Cicada Tree Eco-Place

Jointly published by both societies, all book sales proceeds go towards
conservation activities.

Singapore, 3 December 2022 – Nature Society (Singapore) and Cicada Tree Eco-Place today launched Alexandra Woodland – Haven Along the Rail Corridor, an educative book detailing the flora and fauna of Alexandra Woodland, its rich heritage and history, experiences of its residents and community, along with conservation ideas to enhance the woodland’s ecology.

Launched at Hang Jebat Mosque, this is a joint effort between Nature Society (Singapore) and Cicada Tree-Eco-Place, and is their second book collaboration to date. All sales proceeds from the book will go towards conservation activities by both societies.

Alexandra Woodland spans around 15 hectares and sits on the western flank of the Rail Corridor opposite Alexandra Hospital and is bordered by Ayer Rajah Expressway and Portsdown Avenue. For decades, this area has been left untouched by development, and has become a semi-natural woodland with a variety of habitats that includes a lake and marshland.

This Woodland is an important ecological link between the central nature reserves of Bukit Timah and Central Catchment and the parks of the Southern Ridges of Kent Ridge, Mount Faber & Telok Blangah Hill Park. It is the closest stepping stone for wildlife from the Rail Corridor to the Southern Ridges.

Dr. Ho Hua Chew, Co-editor of Alexandra Woodland and Vice Chair of the Conservation Committee, said, “In view of the current degradation or imminent development of such forests and wooded areas at Toh Tuck, Clementi, Dover and Portsdown along the Green Rail Corridor, Alexandra Woodland’s conservation significance as a haven and/or stepping stone for the dispersal of forest-associated wildlife has greatly increased and should be conserved with the recommended habitat enhancement measures in place for its long-term survival.”

“The presence of many forest-associated wildlife species such as Banded Malayan Coral Snake, Malayan Box Terrapin, Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Changeable Hawk-eagle, Long-tailed Parakeet, Glossy Swiftlet, etc., as well as the critically endangered orchid, Jamba (Neuwiedia veratrifolia), indicate the ecological importance of this secondary forest as a stepping stone or home ground for forest-associated species.”

“Nature Society’s bird records at the forest patches along the Rail Corridor indicate the Rail Corridor as a probable route for the dispersal of the globally and nationally threatened Straw-headed Bulbul from the central nature reserves and Bukit Batok Nature Park via Alexandra Woodland and Gillman Barracks to the southern coast at the Labrador Nature Reserve,” Dr. Ho added.

There are calls for this wooded area to be conserved, given its heritage and natural history.

Let’s not lose yet another forest for a road or rail. Alexandra Woodland should be preserved for its heritage and ecological values, especially amid the climate and biodiversity crises we face. It has played a significant role in the story of our nation — from river to road, spirited queens to early pioneers and legendary warriors — the spirit of Alexandra lives on today in its communities. In Singapore’s perennial search for a historical anchor to bridge past and present, Alexandra is as rich and authentic as it gets.

TERESA TEO GUTTENSOHN, Book CO-EDITOR and co-founder of Cicada tree eco-place

Mr. Leong Kwok Peng, Co-author of Alexandra Woodland and Chair of the
Conservation Committee at Nature Society (Singapore), agrees that the woodlands should be kept wild. “We see the Rail Corridor as more than a strip of recreational green space. The essence of the space lies in the woodlands alongside it, without which the corridor will lose its magic and Alexandra Woodland is one such important space,” he said.

Alexandra Woodland – Haven Along the Rail Corridor was put together by a team comprising 12 people, including two editors, nine authors and a book art director. It contains 156 pages, comes in soft cover format and is printed on eco-friendly paper.

The book is available from Nature Society (Singapore) and Books Kinokuniya.

Nature groups have been working with the government for years to preserve Singapore’s nature areas. It is heartening to see that the government has listened to the feedback. – Cicada Tree Eco Place

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SINGAPORE — Nine years after they argued against the construction of the Cross Island Line, nature groups and environmentalists said they were relieved that at least some changes have been made to reduce environmental damage due to the second phase of the MRT line’s construction. One environmentalist called the latest changes “unprecedented”.

Speaking to TODAY on Thursday (Oct 13), Dr Shawn Lum, president of the Nature Society (Singapore) who has been involved in consultations with the authorities since the start of the project, said that the engagement process and outcome of the latest environmental impact study were a far cry from 2013 when nature groups were “blindsided” by the announcement of the Cross Island Line.

“The whole approach of working together from different perspectives but for the best possible outcome in a collaborative fashion — I don’t think anybody would have anticipated that in 2013,” Dr Lum said.

The environmental impact study, released on Monday by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on its website, details the potential impact that the second phase of the Cross Island Line would have on the nature sites, including Clementi, Maju and Windsor forests. The study was conducted by engineering consulting firm Aecom.

The report said that the location of the upcoming Maju station on the Cross Island Line was changed from being within the boundaries of Clementi Forest to beneath Clementi Road as an underground tunnel. Clementi Forest had been the subject of national debate last year, after some people petitioned against zoning the forest for housing.

