ecology & urban 60 Biodiversity Conservation in Singapore

Biodiversity Conservation in Singapore

Text by Dr. Lena Chan, Dr. Geoffrey Davison Abstract Introduction and Cheryl Chia (National Parks Board) The climatic climax vegetation in Singapore “Singapore doesn’t have any biodiversity to is tropical evergreen rainforest, the richest conserve. Even if we had, we could not afford to of all known ecosystems. Only 5 percent of set aside land and money for biodiversity conser- this still remains, but together with the diver- vation. We need every inch and every cent for sity remaining throughout its other human- development.” modified habitats, Singapore has some 1,500 plant species, over 360 birds, 117 dragonflies, This is an imaginary quotation, but is it an unreal- and other dramatic species totals recorded istic one? There probably are plenty of people in in modern times. The marine environment Singapore who would agree with it. Singapore has contains nearly a third of the world’s total had a long history of development, and now has species of corals, half of the Indo-Pacific total one of the highest national population densities of seagrasses, and many other groups that are in the world, with around 6,800 people per square still being investigated with new discoveries kilometre. There is little remaining agricultural every year. land; most food, water and energy sources are imported; and most Singaporeans live in multi- Conservation of these resources depends on storey public housing. The economy depends on maintenance of their habitats, and is closely import-export, manufacturing, processing and related to land use and environmental quality. value-added services. There is virtually no extrac- Biodiversity conservation in Singapore is there- tion of local natural resources. fore dependent on the efforts of many govern- ment agencies, and these efforts also rely on However, it is a complete misconception that participation by non-governmental organi- Singapore does not have any biodiversity to sations and support from the private sector. conserve. It is positively dangerous to suggest Conservation is thus a tripartite responsibility that biodiversity conservation is an expense between the Public, Private and People sectors; better avoided. On the contrary, development it requires a strong legislative framework, with without biodiversity is a strategy for failure, significant and dependable funding. the only question being how long failure can be postponed. It is not even a matter of balance Although Singapore has been considered a between conservation versus development, but “worst-case scenario”, with catastrophic loss how to ensure that biodiversity conservation of biological diversity, there is still much to secures the resource base needed for human conserve. The direct and indirect economic survival and economic development. benefits of biodiversity conservation more than repay the investments made in time, finance In practice the socio-political decisions taken by and manpower, and in fact Singapore cannot Singapore do acknowledge the interdependence afford not to conserve its native biodiversity. of conservation and development, since both are ingrained into the framework of legislation, administration and economic structure. CITYGREEN #1 A Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology Publication 61 ecology & urban 62 Biodiversity Conservation in Singapore

