Pesta Ubin 2020 – A Million Thanks for 110 Trees Planted!

Participants and volunteers at Island Tales and Forest Fables @ Pesta Ubin 2020, a first of its kind storytelling and culture event organised by Cicada Tree Eco-Place and supported by NParks, on Saturday, 12 September 2020.

A million thanks to all our wonderful family participants, storytellers, tree planting volunteers from ActiveSG Pasir Ris Sport Centre, volunteer crew from Cicada Tree Eco-Place and NParks team who planted 110 trees as part of Pesta Ubin 2020 and One Million Trees movement.

Tree Planting

Jalan Jelutong tree planting site.

Jln Jelutong was a piece of quarry wasteland reclaimed from the sea during granite quarry operations in the past.

The tree planting initiative is part of One Million Trees movement which aims to restore nature back into our City through the planting of more than a million trees across Singapore over the next decade.

Click to view photos:

Over 16,000 trees from over 70 native species will eventually be planted at Balai Quarry South, Sungei Teris and Jalan Jelutong on Pulau Ubin.

Despite the sun and torrential rain, our volunteers persisted and successfully planted 110 trees!


Interactive Storytelling

As part of Pesta Ubin 2020, our interactive, socially-distanced storytellers also shared about the history and legend of Pulau Ubin.

Ubin is known as “Granite Island” in Malay. Today, it is one of Singapore’s last traditional kampongs with less than 50 residents.

Ubin is also home to Chek Jawa, an unprotected wetland ecosystem that was saved from land reclamation in the early 2000s.

As the story goes, the island was formed when three animals from Singapore – a frog, a pig and an elephant – challenged each other to a race to reach the shores of Johor.

The animals that failed would turn to stone.

All three failed to swim across. Therefore, the elephant and pig turned into Pulau Ubin whilst the frog became Pulau Sekudu or Frog Island.

Thanks to all our family participants and tree planting volunteers from ActiveSG, Pasir Ris Sport Centre – Urban Farming Interest Group as well as our volunteer event crew from Cicada Tree Eco-Place:

Teresa Guttensohn, Tia Guttensohn, Sean Guttensohn, Jabriel, Amanda Ang, Balakrishnan Matchap, Lisha Raghani, Jelaine Ng Sha-Men, Angela Pinto, Lim Li Fang, Kripa Dubey, Dr George Jacobs, Dr Denise Dillon, Joleen Chan, Jeffrey Roslan, Fatin Syahirah, Farhan, Richard Tan, Rosemary Chan, Susan Kueh.

More photos of our volunteers hard at work:


Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) at the nearby Pekan Quarry, where NParks piloted a floating wetlands system in 2015. 10 heron-nesting structures have been deployed there.

Ubin: A Refuge for Wildlife

In other news, a comprehensive biodiversity survey of Pulau Ubin since 2018 has found over 20 new species of fauna, said Mr Desmond Lee, minister for National Development on the occasion of Ubin Day.

This includes the new spider species Piranthus sp. – characterised by bright reddish-orange pairs of front legs in the females.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat was taken on a tour of the island and planted a tree there on Ubin Day:

https://www.facebook.com/195137123858154/posts/3390880210950480/

Learn more about the discoveries below:

https://www.facebook.com/desmondtslee/posts/4782242551786649
READ MORE: 20 new species of fauna recorded on Pulau Ubin, including new type of spider: CNA

Pesta Ubin Day and Night Walks

  1. Ubin Nature Guided Day Walk

Date: Saturday 12 September 2020

Duration: 4.00pm to 6.00pm

Cost: None. Participants to drop a donation of any amount into an official ACRES tin that the CTEP guide will bring.

To register, contact Andrew via email: andrewtay.sg@gmail.com

(First-come-first-served. Please include your name/s and mobile number)

Please note:

-Only 5 participants are permitted to join this walk. Therefore, we are only offering this walk to 5 single persons and not to families.

(we will organize walks for families when Covid rules are more relaxed).

-Bumboat ride to Ubin is now at $4 per pax per ride. Participants to pay fare directly to the boat driver when onboard.

Walk brief: A daytime nature-guided walk to enjoy the rural ambience of Ubin and looking at plants and wildlife that are encountered along the waysides.

This walk will mostly be on level dirt paths.

2. Ubin Night Critter Guided Walk

Date: Saturday 12 September 2020

Duration: 7.00pm to 8.30pm

Cost: None. Participants to drop a donation of any amount into an official ACRES tin that the CTEP guide will bring.

To register, contact: Andrew via email: andrewtay.sg@gmail.com

(First-come-first-served. Please include your name/s and mobile number)

Please note:

-Only 5 participants are permitted to join this walk. Therefore, we are only offering this walk to 5 single persons and not to families.

-Bumboat ride to Ubin is now at $4 per pax per ride. But a bumboat has to be specially chartered for the ride back to Singapore after this night walk.

The fare cost is estimated to be between $12 to $16 per participant. Participants to pay fare directly to the boat driver when onboard.

