For example, if an area has been extensively studied before, a thorough literature review would provide more helpful information than a month of field surveys. In Singapore, nearly every inch has recent and historical data, so desktop studies must be part of EIAs. What is needed is an open-source repository for all ecological data.

A scientist who understands the scientific method should decide what information to collect and how to collect it, as that must be tailored to the type of development and the nature of the environment. This is arguably the most important aspect of an EIA. If not enough information or the wrong kind is collected, there is a risk that important environmental aspects could be overlooked and the impact on them might not be minimised.

Given the short timeframe and limited budget of EIAs, one must be strategic in collecting relevant information. Field studies should focus on conservation (such as significant species, habitat quality, and areas of importance for plants and wildlife) and ecological processes (such as seed dispersal, population fragmentation, species interactions, hydro-ecology and connectivity to nearby forests).

If monitoring is expected to follow the development, the methods used for the EIA field studies must be designed in such a way that they are replicable and suitable for comparison.

CERTIFIED CONSULTANTS

This is a bit of a cowboy industry, with no regulations governing who can do an EIA or its studies.

As EIAs require an understanding of plants and animals and their interactions, the studies must be done by scientific experts in the field. On one project, there was a hydrologist - someone who studies water - who was told to study plants and wildlife for an EIA. Plants should be studied by botanists, animals by zoologists, and a combination of these by ecologists and biologists.

Surveys should be carried out by scientists with a good understanding of nature in Singapore as well as the peculiar needs of an EIA.

Environmental consultants need a certification and accreditation scheme. In order for arborists - tree experts - to practise, they need to be certified and registered, and they must undergo annual professional training. The same could be applied to EIA consultants.

MORE SCIENTISTS

Where Singapore excels in relation to other countries is in public consultation, at least for recent major EIAs, where nature groups have been consulted throughout the EIA and construction process. Public consultation aims to identify the public's interests and gain feedback to improve the project, and also to foster public understanding of the project.

Where Singapore can improve is in engaging more scientists and academics in the process, as they are the ones who can provide objective scientific information based on research and experience.

Passion without knowledge is like a blindfolded warrior swinging a sharp sword. Remove the blindfolds by engaging scientists and facilitating workshops that encourage knowledge-sharing, and as a way to encourage input from less outspoken experts.

Scientists also need to recognise the realities of the development process, where timeframes are limited and practical decisions need to be made based on little information. We can learn from other countries that have been fine-tuning their EIA processes for years, and create a system that works for us, for the future of Singapore's environment.

The writer is principal ecologist at Ecology Matters, a consultancy providing ecological advice and biodiversity studies for environmental impact assessments.


No need for new law on environmental assessments
Straits Times 7 Sep 17;

Ms Natalia Huang has called for stronger engagement with scientists in shaping the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, and argued in favour of an EIA law or a fully transparent EIA framework (EIAs: Enigmas in Action?; Sept 2).

Singapore is already under some legal obligation to undertake EIAs.

In the famous case concerning pulp mills on the Uruguay River, the International Court of Justice ruled in 2010 that all countries are legally obliged to undertake an EIA before projects like this are authorised.


The Court left it to individual countries to determine the details of conducting an EIA.

It is not inevitable that Singapore must embrace "hard" laws in the form of a statute.

Codes of conduct can be developed after consultations between public and private stakeholders. An example of this is the Building and Construction Authority's Code of Accessibility in the Built Environment.

A "soft" law approach in strengthening EIA processes has its benefits.

While the code of conduct need not be legally binding, it can be useful in urging private stakeholders to employ some of the best international practices of EIAs.

There are already laws here which govern the actions of private stakeholders. These can be adjusted to encourage buy-in, such as making compliance with the laws a condition for permit renewals.

Ultimately, the Government must retain its legal flexibility to make decisions that advance our collective interests.

Daniel Seah Chin Aun

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NTU 3D-prints greener 'concrete'

Uni cements study with sustainable material from coal-burning process
Samantha Boh Straits Times 2 Sep 17;

The last bits left over from burning coal - fly ash - could one day be used in the structures of buildings.

Researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have successfully 3D-printed a material that resembles concrete by combining fly ash, steel slag - a by-product of the steel-making process - and some chemicals, the identity of which is a trade secret.

Research papers on the process of creating and 3D-printing the new material were published in scientific journals Cleaner Production and Materials Letters recently.

The project has been in the making for two years, said lead researcher Tan Ming Jen from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The team faced challenges such as determining the optimal flow rate of the material and how fast it sets before pinning down the exact steps.

The material is 3D-printed layer by layer. Hence, the rate at which the material flows and sets will determine if the layers can fuse together properly.

Huge amounts of the by-product from coal burning are produced each day as it remains deeply ingrained in the energy production activities of some countries such as China.

But while the study used fly ash from an Indian coal power plant, the technology could potentially also be applied to recycled glass and possibly fly ash produced at local waste-to-energy plants from burning trash, the researchers said.

The wide usage of such a material, if made from incinerator fly ash in future, could channel waste away from Singapore's only landfill in Pulau Semakau, potentially prolonging its lifespan, which is currently expected to end by 2035.

Associate Professor Tan said the material could help cut the construction industry's carbon footprint.

Concrete is a highly environmentally unfriendly but widely used synthetic material whose manufacture alone is responsible for about 5 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Large amounts of carbon dioxide are released in the process of creating concrete, which involves mining and transporting the raw materials, to heating them to over 1,400 deg C in a kiln, and the subsequent chemical process of turning limestone into small rocks of cement.