Legislation Land use planning is fundamental to conserva- tion. Therefore the Planning Act, the enabling legislation of the Urban Redevelopment Author- ity (URA), while not a conservation law per se, provides the framework for all area-dependent conservation. It gives URA the power to prepare ten-yearly Concept Plans and five-yearly Master Pressures Plans setting out the land use intentions of the 1 Land use whole of government, as a result of consulta- Current status of biodiversity In a small island city state with high popula- tions between agencies and with the public and Singapore has a rich variety of ecosystems. tion density, it is inevitable that land use non-governmental organisations. Some aspects These include coral reefs, soft substrate and pressures should be amongst the immedi- of the plans are overt conservation measures, open seas, mangroves, mudflats, seagrass ate impacts on nature. Proposals for land use including land designated for nature reserves, beds, rocky and sandy shores, lowland dipte- change, or extensions of land use, infrastruc- parks, park connectors, and additional nature rocarp forests, coastal forests, freshwater ture developments, and other such proposals areas secured under the Parks and Waterbod- swamp forests, secondary forest regrowth, wet are referred by the land use planning author- ies Plan. and dry grasslands, forest streams, and reser- ities to all other relevant agencies for consul- voirs. Given their variety, the small total area of tation. An increasing human population, and The National Parks Board Act 2005 and the Singapore, and the intense development, each shifts in the economic structure of the nation, Parks and Trees Act 2005 are merely the latest of these habitats can only contribute a small mean that even the Concept and Master Plans revisions to long-standing laws. The first estab- percentage to the total make-up of the Singa- are not immutable. lishes and empowers the National Parks Board pore landscape. Yet absolute green cover (all (NParks) as a statutory board of government. forms of plant life) amounts to 47 percent of the 2 Poaching The second details the parks and reserves, land area, of which NParks currently manages To adapt a phrase, “low poaching does not their status, and the actions and provisions 10 percent. mean no poaching”. Songbirds, reptiles and applicable in those parks and reserves, as well large fishes have from time to time come under as in other areas managed by NParks. These The climatic climax vegetation in Singapore is pressure. However, the urbanised way of life include the absolute protection of all plants and the tropical evergreen rainforest, the richest discourages a poaching mentality, thus this animals within such areas. of all known ecosystems. Only 5 percent of this problem has usually been seen as manageable. still remains, and less than that is its primary Wild animals and birds outside the NParks forest. However, together with the diversity 3 Pollution areas are protected by the Wild Animals and remaining throughout its other human-modified Chemical pollution is typically well control- Birds Act 1965, administered by the Agri- habitats, Singapore has some 1,500 surviving led, as concerns over human health translate food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and some native plant species, over 360 resident birds and into regulations that incidentally benefit the clauses jointly administered with NParks. It is a historical total of 404 including migrants and environment. Sedimentation, however, remains currently under review. Various other agencies vagrants), 117 dragonflies, and other dramatic a topic of concern especially in the marine have legislation that prohibits the taking of, species totals recorded in modern times. The environment. or damage to, any animal or plant within their marine environment contains 256 corals (nearly property. These include the JTC (Parks) Regula- a third of the world’s total), half of the Indo- 4 Climate change tions 1988, the Sentosa Development Corpora- Pacific total of seagrasses, and many other Singapore aligns with the rest of the world in tion Regulations 1997, and the Public Utilities groups that are still being investigated with new its concern over climate change, and acknowl- (Catchment Area) Parks Regulations 2006. The discoveries every year. edges the close links between the environ- State Lands (Encroachment) Act is unique in ment and human wellbeing. Greenery, natural applying also to marine areas, since, by admin- At species level, there have been some major ecosystems and biological diversity are seen as istering the extraction of resources from the losses. Singapore retains 69 percent of its key components in mitigation. Both forest on seabed, it is able to protect the living substrate original 2,053 species of native higher plants land and coral reefs at sea are seen as front- such as coral reefs as well. (Tan 2008). Many of those surviving occur in line defences against the impacts of climate small numbers over small areas, and there- change. However, biodiversity does not respect polit- fore automatically become classed as threat- ical boundaries, and Singapore has increas- ened under global IUCN criteria (Ng & Wee 5 Limited habitat availability ingly become integrated into international law 1994; Davison et al. 2008). The status of mobile The small area of Singapore inevitably limits through conventions such as the UN Convention animals is even more difficult to categorise the area available for species and ecosystems of Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Frame- than that of sedentary plants. Nevertheless, it is to survive. This constraint cannot be allevi- work Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), remarkable how much has survived two centu- ated, but it can be mitigated by maximising the the UN Convention to Combat Desertification ries of development, especially considering overlap of compatible land uses, by facilitating (UNCCD) and the Convention on International that much of that development occurred long genetic connectivity between habitat fragments, Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and before the rise of environmental consciousness and by encouraging recolonisation by plants Flora (CITES). (Turner et al. 1994). and animals from other areas. 63

Above Ecosystems along parts of Singapore’s natural shores include mudflats and mangroves. RIGHT Volunteers participate in Team Seagrass monitoring. ecology & urban 64 Biodiversity Conservation in Singapore

The Singapore Asian Conservation Project has helped to increase numbers of the Oriental Pied Hornbill in Singapore. Wetland habitats in parks are being improved to enhance dragonfly populations.

A study of marine sponges, such as this bring pink Habitat management is necessary to ensure NParks divers monitor the growth of from Chek Jawa, has revealed a rich array of species. the survival of the fern Dipteris conjugata. coral fragments at a coral nursery.

Nee Soon Swamp Forest is Singapore’s only representative The Striated Heron is a common resident found in mangroves and other habitats. of the freshwater swamp forest ecosystem. 65