Tunnels between King Albert Park station and Maju station were also realigned to reduce the ecological impact on wildlife. The report noted that the critically endangered pangolin and the chocolate sailor, a nationally vulnerable butterfly species in Singapore, were among the flora and fauna recorded in Maju forest.

Nature groups were up in arms when the train line was announced in 2013 because construction work may harm rare fauna and flora in the central catchment area, which includes four reservoirs.

In 2019, the Government eventually decided to run the line directly under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, instead of around it, after studying the impact of the alignment on the environment.  

The second phase of the Cross Island Line, unveiled last month, features six underground stations in areas such as Turf City, West Coast and Jurong Lake District. Construction works for the MRT stations will begin next year, with stations opening by 2032.

The Cross Island Line will be the country’s longest fully underground line at more than 50km long. When operational, it will have the highest number of interchange stations, with almost half the stations on the line being linked to existing MRT stations.

WHAT NATURE LOBBYISTS SAY ABOUT THE CHANGES

Other environmentalists who spoke to TODAY also agreed that the authorities had become more open to engagement over the years and added that they welcomed the outcome of the “comprehensive” study.

It’s wonderful to note that an important habitat with a concentration of native pitcher plants will escape the development.

Dr Vilma D’Rozario, co-director of the Singapore Wildcat Action Group

Among the outcomes that Dr Lum said he was pleased about was the decision to move worksites away from the most sensitive areas where there are endangered species such as the Raffles’ banded langur, and the reduction of land used to build shafts down to the tunnels.

Dr Vilma D’Rozario, the co-director of the Singapore Wildcat Action Group, also called the study “comprehensive” and added that she was glad about the relocation of Maju station, as well as the relocation and reduction in sizes of some worksites.

“It’s wonderful to note that an important habitat with a concentration of native pitcher plants will escape the development,” she added.

The report stated that a worksite between the areas of Clementi Forest and Holland Plain is one of the last remaining locations in Singapore for a variety of native pitcher plant species outside of nature reserves here.

Primate researcher Andie Ang, who was mostly involved in engagements relating to a worksite in the Windsor Forest, said that the reduction of the worksite’s size by half and its partial shift to the Singapore Island Country Club means that a “significant portion” of the forests, which are a part of the habitat of the critically endangered Raffles’ banded langurs, can be kept.

Even with the latest changes, the lobbyists said that more could be done.

Mr Ho Xiang Tian, founder of environmental advocacy group LepakinSG, said it was unfortunate that a freshwater marsh in Holland Plain will be completely destroyed for a worksite, given that it is possibly the last freshwater marsh in Singapore.

The compensation measure by LTA is to create a new marsh in the vicinity. It is “not the best possible outcome”, but Mr Ho — who did not take part in the consultations — acknowledged that it is the best the agency can do given the site constraints and alignment of the Cross Island Line.

Dr Ang is hoping for LTA to conduct a follow-up study of its measures after the completion of the project, to see if these have achieved their intended objectives.

WILL CHANGES AFFECT COSTS?

Construction experts approached by TODAY said that the changes to the Cross Island Line are unlikely to result in significantly higher costs.

Associate Professor Daniel Wong, from the department of built environment at the National University of Singapore, said that project costs for the MRT line could rise by up to 5 per cent due to more environmental impact studies or surveys done before the calling of tender.

However, the cost of construction itself may be mitigated by contractors’ competitive tendering process, as well as refinements to the design that can keep costs low, he added.

Similarly, Mr David Ng from the Institution of Engineers, Singapore said that with Maju station shifted to the road, there will be extra costs incurred, but these “will not be a significant portion” of the overall construction bill.

However, construction works could become more challenging with the added requirements in place to construct the Cross Island Line, including limited working hours and containing the work area so that the movements of wildlife are not disrupted, he added.

Source: TODAY, 17 October 2022

Celebrate our natural heritage this 57th national day! Did you know that Singapore has 5 species of endemic plants (native plants that can only be found here)?
Four of them exist only in our nature reserves and several were discovered only in recent years.

1) Splachnobryum temasekensis (moss species discovered in 2004, new to science)

2) Singapore Ginger (Zingiber singapurense) (new to science, discovered in 2012 at Central Catchment Nature Reserve, with a spindle-shaped inflorescence, formed by orange-red, bracts and pale yellow flower.)

3) Hanguana triangulata (new to science, discovered in 2015, flowering herb confined to the understorey of primary forests.)

4) Hanguana rubinea (new to science,
discovered in 2015, critically endangered flowering herb growing to about 1.5m. Name is derived from the ruby-red color of the ripe fruit.)

5) Nervilia singaporensis (critically endangered orchid, newly discovered in 2019 at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. The genus Nervilia was thought to be locally extinct, with the last sighting in 1889. It has a unique oblong flower shape and flowers that never open, which means it must self-pollinate to reproduce!

“The discovery of Nervilia singaporensis shows that there is still unknown biodiversity to find and study, even in heavily urbanised Singapore. As such, continued efforts in documenting and learning about the richness of our habitats is crucial to protect them and their biodiversity.” – Mr David Middleton, Coordinating Director of Research and Conservation at the Singapore Botanic Gardens