The printed material is as strong as plain concrete. But the researchers are looking at how it can be strengthened to make it a suitable substitute for reinforced concrete.

Singapore Contractors Association president Kenneth Loo said 3D printing is still a rather new concept to the construction industry.

How well such a material is accepted by the sector will largely depend on its cost, he said. New materials often cost more at first due to the lack of economies of scale. But this problem will ease as demand grows. "It just like green buildings. They were previously more expensive but as time went by, acceptance went up and the supply within the industry increased, resulting in a fall in the premium for such buildings," he said.

He added that the possibility of a material which recycles by-products as an alternative to cement would be welcomed. "Social responsibility has grown in our industry, people are more aware and willing to embrace 'greener' products."

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Food waste: Food for thought for students

10 schools join move to cut waste by turning it into compost; assembly talks on topic held
Samantha Boh Straits Times 2 Sep 17;

As he slid plastic gloves onto his hands, 11-year-old Ray Yap inspected the large containers of dirty plates, bowls and cutlery lined up beside him on trolleys.

Then he frowned. He had spotted a plate with leftover food on it.

Ray had been tasked with an important mission a month ago: help his school Greendale Primary cut its food waste.

That plate reminded him that he needed to redouble his efforts at the next recess starting at 9.45am.

For the next half-hour, Ray and his friends Kellyn Loh, 10, and Triparna Poddar, 11, stationed themselves beside the plastic containers, reminding pupils to dump their leftovers into special green bins.

The three pupils, members of the environmental science club, held the bins open for their peers, and even helped to pick up food which had fallen on the floor.

The leftover food will later be turned into compost using a food-waste digester, in a process that takes about 10 hours.

10%: What food waste accounts for out of total waste generated in Singapore.
14%: The amount of food waste that is recycled here.
790K: The weight in tonnes of food wasted last year - about two bowls of rice per person a day.

Greendale Primary's environmental education adviser, Mr Edwin Chee, 41, a science teacher, said the school started a food-waste reduction programme last month.

It is among 10 primary and secondary schools that were leased food-waste digesters by the National Environment Agency (NEA) for two years under the Love Your Food @ Schools Project. The machines were installed in May.

Food waste accounts for about 10 per cent of the total waste generated in Singapore, but only 14 per cent is recycled.

Last year, more than 790,000 tonnes of food was wasted - equivalent to two bowls of rice per person a day.

As of last month, all 10 schools have introduced programmes to reduce food waste. These include assembly talks on the topic and recycling food waste using the digester.

At Greendale Primary, members of the environmental science club and Primary 5 and 6 pupils are rostered to participate in the programme, which also involves weighing the food waste collected at the end of every recess.

A teacher will then pour the waste into a food-waste digester, which uses microbes to convert it into compost, to be used to fertilise the school's gardens.

Canteen vendors also chip in by segregating their food waste. They also ask pupils if they want smaller portions.

Said Mr Chee: "Changing the mindset and habits of pupils and staff was an initial challenge and we had an uphill task to get them involved... but there has definitely been improvement and the evidence is in the food waste collected."

The school has cut the amount of food waste it generates daily from 17.9kg to less than 10kg.

Similarly, Dunman High School has reduced the amount of food waste it produces from 20kg to 16kg per week since last month.

At Dunman, the programme is led by a class of Year 4 students through the school's values-in-action programme, where students put core values into action through community service.

The students put up food waste-reduction posters around the school and continually encourage their peers to segregate their food waste. They are also mentoring Year 2 students to help weigh and then deposit the discarded food into the food-waste digester.

The compost is used on school grounds and also shared with St Hilda's Community Services Centre, which caters to the elderly.

Siah Bing Ze, 15, who is chairman of the class, said the experience has taught him that even small actions mean something.

"I didn't know I could make a difference, even impact an entire school," he said.

NEA said it hopes the project will encourage other schools to kick-start their own food waste-reduction initiatives. It added that it will consider relocating and leasing some of the food-waste digesters to other schools for another two years, after the current project ends.

But for now, those involved are happy to do their part to cut food waste, even if it means sometimes getting their hands dirty.

Ray from Greendale Primary said it is an interesting process where he gets to learn about recycling.

His fellow environmental science club member Triparna added: "Maybe over time, we won't need to remind our friends to separate their food waste any more."

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Malaysia: Trash Hero Borneo is asking for help to clean up Sabah beaches

OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 1 Sep 17;

KOTA KINABALU: A non-governmental organisation is taking baby steps in encouraging participation from the public to look after the environment around them, in particular the beaches here.

Trash Hero Borneo co-founder Monica Chin said she has been actively involved in helping to keep the beaches clean since joining the Trash Hero organisation in Krabi, Thailand, three years ago.

Recently, Trash Hero Borneo has been focusing their attention on the beaches at Tanjung Lipat and Tanjung Aru.

“Our city beach is full of trash and on average we collect around 200kg of rubbish per week.

“If our beach is full of trash, those lying and stuck in the seabed could be double or triple (that amount) and it will have a very bad effect to marine life especially the coral reef,” she said, adding that anyone can join in their weekly activity.

Chin, a scuba diver who hails from Kota Belud, said there was a good response from the locals in her hometown but public here had yet to be receptive to the idea of picking up rubbish with their own hands.

She added currently there were 35 dedicated volunteers aged between 7 and 55 joining the activity.

“Tourists, who jog at Tanjung Lipat, are keener to join when they see us cleaning the place.

“We hope our action can create more attention and people will learn to love our ocean and nature,” Chin said, adding she was optimistic that more people would join this cause.