Walk brief: A night-time guided walk to enjoy the darker night ambience that can be experienced on Ubin and looking out for nocturnal wildlife and night-flowering plants.

This walk will mostly be on the main road. We will also go onto a level dirt path to explore the pond edge beside the main road.

Island Tales & Forest Fables @ Pesta Ubin 2020

Storytelling – Take a short discovery morning stroll on a rustic isle. Stop at our four story telling stations to discover the mythical beginnings of Pulau Ubin, Pulau Ketam and Pulau Sekudu through wildlife stories inspired by local legends.

Tree Planting – Shape Ubin’s future by planting trees to create a forest for wildlife!

Note: This is not a guided nature walk, it is a first-of-a-kind interactive storytelling and tree-planting activity.

Details:
Date: Sat 12 Sep 2020
Venue: Pulau Ubin
Start Time: 9.30am to 10.50am
Duration: Approximately 1.5hrs to 2hrs (30mins for tree-planting)
Suitable for: Families with children 6yrs to 11yrs. Minimum age is 6yrs, no toddlers and babies are allowed.
Open to: Registered Groups only, no walk-ins will be permitted.

Charges:
$50 per Group of 5 persons or less. Fees paid are strictly non-refundable. Payment details will be provided upon receipt of email.

Group size:
Max. of 5 persons per registered Group. Each Group must have minimum one adult. Groups that turn up with more than 5 persons will not be permitted to participate and fees paid will not be refundable.


Registration:

Please email us with the following details to register. Please note that slots will be assigned on a first come first served basis.

Time slot you would like (see below)
Name of principal participant
Number of participants in group
Number of adults
Number of children (with age of children)
Contact email
Contact phone number – for any last minute changes
Emergency contact name with phone number

We will only use the contact details for this event and the information will not be stored past the event nor shared with anyone else. 

Number of Groups:
Limited to 8 separate groups at staggered arrival timings only. Strictly no intermixing between groups at any time.

Booking Timings: [FULLY SUBSCRIBED]
Group 1 – Start Time 09.30am
Group 2 – Start Time 09.40am
Group 3 – Start Time 09.50am
Group 4 – Start time 10.00am
Group 5 – Start time 10.10am
Group 6 – Start time 10.20am
Group 7 – Start time 10.30am
Group 8 – Start time 10.40am

Participants must arrive 5 mins before or sharp on time at Cicada Tree Eco-Place Registration Desk at the Pulau Ubin (Assembly Area) as per registered time slot to avoid delaying other Groups and impacting the event schedule. Groups that arrive late will have their slot cancelled and fees paid will not be refundable.


IMPORTANT NOTE
Terms & Conditions, SafeEntry and Safe Distancing Measures apply:

· This is an outdoor rain or shine event.
· Subject to weather conditions and safety considerations, the event may be delayed or cancelled.
· Due to Covid-19, SafeEntry and Safe Distancing Measures apply.
· Participants must check-in and complete SafeEntry at the Cicada Tree Eco-Place Registration Desk upon arrival.
· Participants who are feeling unwell or have flu-like symptoms must not participate.
· Participants who have travelled outside Singapore in previous 14 days (from 1 Sep 2020), or have been placed on Stay Home Order, must not participate.
· Participants must arrive sharp on time as per registered time slot to avoid delaying other Groups and impacting the event schedule. Groups that arrive late will have their slot cancelled and fees paid will not be refundable.
· Participants (adults and children) must wear face masks during the walk and thoughout the event.
· Participants must observe safe distancing of 3m between the storytellers and other Groups.
· Participants must not intermix with other groups and must not congregate with other groups at any time during the event.
· Upon completing the tree-planting or when time slot is up, Participants must depart from the tree-planting site as directed by the crew and staff, and must not linger within the site.

Zaobao National Day 2020 Feature

提醒国人 动植物也是岛国一分子

★Cicada Tree Eco-Place

创于:2006年

受众群体:5至85岁,主要针对年轻群体。

宗旨:介绍本地生物的多样化,教育公众保护环境的重要性。

只要生活在地球上,地球变暖和海平面上升等环境问题对任何人,无论种族、宗教或语言都有直接的影响。环境问题仿佛一条线,将背景各异的人们联系在一起。

环境课题近几年来备受关注,尤其在年轻群体中。16岁的瑞典环保主义者格蕾塔·通贝里(Greta Thunberg)是最典型的例子。本地也有不少年轻人参与环境组织,为大自然发声。杨志豪(26岁,摄影师)去年为了做一个关于人类和环境之间的冲突的毕业专题作业,发现自然环境教育组织Cicada Tree Eco-Place。

Cicada Tree Eco-Place将心系环境课题的新加坡人,不分种族或宗教,都聚在一起。(受访者提供)
Cicada Tree Eco-Place将心系环境课题的新加坡人,不分种族或宗教,都聚在一起。(受访者提供)