Responses safeguard natural resources and to ensure the age, and a source of pride. They represent the Singapore has set in place a legal framework fair and equitable sharing of benefits. Appli- soul of the nation just as much as buildings whose main elements are described above. cations can be made online, and the system is and history. Furthermore, Singapore’s almost Other laws and regulations exist that support subject to continuing improvements. unique circumstances as an island city state the basic framework described. give us an opportunity to be a leader in urban Monitoring is conducted so as to determine conservation, to learn lessons and develop Human capacity is essential throughout society whether conservation efforts are effective. This techniques that will become relevant to other for effective conservation, and effective reaping is done at ecosystem level (for example, satel- cities one or two or ten decades from now. of the benefits. This includes policymakers, lite and aerial imaging of reefs, mudflats and legislators, planners, implementers in the coastlines), site level (for example, tree growth Singapore is aware of the importance of biolog- various agencies such as NParks, the Public and mortality plots, track compaction, bushfire ical resources in biomedicines and biotechnol- Utilities Board and the land agencies, site monitoring) and species level (for example, ogy. Marketability of products such as Ecteinas- managers, as well as researchers, students programmes for Dipteris, Sonneratia caseola- cidin-743, Contignasterol and Pseudopterosin E from top to bottom of the educational system, ris and other locally rare plants, and studies of demonstrate what is possible. Singapore has and creation of a conducive business environ- banded leaf-monkeys, flying lemurs, pangolins biological resources of known use, such as ment that enables the private sector to perceive and mouse-deer). horseshoe crabs for the production of Factor C the benefits of conservation. in detecting bacterial contaminants, and many Education and awareness are necessary to others of potential use such as the conotox- Protection, conservation and management of ensure public support for conservation, and ins from cone shells Conus spp. Agencies such species and ecosystems is concentrated on the to ensure that the benefits of conservation as A*STAR are gearing up to investigate such four Nature Reserves at Bukit Timah, Central are returned to the public. NParks, like other opportunities. Others are beginning to work Catchment, Labrador and Sungei Buloh, at agencies, conducts a wide range of exposure on the rich resource of micro-organisms and Pulau Ubin, and in other public parks and and training activities, from school visits to fungi. nature areas. This includes management of the tertiary education. Public consultation is also habitat, management of public use, and a great practiced, either direct with members of the A physically and mentally healthy population deal of inter-agency consultation. public or through non-governmental organi- requires recreation including relaxation, and sations, in developing the Concept and Master connectivity with nature is considered to be a Where species have been lost, or habitats have Plans, the Singapore Green Plan, and individual key to psychological wellbeing. The provision of become degraded, restoration is an option. park or municipality developments. green space, exercise facilities, learning oppor- Examples such as the facilitation of nesting by tunities, reduction of the heat island effect, Oriental Pied Hornbills, programmes for the Through international and regional agree- the chances of fishing, snorkelling, diving, bird removal of invasive weeds such as Dioscorea ments, and also through less formal channels, watching and butterfly watching, buffering of and Smilax, the replanting of degraded forest Singapore is able to play its part in the inter- traffic noise, reduction of air-borne particulate patches, and habitat management to allow the national scene. In addition to the interna- pollution, are all health-related benefits from survival of the fern Dipteris conjugata, practised tional conventions mentioned above, Singa- Singapore’s nature and environment conserva- since 2002, show what can be done. pore works through the ASEAN Secretariat, tion policies. the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environ- Surveys need to be carried out because, in spite ment (AMME), the ASEAN Senior Officials on Hence, Singapore considers nature conserva- of Singapore’s small size and long history of the Environment (ASOEN), the ASEAN Senior tion to be a pragmatic investment of time, effort biodiversity research, astonishing discoveries Officials on Forestry (ASOF), and has an ASEAN and finance that is providing benefits every day can still be made. The giant tree Dipterocarpus Heritage Park. Singapore is a strong supporter to the people at large and to business, industry, tempehes, long considered endemic to Borneo, of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and health and education. was only discovered in Singapore (and in Penin- has hosted many meetings, workshops and sular Malaysia) in 2005. Surveys of the long- training courses for the region through ACB. References: legged flies Dolichopodidae have revealed 150 Singapore is working with the Convention of Davison, G.W.H., Ho H.C. and Ng, P.K.L. 2008. The Singa- pore Red Data Book. Second edition. Nature Society new species from Singapore during the past Biological Diversity to develop the Singapore (Singapore), Singapore. five years. Index for Cities’ Biodiversity, a self-assessment tool and an example of how cities can contrib- Tan, H.T.W. 2008. Preamble: Plants. In The Singapore Red Given the richness of ecosystems, and the ute to international conservation. Data Book. Second edition, Davison, G.W.H., Ho H.C. and Ng, P.K.L., 17–18. Nature Society (Singapore), Singapore. surprising finds that are possible, impact assessment is a necessity for large impactful Why does Singapore do this? Turner, I., Tan, H.T.W., Wee, Y.C., Ali, I., Chew, P.T. and projects. Environmental or biodiversity impact All of the above responses cost time, money Corlett, R.T. 1994. A study of plant species extinction in assessments are conducted as an administrative and manpower. Singapore has made strate- Singapore: lessons for the conservation of tropical biodi- requirement, and conform with usual practice. gic decisions that these are worthwhile—indeed versity. Conservation Biology 8: 705-712 necessary—investments. Habitats and biolog- Wee, Y.C. and Ng, P.K.L. 1994. The Singapore Red Data Permit systems are operated by NParks to ical diversity are part of our national herit- Book. Nature Society (Singapore), Singapore.