The organisation also holds talks at schools and villages on conservation topics.

Coming up next will be a Kudat coastal clean-up on Sept 16. You can also follow the Trash Hero Borneo Facebook page the find out the next clean-up location.

Trash Hero group cleans up waterfront area
BRANDON JOHN New Straits Times 11 Sep 17;

KOTA KINABALU: There was an unusual sight in Tanjung Lipat, the State capital’s popular waterfront area here yesterday.

Alongside couples taking romantic walks and families lounging under the afternoon sun were scores of people happily combing the sandy beaches for rubbish.

Many donned a yellow t-shirt proclaiming themselves as a 'Trash Hero'.

It was a fitting name for individuals selflessly taking it upon themselves to keeping our beaches trash-free.
The leader Monica Chin said they started out with six to 10 people in their first initiative here in Sabah and now there were 125 volunteers.

Monica is the co-founder of Trash Hero Borneo, which is a local chapter of the international non-governmental organisation. During her travels in Thailand in 2014, she was amazed by the fact that everywhere she went, Trash Hero volunteers were tidying the places.

"I thought, why not start this in Sabah?" she said, embarking on various environmental talks and gathering supporters before finally launching the chapter's first cleanup operation in March.

But not all the volunteers at Tanjung Lipat were locals. Swiss national Roman Peter stuck out like a sore thumb with his towering height and sandy brown hair.

Roman in fact is the co-founder of the original Trash Hero World that has taken the world by storm - with nothing more than plastic bags and a willing pair of hands.

"We could take pictures of the rubbish, show them to people and say 'someone should clean this up! This is someone's job!'

"But that is not true. This is everyone's job," said Roman, who was visiting Sabah for the first time to personally take part in the beach cleanup.

In just a little over three years, Trash Hero has evolved from a small project into 42 chapters worldwide.

"Trash Hero's concept is that we do not blame anyone, or just simply talk about problems. We want to provide solutions and actions because ultimately, actions speak louder than words.

"Furthermore, we are not getting any money from this as it is fully supported and funded by the volunteers and local communities themselves," said Roman, who believes this was the reason for the NGO's success.

At the end of the day, rubbish weighing a total of 252 kilogrammes was collected from Tanjung Lipat - a proud achievement for the passionate group, which consisted of Trash Hero crew members, students, and other volunteers.

While Trash Hero has undeniably made an impact here, many more Malaysians will need to contribute in order to ensure that the environment stays clean.

For those interested in volunteering, check out Trash Hero Borneo's facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TrashHeroBorneo/), where they post the latest updates on their next cleanup activity.

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Study to gauge Singapore's fish-farming capacity

It could have lasting implications for budding aquaculture industry
Audrey Tan In Trondheim, Norway Straits Times 1 Sep 17;

An ongoing study to determine how much fish can be sustainably reared in the farms off Singapore's northern coast could have long-lasting implications for the budding aquaculture industry.

The two-year research study on aquaculture zones is the first of its kind to be commissioned by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, and will be completed next August.

AVA said the study will assess and determine the maximum production levels that can be supported in aquaculture zones in the Johor Strait.

The findings could also inform government regulation in aquaculture, Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for National Development, and Trade and Industry, told The Straits Times during a study trip to Norway last month.

The study comes amid the Government's push for farms here to be more productive, so local food production can become a better buffer during global supply disruptions.

But as important is an answer to the question of the kind of impact large-scale fish farming would have on the ecological balance. Before farmers can think of ramping up production, they have to deal with problems such as the deadly algae blooms that have hit the same area of the Johor Strait several times in the recent past, Dr Koh said.

"Therein lies the challenge - to see if the increase in volume of production would pose ecological problems there that would eventually kill off the entire industry."

The study is being done by Akvaplan-niva AS, a Norwegian research and consultancy firm which focuses on aquaculture and marine/freshwater environments, among other things.

Currently there are 125 fish farms in Singapore, of which seven are land-based. Fish farms here produced a total of 4,851 tonnes of fish last year, accounting for about 10 per cent of total fish consumption.

This is up from the 3,158 tonnes locally produced in 2012, which accounted for 6 per cent of total consumption then.

Dr Koh said one possible area the Government could look into is how the feeding of fish in commercial farms can be regulated.

Some farmers, he said, may feed fish with low-quality feed like bread crumbs or leftover meal, which pollutes the environment.

"If we don't look at how we can regulate such behaviour, it will become increasingly challenging for that piece of coastal area to be viable in the longer term."

Last year, Chile's salmon farming industry was devastated by an algae bloom said to be the worst in the country. The National Geographic reported that the impact could have been exacerbated by poor regulation of the country's aquculture trade.

The study, said Dr Koh, would help the Government engage industry with science and information.

Mr Chan Wei Loong, chair of the Republic Polytechnic's Diploma in Marine Science and Aquaculture programme, said the study is important as it gives an indication of how much fish the body of seawater off Singapore's northern coast can support.

He pointed out that the Johor Strait is narrow and is shared by two sovereign nations. "But it is good to know the current status of the health of the water in the Johor Strait and perhaps this can help us understand the occurrence of the algae blooms in 2014 and 2015 that killed many fish."


Singapore works on rearing fish in closed systems
Audrey Tan Straits Times 1 Sep 17;

Most fish in Singapore are reared in net cages submerged in the sea.

But these open-net cage systems leave the fish susceptible to the elements. Over the past five years, Singapore's fish farmers have seen an oil spill and two harmful algae blooms kill off tonnes of fish.