Cicada Tree Eco-Place成立于2006年,旨在介绍本地生物的多样化,教育公众保护环境的重要性。该组织每年举办多项适合一家大小参与的活动,包括露营、大自然徒步等。受众年龄介于5至85岁。组织也会在官方网页发表和环境相关的文章。

修读传媒专业的杨志豪认为,新闻报道往往会平衡各方面的观点,“但大自然不能为自己发声,声音往往被忽略。相比保护环境,人类对大自然的伤害更是不成比例的。”杨志豪因为想继续为大自然发声,他完成毕业专题作业后,继续待在Cicada Tree Eco-Place。他目前负责拍照、设计组织网页,以及管理社交平台。

赵琴音(左)和杨志豪认为,环境课题能够将背景各异的国人聚在一起。
赵琴音(左)和杨志豪认为,环境课题能够将背景各异的国人聚在一起。

Cicada Tree Eco-Place目前有十多名活跃成员,包括创办人赵琴音(57岁)在内都不是全职员工。赵琴音认为,Cicada Tree Eco-Place将关注环境课题的人聚在一起。她说:“想和另四名朋友一起创立Cicada Tree Eco-Place是因为人类对环境已经造成非常严重的破坏。人们不能停留在知道地球已病危,必须通过实际行动,减少对环境的伤害。”

让孩子先认识大自然

赵琴音自幼在甘榜长大。她怀念小时候和大自然靠得很近的生活。
赵琴音自幼在甘榜长大。她怀念小时候和大自然靠得很近的生活。

赵琴音认为,从小在甘榜里生活让她对环境有很深的认识和热爱。“我们一群人住在甘榜会一起爬树、养鸡,与大自然生活得非常靠近。现在的孩子反而很少有机会靠近大自然。”赵琴音认为,父母应多让小朋友沉浸在绿意中,“先认识大自然的魅力,才会喜欢它,愿意为保护环境出一分力。”

家庭主妇李慧丽(42岁)就于2019年带着儿子黄纬喆(12岁,学生)参与由Cicada Tree Eco-Place举办的一项到乌敏岛观鸟和种树的活动。李慧丽受访时说:“让孩子有机会接触大自然非常重要。过程中,孩子会意识到保护环境的重要性。”她举例说,儿子有次提醒她带塑料盒去打包食物,“他对环保的意识让我非常欣慰。”

李慧丽(左)和儿子黄纬喆一起到大自然里活动,除了认识到保护环境的重要性,也促进亲子关系。(受访者提供)
李慧丽(左)和儿子黄纬喆一起到大自然里活动,除了认识到保护环境的重要性,也促进亲子关系。(受访者提供)

问黄纬喆乌敏岛的活动哪个环节让他印象最深刻,他回答:“我最喜欢种树,因为可以玩泥巴!”但黄纬喆说,同龄的朋友未必喜欢到大自然去。“有些人怕肮脏,一些则不喜欢被蚊子叮,或担心中暑。”但黄纬喆认为,能够和家人一起沉浸在大自然里不仅可以放松身心,还能够促进亲子关系。他鼓励家长在疫情过后多带孩子到大自然里走走,从小培养孩子对大自然的喜爱。

黄纬喆参与Cicada Tree Eco-Place的活动,到乌敏岛种树投入大自然里。(受访者提供)
黄纬喆参与Cicada Tree Eco-Place的活动,到乌敏岛种树投入大自然里。(受访者提供)

另一名家庭主妇拉迪亚(Radiah Rizal,36岁)则于2018年首次带三名女儿参与“Love our MacRitchie Forest”大自然徒步活动。她感叹:“以前住在甘榜,周围都是花草树木。但从前的绿意已被今天的组屋取代。”她认为,小孩子参与Cicada Tree Eco-Place举办的活动后能更明白保护环境的重要性。“我的女儿最近制作了一些海报送给学校的朋友,希望帮助同学认识本地的自然遗产,积极保护环境。”

拉迪亚(右一)认为,人类对环境的破坏是个棘手的问题,她鼓励家长多带孩子到绿意中认识大自然。(受访者提供)
拉迪亚(右一)认为,人类对环境的破坏是个棘手的问题,她鼓励家长多带孩子到绿意中认识大自然。(受访者提供)

当越来越多的新加坡人心系环境课题,愿意为保护本地的生物多样化和环境出一分力——这或许是让Cicada Tree Eco-Place团队最感欣慰的事。赵琴音指出,地球正面临全新世灭绝事(Holocene Extinction),“如果人们不再下意识地保护环境,本地一些濒临绝种的动植物,如印度尼西亚叶猴(Raffles’ Banded Langur)有天可能从世上消失。”

在我国濒临绝种的印度尼西亚叶猴。(档案照)
在我国濒临绝种的印度尼西亚叶猴。(档案照)

赵琴音希望,国人在欢庆新加坡55岁生日之际,别忘了本地的野生动植物也是新加坡的一分子,是我国重要的自然遗产。“但愿45年后,当我们庆祝新加坡100岁生日时,我国的自然生态会比今天丰富。

Source: Zaobao

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