The loss of
biodiversity in nature reserves is a significant issue resulting from
Singapore's continuous urbanization; the Singapore government would have to do
more than simply classifying an area as a nature reserve in order to safeguard
Singapore’s biodiversity. By the end of the 19th century, Singapore became one
of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia (The World Bank, 2013), with 95 percent of it’s
original forest being destroyed for urbanization. This is critical since
Singapore lost up to 73 percent of its flora and fauna over the last two
centuries and 77 percent of those remaining are being
threatened (Pickrell, 2003). Even till today, the rapid development has
never been at a standstill with the constant revelation of new commercial,
residential, recreational and transport developments, which are propelled by
the government’s vision, in turning Singapore into an international business
hub (Economic Development Board of Singapore, 2012). This paper would be
examining the consequences of the loss of biodiversity in the contemporary
society, as well as highlighting and evaluating the solutions the government
could adopt.
The loss of
biodiversity is a dire consequence because it affects every living organism in
Singapore. Clean water is achieved through the forest’s protection of the water
catchment area and plants regulate the fresh air. Fruits and flowers are
available to humans due to insects’ pollination, while birds and animals
disperse the seeds. Natural ecosystems found in Sungei Buloh, Bukit Timah,
Pulau Ubin, etc., are also needed for Singaporean’s recreational and
educational purposes (National Parks Board, 2009). Therefore the government has
to do more, on top of creating nature reserves.
The first
solution is to implement more species conservation and recovery programmes.
Over the years, the National Environmental Agency (NEA) has carried out
activities to conserve and recover several native species. An example is the
Oriental Pied Hornbills, which is an international concern (National Parks
Board, 2009). The key objective of the Singapore Hornbill Project was to
increase the population and distribution of the locally endangered bird in
Singapore. Artificial tree holes were created as nests; male birds were tracked
with a global positioning system transmitter; infrared video cameras were
installed within the nest to provide round-the-clock observations. The project
provided insights such as the growth progression of nestlings, food
requirements and sensitivity to external disturbances. Within two years,
the Oriental Pied Hornbills’ population was increased by 20 successful
births. The tropical rainforest is the richest in biodiversity; with
Singapore having it as one of its resources, the government should extend such
programmes to other species, to prevent further extinction (National Parks
Board Singapore, 2010).
The second
solution is to extend green corridors to counter fragmentation. The
remaining forests in Singapore, labeled as nature reserves are highly
fragmented and largely degraded, due to developments (The Association for
Tropical Biology and Conservation, 2009). Transportation is one of the main
reasons, with the Singapore government building highways across forested areas.
An example is the BKE expressway being built across Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
and the Central Catchment area, causing the high occurrences of road kills when
animals try to cross over (National Parks, 2011). The government has plans
for an Eco-Link bridge to reconnect Bukit Timah to the Central Catchment and
subsequently, more green corridors should be developed and eventually allow
animals to transverse across various nature reserves. This would increase the
safety of the animals and encourage population growth due to bigger habitats
and a wider choice of mates.
The last
solution is to reconsider development projects that threaten Singapore’s
biodiversity. The government should conduct an environmental impact assessment
in order to evaluate the environmental trade off made to construct the new
cross-island line (Sim, 2013). They should also take into consideration
the concerns environmentalists are raising regarding the project, since they have
the expertise in that area. However, if the assessment shows that the
development of the cross-island line would degrade the existing nature
reserves, the government should abort the plan and search for other
alternatives, in order to protect Singapore’s biodiversity.
However, these
solutions require time, manpower and finance, in order to be implemented
effectively. Since the government has limited resources to be distributed among
other projects in various sectors such as healthcare, education and housing,
the loss of biodiversity might not carry the same weight. Thus, Singaporeans
should also step in by voicing their concerns over this issue, pushing the
government to take further actions and raising public awareness, because the
loss of biodiversity is not solely the government’s problem, but of every
Singaporean’s.
References
Economic Development Board of Singapore.
(2012, September 15). Facts and
ranking. Retrieved October 1, 2013, from Economic Development Board:
http://www.edb.gov.sg/content/edb/en/why-singapore/about-singapore/facts-and-rankings/rankings.html
National Parks Board. (2009). Conserving
Our Biodiversity - Singapore’s National
Biodiversity
Strategy and Action Plan . Retrieved October 1, 2013, from National
parks: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/docs/nbc/NPark-booklet-final-4sep.pdf
National Parks Board. (2011, July 30). Construction
Starts for Southeast Asia's First
Ecological
Corridor. Eco-Link@BKE to Link Two Nature Reserves Across the Expressway. Retrieved October 3, 2013, from National Parks: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_news&task=view&id=264&Itemid=50
National Parks Board Singapore. (2010,
September). 4th national report to the
convention on
biological diversity. Retrieved October 2, 2013, from National
Parks Board Singapore: http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/sg/sg-nr-04-en.pdf
Pickrell, J. (2003, July 23). Singapore Extinctions Spell Doom For
Asia? Retrieved
October 2,
2013, from National Geographic News:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/07/0723_030723_singapore.html
Sim, R. (2013, June 14). Cross Island
MRT Line: LTA delays environment study - See
more at:
http://ride.asiaone.com/news/general/story/cross-island-mrt-line-lta-delays-environment-study#sthash.BEPs3vF2.dpuf. Retrieved October 2, 2013, from Asiaone:
http://ride.asiaone.com/news/general/story/cross-island-mrt-line-lta-delays-environment-study
The Association for Tropical Biology and
Conservation. (2009). Forest Fragment
and Breeding
Habitat Characteristics Explain Frog Diversity and Abundance in Singapore . Retrieved October 1, 2013, from BIOTROPICA :
http://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/lab/evol-ecol/documents/Bickford_etal_Biotropica_2010.pdf
The World Bank. (2013). Urban
population (% of total). Retrieved October 2,
2013, from
worldbank: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
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