Closed containment aquaculture systems could solve this problem.

Unlike net cages, these systems separate the water where the fish are kept from the water in the natural environment. These can be tanks placed in barges or on land.

Singapore is now looking into how more coastal farms can use such systems "to safeguard farm production from adverse environmental changes and minimise detrimental impact on farm productivity", said the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).

In Norway, which has a booming aquaculture industry, farms already use similar closed containment systems to rear salmon.

There are two main types of closed containment systems - the flowthrough and the recirculated aquaculture systems.

In a recirculation mode used by Norwegian farms, which The Straits Times saw during a trip to the Nordic country with local fish farmers and Singapore government officials, the waste water from the containment system is reused.

Using the same stock of water helps the farm save energy as it would not have to constantly heat the cool Nordic water to temperatures ideal for salmon.

The flowthrough method, which some farms in Singapore use, involves treating the water before it enters the system. The water is then discharged without being reused.

In April 2015, AVA awarded a tender to five companies to design and develop closed containment aquaculture systems. One of them is Singapore Aquaculture Technologies, a fish farm located in the Johor Strait. It has been using a closed containment system since 2012.

With the funding given to companies that won the tender, Singapore Aquaculture Technologies built on its earlier prototypes with a better water-filtration system and installed solar panels, which helped to reap energy savings when used with existing diesel generators.

The farm now rears most of its fish in about 90 tanks located on a barge and wooden platform, instead of net cages in the sea.

Co-founder Dirk Eichelberger, 53, said the farm's system involves pumping seawater from a depth of 2m to 4m before filtering it and passing it through ultraviolet light rays to kill almost all organisms, including plankton and bacteria.

As the closed system allows the farmers to control more environmental factors, such as the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water, they can rear more seabass per cubic m - up to 70kg, compared with 15kg for the net-cage systems.

AVA told The Straits Times this week it has been working with the companies on their projects, including providing technical assistance.

A spokesman said all five companies have finished the projects and demonstrated the systems to AVA.

"The completed projects have developed workable prototypes that are different in concept to cater to different operations... The companies have shared their new systems with other farmers through AVA-organised workshops," she said.

Audrey Tan

Robot can make light work of net cleaning
Audrey Tan Straits Times 1 Sep 17;

Hoisting nets out of the sea for cleaning is a back-breaking task.

Yet, it is a job that fish farmers in Singapore have to do regularly - about once every three days - to ensure the nets do not get clogged and that reared fish can grow healthily.

However, new technology in the form of underwater robots could make light work of this.

Such robots recently caught the eye of local fish farmers at Aqua Nor - the world's largest aquaculture technology exhibition held in Trondheim, Norway, last month.

The robots, which cost about $200,000 each, can be remotely controlled from land.

They work by plying the nets and cleaning them with high-pressure pumps. This way, substances clogging the nets, such as algae or mussels, can be flushed out.

There are also built-in cameras on these robots, which will help the farmers see if the net has been cleaned to their satisfaction, or if another round of cleaning is needed. They also enable farmers to check for holes in the net.

It is a technology that fish farmer Frank Tan, 43, is considering for his farm in the Johor Strait, where many of Singapore's other coastal fish farms are located.

At most of these farms, nets are left submerged in the sea to house fish. However, they are easily dirtied in Singapore's nutrient-rich waters.

For example, when algae or soft coral grow on the nets, water flow is obstructed and oxygen levels are reduced. The debris, which includes algae, also prevents currents from flushing out fish waste, which could cause bacteria to grow.

Speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines of the exhibition in Norway, Mr Tan, managing director of Marine Life Aquaculture, said: "Each net is cleaned once every three days. But because we have many pens, nets are hoisted and washed almost every day."

He said that each net, when dry, weighs about 1,200kg. However, it feels twice as heavy when it is wet. As many as six workers are needed to hoist a net each time.

But with the robot, Mr Tan predicts the job can be done by just one person, and only once a week.

Said Mr Tan: "The robotic net washer will save me a lot of time and man hours. It will also help to boost productivity, as I can clean the net with the fishes still in there." Currently, fishes have to be manually moved to a different pen whenever a net is being washed.

Mr Tan was part of a delegation from Singapore which visited Norway last month to attend the Aqua Nor exhibition and to learn about Norwegian aquaculture technologies and methods.

Led by Senior Minister of State for National Development Koh Poh Koon, the delegation comprised fish farmers as well as officials from the Ministry of National Development, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and other agencies.

Mr Tan said he plans to apply for AVA's Agriculture Productivity Fund to co-fund the purchase of the robot. He said: "This trip provided a good opportunity and platform for government officials and fish farmers to come together and discuss how various technologies could be applied in Singapore's coastal farms to increase productivity and capacity.

"With such discussions between regulator and farmers, traditional fish farming could turn into a new high-tech industry and play an import role in national food resilience."

Fishing for tech solutions to make feeding a breeze
S'pore fish farmers looking into adopting automated systems to boost productivity
Audrey Tan Straits Times 1 Sep 17;

Fish feed is hardly gourmet grub, but to some fish farmers, the protein-rich pellets could very well be.

This is because up to 70 per cent of the cost of rearing one fish goes to feeding it.

Commercial fish feed looks like dry dog food, and usually contains a mix of algae, a protein source such as fishmeal or soya bean, and other vitamins.

Some fish farmers in Singapore are now eager to see how technology can be used to make the feeding process more efficient.

Barramundi Asia fish farmers, for example, are considering investing in an automatic remote feeding system that will allow them to monitor how much feed is given, and whether the fish are eating it. This will reduce overfeeding, and help the farm cut costs.

Such systems were on display last month at an aquaculture technology exhibition in Norway, attended by Singapore fish farmers and government officials.

"This system will help us ensure the feed does not get wasted, and will also eliminate manpower requirements," said Mr Andrew Kwan, group managing director of Commonwealth Capital, a majority owner of Barramundi Asia.

Mr Kwan, 50, attended the exhibition with the farm's managing director Joep Staarman, 59, and board member Hans den Bieman, 58.

Currently, workers at the farm off Singapore's southern coast feed the fish manually by scattering the fish feed into the sea pens. About six workers are needed to do this.

The automated system comprises a sophisticated network of sensors, cameras and control panels that allow a person sitting in a control room to monitor how much feed is being dispensed, and whether the fish are eating it.

"The person in the control room who is in charge of feeding the fish will be able to monitor the consumption of the feed by the fish, and the moment they are satiated, the food supply can be cut," said Mr Kwan.

"Seventy per cent of the cost of producing fish comes from the feed alone. Being able to control and manage that efficiently will impact the bottom line tremendously," he added.

Mr Chan Wei Loong, programme chair at Republic Polytechnic's Diploma in Marine Science and Aquaculture programme, said most farmed fish do not know satiation and will eat as long as there is food.

An automated system that dispenses the correct amount of feed at predetermined intervals could help to reduce manpower needs, he said. Farmers usually determine the amount of feed based on the estimated weight of fish in each cage.

"It enhances productivity by having the human deployed to do something else," said Mr Chan.

70%: Percentage of the cost of rearing one fish that is spent on feeding it.

New oral vaccine for farmed fish can be put in feed
Audrey Tan Straits Times 1 Sep 17;

When it comes to putting healthy fish on the dinner table, experts believe vaccination is the way to go.

But it is a laborious process.

Workers at fish farms have to manually inject young fish with the vaccine one by one in order to protect them against specific diseases.

But scientists at Temasek Polytechnic (TP) are working with an Israeli partner to develop an easier process that will allow farmers to mix the vaccine in the fish feed.

The oral vaccine against fish iridovirus - a common disease in farmed fish that can kill them - was developed by inserting parts of the iridovirus into a special type of microalgae, which are then mixed with feed and fed to the fish.

For the Temasek Polytechnic scientists, the key to developing the oral vaccine was finding a substance that could encapsulate the biological compounds in a way that would prevent it from being destroyed by fish stomach acids.

They worked with Israeli biotechnology company TransAlgae to develop a novel algae-based technology that allows for the oral delivery of protein-based drugs, such as vaccines, to animals.

This method uses a strain of algae that can withstand acids in the fish's digestive tract.

Dr Ofra Chen, vice-president of research and development at TransAlgae Israel, told The Straits Times: "The specific algae cell wall... protects the vaccine from degradation in the animal digestive system and enables its delivery in its intact and functional form."

While antibiotics are chemical compounds designed to kill bacteria, vaccines are preventive. They contain biological compounds that boost the fish's own immune system against the virus.

Vaccinating fish against specific diseases reduces the need to treat them with antibiotics when they are sick.

When humans consume antibiotics-fed fish, there is the possibility of residual traces of the drug passing through the food chain and ending up in the bellies of humans, which could build up a resistance to antibiotics.

The hope is that this would encourage wider adoption of vaccines here when rolled out commercially by 2021, reducing farmers' reliance on antibiotics and leading to healthier fish, said team lead Diana Chan, head of the Centre for Aquaculture and Veterinary Science at Temasek Polytechnic's School of Applied Science.

The Straits Times reported in May this year that only three of about 120 fish farms here have started vaccinating their fish manually.

A spokesman for the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said fish vaccines have helped to reduce disease occurrence in farmed fish, and contributed to the sustainable growth of aquaculture in many countries.

She noted several advantages of oral vaccinations for fish.

"It is a quick and easy way to vaccinate a large number of fish, causes less stress to the fish, requires less time and effort to administer, and can be given to fish of all sizes, including those too small to be handled for injections," said the spokesman.

She added that farms should choose the vaccine administration method that suits them best.

"For example, farmers can choose to vaccinate smaller fish with oral vaccines and subsequently boost their immunity with repeated doses of the same oral vaccine, or an injectable version of the vaccine."

Audrey Tan

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Shops offer discounts, free food, when you use your own bag, container

KENNETH CHENG Today Online 31 Aug 17;

SINGAPORE — A national campaign kicks off today to get Singaporeans to use their own reusable items such as bags and food containers when they shop or dine outside. This is to cut back on the use of plastic disposables, which are harmful to the environment, and to reduce waste.

Those who support the campaign will be offered incentives such as discounts and free food items at supermarkets, cafes and food outlets.

There are 14 retailers, which together operate more than 220 shops in Singapore, taking part in the Bring Your Own (BYO) Singapore campaign. It was launched on Thursday (Aug 31) by non-governmental organisation Zero Waste SG, in partnership with the labour movement’s youth wing Young NTUC, office-equipment company Ricoh Asia Pacific, and the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Participating retailers include supermarket chains such as Cold Storage and NTUC FairPrice, and food establishments such as Paul bakery outlets and Joe & Dough cafes.

At FairPrice’s 141 outlets, for example, shoppers who use their own reusable bags will get 10 cents off their shopping bill with a minimum spending of S$10.

At eatery Aloha Poke’s five branches, customers who take away food in their own reusable containers get an extra serving of a “superfood” item worth S$1, for free. Homegrown cafe chain Joe & Dough will take 50 cents off the bill when customers use a reusable cup or bottle at its nine outlets.

The campaign, which runs till the end of the year, hopes to get 500 retail outlets on board, and to reduce the use of disposables by one million pieces this year.

Retailers taking part will keep track of the number of plastic disposables that they manage to cut back.

Mr Eugene Tay, executive director of Zero Waste SG, said that rewards are being used at the start to get the momentum going and to cultivate the “BYO habit” among more Singaporeans. “After some time, this habit should hopefully continue, even without retailers providing incentives.”

Lawyer Lynn Poon, 28, who patronises Aloha Poke every fortnight, agreed: “It will get the ball rolling. Eventually, it should become a habit for people.”

However, one executive, who gave her name as just Ms Ann, 26, said that she supports using fewer plastic bags, but she would not use her own reusable containers to take away food because washing up is a hassle.

Mr Tay said that at the end of the campaign, the organisation will study the need to extend it if the target is not met, or look into other ways to cultivate the habit of reducing plastic waste among the population.

Plastic waste, which includes take-away cups and plastic bags, is one of the most common forms of waste found at Singapore’s incineration plants. Last year, there were 822,200 tonnes of plastic waste generated here, with just 7 per cent of it being recycled, NEA figures showed.

Burning plastics produces carbon dioxide, which contributes to climate change, Zero Waste SG said.

Plastic disposables are also detrimental to wildlife, human health and the environment. Being light, they wind up in waterways and the sea as litter, harming marine creatures that ingest them. Small plastic fragments could also find their way into the food chain of humans.


Lukewarm response from retailers to support BYO campaign
KENNETH CHENG Today Online 31 Aug 17;

SINGAPORE — Over the last five months, non-governmental organisation Zero Waste SG tried to draw some 200 retailers to be a part of the Bring Your Own (BYO) Singapore campaign. In the end, only 14 came on board.

They are to be involved in the nationwide movement to help Singaporeans use less plastic, whether it be plastic bags or food containers.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday (Aug 31), Mr Eugene Tay, executive director of Zero Waste SG, said that the organisation was “definitely not satisfied” with the numbers.

"The big retailers have to step up their efforts in not just educating consumers to (cut down the use of) disposables, but also in leading the way to show (the) small and medium enterprises that the big players are ready to (do this),” he added.

While some of the 200 or so retailers approached had not made up their minds, Mr Tay revealed that others did not want to take part because they were afraid that offering incentives to motivate consumers to use fewer plastic products might end up raising their operating costs.

Mr Tay explained that by cutting back on disposables, retailers save on some material costs. The hope is for the campaign to drive more traffic to the shops, making up the shortfall that comes from offering rewards to the customers.

Then, the retailers were also concerned about the varying sizes of reusable receptacles customers may use. There might be complaints from customers that “they are receiving less”, they said.

Two eateries, Indian restaurant chain Muthu’s Curry and Percolate cafe, which were not among the retailers approached by Zero Waste SG, told TODAY that they explored or started a similar initiative.

Last year, Muthu’s Curry considered giving discounts to encourage patrons to use their own take-away containers. However, rising rental rates and food costs were among the barriers to making it work.

The chain also could not reach out to customers in “large numbers” to promote such a move, Mr Srinivasan Ayyakannu, 39, its operations director, said.

Earlier in August, Percolate cafe in Bedok North began shaving 50 cents off coffee bills for patrons who choose the reusable Sol Cups sold there. Co-founder Avin Tan, 30, said that the cafe was slightly concerned the incentive might trim margins for certain drinks that have costlier ingredients.

Other difficulties include patrons who ask to store the glass cups at the shop. Allowing other reusable mugs could also mean having to manage customer expectations about “under-filling” the cups, so confining it to the “cafe-standard” Sol Cups negates this problem, he added.

However, Mr Wiltian Ang, 35, owner of The Matcha Project X Copper Espresso takeaway kiosk at Marina Boulevard, which is part of the BYO Singapore campaign, said that it would not incur extra costs with the discount it is offering.

“We just earn less … there’s more than enough margin to cover (the cost of the incentive),” he said.

Eatery Aloha Poke’s co-founder John Chen, 38, said that giving an extra serving of a food item (worth S$1) for every reusable container presented is a “very small contribution to help save the environment”.

BYO movements have been around for years. The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and the National Environment Agency ran the Bring Your Own Bag Day campaign between 2007 and 2010, involving about 300 retailers.

In 2013, furniture giant Ikea stopped making available disposable plastic bags.

Over the years, the SEC has also taken steps to nudge consumers to use their own bags when shopping. Since July, for instance, it has joined hands with green group Plastic-Lite SG to send volunteers to supermarkets, where patrons are given reusable bags and educated on how to cut waste at home.


Discounts and free food for bringing your own bag, bottle or containers at 14 retailers
Samantha Boh Straits Times 31 Aug 17;

SINGAPORE - From supermarket chains to a German sausage stall in Dover, 14 retailers will be dangling small discounts to encourage their customers not to use plastic bags, bottles and containers from Friday (Sept 1) to the end of the year.

Customers who bring their own bag, bottle or container will, for instance, get 10 cents off at NTUC FairPrice if they spend $10 or more, or get 50 cents off at German sausage stall Wuerstelstand. Other participating food outlets are also offering discounts of 50 cents to $1. (See below for a complete list.)

The retailers are acting to reduce plastic waste in Singapore, as part of the Bring Your Own (BYO) campaign launched on Thursday by environmental non-governmental organisation Zero Waste SG.

While 822,200 tonnes of plastic waste was generated in 2016, only 7 per cent was recycled, making it one of the most common types of waste disposed at the incineration plants in Singapore.

The burning of plastic produces carbon dioxide which contributes to the warming of the planet.

Zero Waste SG executive director Eugene Tay said his goal is to sign up 500 retail outlets and reduce the number of disposable items by 1,000,000 pieces by the end of the year.

Besides the discounts, other customer incentives include cash rebates, free top-ups for food or drinks bought, gifts and reward points.

Retailers who sign up have to display posters, stickers or wobblers on the campaign and track how much they have reduced their use of plastic items such as cups and plates.

"After some time, this habit should hopefully continue even without retailers providing incentives," said Mr Tay.

Mr Erich Sollbock, 56, owner of Wuerstelstand, said: "I have independently made it my SOP (standard operating procedure) not to automatically provide plastic disposables to my customers."

He added that the amount of savings from the reduction of disposables will pay for the 50 cent incentive he provides to customers.

The BYO campaign is also being organised in partnership with Young NTUC, office automation equipment supplier Ricoh Asia Pacific, and the National Environment Agency (NEA).

An NEA spokesman said it is encouraged by the ground-up effort, adding that its study on how different types of disposable food packaging materials compare in terms of cost and impact to the environment is expected to conclude in the second half of this year.

Ms Melissa Tan, chairman of the Waste Management & Recycling Association of Singapore, said the campaign could not have come sooner.

She noted that some local waste collectors and recyclers collect plastic waste, but export them to other countries for recycling.

"Unfortunately, even some of these countries are finding it hard to cope with so much plastic waste going to them that they are also putting up barriers to these plastic waste imports that harm their environment," she said.

"To discourage Singaporeans from over-relying on such disposable plastic items, shops can charge more for them or like some supermarkets overseas, (and) not even provide them to customers."

Participating retailers:

Aloha Poke - Additional superfood (worth $1)
Cold Storage - Free reusable bag with at least $20 purchase; valid only on Mondays in September 2017; show BYO logo to cashier
Happy Salad - 2 free toppings
Joe and Dough - 50 cents discount
Kopi Ong - One chop; free drink after 10 chops
NTUC FairPrice - 10 cents discount with at least $10 purchase
Paul - 10% discount on bread items
The Lokal Singapore - $1 discount
The Matcha Project X Copper Espresso - 50 cents discount
The Sugar Fairy - 20 cent discount (for bag and container); 10 cents (for bag)
Verdure Cafe - 50 cents discount
Wuerstelstand - 50 cents discount
Well Dressed Salad Bar - 50 cents to $1 depending on the type of reusable
Yellow Cup Coffee - 50 cents discount

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Illegal rhino horns seized at Changi Airport; Vietnamese man assisting in investigations

Today Online 1 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE – A Vietnamese man has been detained by the authorities at Changi Airport on Thursday (Aug 31) after eight pieces of rhino horn were seized from his luggage.

In a joint media release on Friday (Sept 1), the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) – acting on a tip-off – collaborated with the Singapore Customs and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority and stopped the 29-year-old, who was transiting in Singapore during his flight from Dubai to Laos.

His luggage was inspected and eight pieces of cut rhino horns, concealed as gifts, were found and seized.

Under Singapore law, it is an offence to illegally import, export or re-export, transit, possess, sell, offer or advertise for sale, or display to public any illegal wildlife species, including their parts and derivatives.

Offenders may face a fine of up to S$500,000 and/or two years imprisonment, and the forfeiture of the contraband.

The AVA said the suspect is assisting them with investigations.

The Singapore government adopts a zero tolerance stance on the use of Singapore as a conduit to smuggle endangered species and their parts and derivatives.

In 2014, a man was sentenced to 15 months’ jail for smuggling eight pieces of rhino horns while in transit through Singapore.

The public can also alert AVA of any suspected cases of illegal wildlife trade, and provide information through online feedback form or call us at 6805 2992. All information shared with AVA will be kept strictly confidential.

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All new public housing blocks to have 'solar-ready' rooftops: HDB

Channel NewsAsia 1 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE: All public housing blocks from May this year will be designed with "solar-ready" roofs, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said on Friday (Sep 1).

The blocks will come with features that enable solar panels to be easily mounted and maintained, in a move to harness solar energy to power common estate services in HDB developments, the agency said in a press release.

The initiative will apply to public housing blocks with at least 400 sqm of open roof space after setting aside space needed for essential services such as water tanks, water pumps and lift rooms.

This will enable more productive and efficient installation of solar panels on HDB rooftops, it added.

According to HDB, it takes 25 days to install solar panels on a solar-ready roof, compared to 40 days to retrofit existing blocks.

The manpower costs for installation are also more than 40 per cent lower for these solar-ready roofs, it said.

HDB explained that in older blocks, installation of solar panels on rooftops would require retrofitting and construction works, including re-wiring the building to link the solar panels to the switch room.

The space available for installation of solar panel installation is also limited by the placement of the essential block services and the overall design of the roof space.

As a result, more time would be needed to assess where to place the solar panels so that the amount of sunlight received can be maximised while not obstructing maintenance access to the essential block services.

In comparison, the new “plug-and-play” approach to solar panel installation reduces the time and labour required to install solar panels, the statutory board said.

This announcement comes after the successful pilot of solar-ready roofs at six residential blocks at Punggol Edge, which was completed in June last year.

As of this month, a total of 18 HDB projects have already been designed with solar-ready roofs, HDB said.

The projects include West Plains @ Butkit Batok, Tampines GreenView and Woodleigh Glen at Bidadari.


Future HDB projects to have solar-ready roofs to save installation costs and time
Today Online 1 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE — All future public housing blocks with at least 400 sqm of open roof space will be designed with solar-ready roofs, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) announced on Friday (Sept 1), as part of plans to harness solar energy to power common estate services.

What this means is that HDB blocks will come inbuilt with features to enable solar panels to be easily mounted and maintained for future use, said the HDB in a statement.

The move comes following successful trials. In May 2012, Punggol Edge, a Build-to-Order development was the first to be designed with solar-ready roof, which allowed solar panels to be seamlessly installed on the roofs of six residential blocks in June 2016.

The pilot was further extended to 27 blocks at Punggol Northshore (Northshore Residences I and II and Waterfront I and II) in April 2016.

Making the roofs solar-ready will minimise the need for hacking and rewiring works when solar panels are installed, with the electrical infrastructure and trunks catered for in the building stages, HDB added.

Currently, installing solar panels on existing rooftops may require retrofitting and construction works, especially for older HDB blocks.

With such a "plug-and-play" approach, the HDB said about 25 days are required for the installation of solar panels on a solar-ready roof, compared to 40 days required to retrofit existing blocks.

Manpower cost for installation is also expected to be reduced by more than 40 per cent.

As of August, 18 HDB projects around Punggol, Bukit Batok, Sengkang, Hougang, Bedok, Kallang, Bidadari and Tampines have been designed with solar-ready roofs.

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Malaysia: Palm oil company FGV to restore over 1,000ha of rainforest in West Kalimantan

MEI MEI CHU The Star 31 Aug 17;

PETALING JAYA: Palm oil company Felda Global Ventures Holding Berhad (FGV) has agreed to restore more than 1,000ha of peat forest in West Kalimantan after coming under pressure for its unsustainable deforestation.

Reports from environmental organisations Greenpeace and Chain Reaction Research had criticised FGV’s rapid deforestation, especially in high conservation value forest, that is said to be a violation of Indonesia’s no-peat development law.

Among the issues raised were FGV’s violations of its own sustainability policy, labour exploitation at plantations, and the forest fires that caused the 2015 haze crisis.

“In response to the article that was published by Chain Reaction Research in their April and May bulletins, we engaged with our various stakeholders to obtain feedback on our Group Sustainability Policy,” FGV officer-in-charge Datuk Khairil Anuar Aziz told The Star Thursday.

He said the policy was revised on Aug 25, 2017 to reflect FGV’s commitment to support its stakeholders’ No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation Policy, which prohibits the development of peatland.

FGV’s revised policy pledges no deforestation, no conversion of high conservation value areas, no new planting on peatland irrespective of depth or when the peatland was acquired, and to immediately stop all new development of peatlands.

Additionally, the policy commits to rehabilitating the peatlands developed after the policy’s approval and to continue with community programmes in the neighbouring areas of PT Temila Agro Abadi and PT Cita Niaga Perkasa in Kalimantan.

FGV, a subsidiary of Felda, is the world’s largest palm oil producer.

According to Greenpeace South-East Asia, the is the first time a palm oil company has been pressured by its stakeholders to restore the forest it cleared.

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Malaysia: LED lights being used to prevent elephants destroying crops

TN Alagesh New Straits Times 1 Sep 17;

KUANTAN: After digging trenches and putting up solar-powered electric fences, the state Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has introduced an unique solution to keep elephants from encroaching human settlements.

LED lights are being utilised to prevent rampaging elephants from destroying farmer's crops. The method which was introduced in Kuala Medang in Lipis several months ago has shown promising results.

State Perhilitan director Ahmad Azhar Mohammad said the solar-powered LED (light-emitting diodes) bulbs had resulted in a 90 per cent drop in elephant encroachment into agricultural land or villages during the night.

"The technique was first used in Pahang and so far 30 units have been installed. The method will be expanded to other conflict areas and we are looking into further improving the technique.

"Sadly, some irresponsible individuals have been removing the LED lights and this is a setback to the department's efforts to prevent the mammals from destroying farms and fruits trees. I hope villagers will cooperate with Perhilitan to tackle the problems," he said today.

The LED bulbs are tied to wooden poles so that elephants can see them from a distance.

It was learnt that elephants keep away from getting close to flashing lights instead of fixed or powerful lights.

Each LED unit has a built-in solar charger thus making the lights maintenance free, low cost and can be setup with minimum support.

It was learnt that the LED method, which was widely used in farms in India, was still in the early stages of its implementation in Pahang and farmers were keen to learn about the method.

Perhilitan had previously deployed various efforts to minimise the elephant threats including building solar-powered fences which deliver jolts of up to 12 kilovolts, digging trenches, and carrying out the capture and relocate programme.

On a separate matter, Ahmad Azhar said the herd of elephants spotted walking in an oil palm plantation in Kota Gelanggi, Jerantut several days ago was believed to have been separated into two groups.

"The herd was walking along their usual track towards its habitat but upon noticing a group of people watching them from a bridge, two of the elephants separated and were believed to have returned towards the village.

"Although people were standing far away it makes our job to chase the animals back to their habitat more difficult and might now require more time," he said, referring to the incident on Aug 29 where several motorists stopped their vehicles upon spotting the elephants walking below the bridge.

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