Make Singapore a coral haven

10% of reefs proposed as 'no-go zones' in Blue Plan
Marcel Lee Pereira, My Paper 10 Sep 08;

More protection and better management of Singapore's coral reefs could turn the island into a "coral paradise" in 10 years.

That is the gist of a proposal by a group of marine conservationists, which they plan to submit to the Government by early next year.

Mr Francis Lee, chairman of consultative group Marine Roundtable, shared some of the ideas with my paper last week.

He is overseeing Singapore's participation in the International Year of the Reef (IYOR) campaing this year. IYOR is held once a decade.

This "Blue Plan", the marine equivalent of the Singapore Green Plan -- a national blueprint for a sustainable environment -- will be the highlight of Singapore's IYOR celebrations.

Work on the "Blue Plan" started in the middle of this year, and the ideas build upon an earlier version submitted to the Government in 2001 through its Feedback Unit.

Part of the group's vision is that at least 10 per cent of Singapore's coral rees, mostly along the southern islands, should be turned into sanctuaries.

These could be categorised into "no-go zones", where access is granted for only scientific purposes. Other areas with limited access could be allowed, or opened under proper management.

Currently, areas such as the Chek Jawa Wetlands and Pulau Sekudu are protected by the National Parks Board (NParks), which monitors the area. Vessels entering these wetlands also need a permit from NParks.

However, more areas should be covered, including the southern islands such as Kusu Island and St. John's Island, as well as diving spot Pulau Hantu, and live-firing areas like Pulau Sudong and Pulau Senang, said Mr Lee.

He believes that other agencies, NGOs and companies should play a part too.

Environmental-impact studies are not consistently done for land reclamation and other projects, he said.

Hence, another proposal will be to have an independent agency to conduct such studies.

This agency must also be consulted by other agencies to ensure that the marine ecosystem is given a higher priority.

Singapore has not paid enough attention to marine conservation, added Mr Lee.

"Management of our seas has been limited to preventing pollution from factories and oil tankers, and I think we've done a wonderful job in that area, but no to in serving the marine ecosystem."

He added that the cost of such measures should be borne by the Government.

After all, coral reefs may be a valuable source of biomedical products and serve as educational and toursit draws.

He said" "The region has more than 2,500 fish species, and 500-600 species of hard corals, five times more than the Caribbean and 25 times more than the Mediterranean."

He added that SIngapore may well have half or more of this biodiversity. Common species found here include butterfly fish and brain and staghorn coral.

To beef up scientific knowledge About Singapore's marine biodiversity, the group is consolidating data from scientists, universities and institutes into a database, which will be used as an indication of its marine heritage.

Professor Chou Loke Ming of the National University of Singapore's department of biological sciences added that there have been "positive signals" such as the translocation of corals when a development is built upon the site of a reef.

He added: "Coral-reef conservation and restoration run over the long term. It's not just a one-off exercise: it has to be a sustained effort".

Sea levels may rise: But Singapore's okay

The ozone hole is closing, but this could cause Antartica to become warmer due to weekened polar winds. This may lead to sea ice melting and sea levels rising.

THE Greenland ice sheet may be thousands of miles away, but the rate at which it's melting was a point of concern in Parliament yesterday.

Also in question was how much rise in sea level will Singapore experience as a result of global warming.

More about this in Teh Jen Lee's article in The New Paper 17 Sep 08
full article also on the wildsingapore news blog

Some extracts ...

Minister Yaacob Ibrahim answered both MPs by first stating that the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projected last year that climate change could lead to sea level rises of between 18cm and 59cm by the year 2100.

This does not factor in the rapid melting of Greenland or Antarctic ice sheets, as the understanding of these effects is too limited.

Since 1991, all new reclamation projects have to be built to a level 125cm above the highest recorded tide level.

This is 66cm more than the IPCC's projected highest sea level rise of 59cm by the end of the 21stcentury in the worst-case scenario.

Singapore's development of drainage infrastructure over the last 30 years has reduced flood-prone areas from 3,200 ha in the '70s to 98ha today.

PUB will reduce it to less than 48 ha by 2011 through the development and improvement of drainage infrastructure, such as the widening and deepening of drains and canals.

While the objective of this is to reduce the flood-prone areas and alleviate flooding today, a better drainage system helps to reduce the possibility of upstream flooding when heavy rain coincides with high tide or sea level rise.

In addition, the National Environment Agency, in consultation with other government agencies, commissioned a two-year study last year to understand the specific implications of climate change in Singapore, based on the IPCC studies.

These include sea level and temperature changes, flooding and coastal erosion. The study is expected to be completed next year.

Is rapid melting of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets likely? These and more links on the wild shores of singapore blog

What to speak up about this? Send your comments to Sustainable Singapore, an effort to gather feedback on climate change issues. More in this earlier post.

Time for Action! Coastal Cleanup 20 Sep (Sat)

Things are really revving up for the massive annual blitz on marine litter!
Haven't signed up yet? There's still places for the clean up at Pulau Ubin.

Behind this mammoth effort were months of planning and briefings for the various coastal locations.
And recces over the this weekend to Kranji, Kallang Basin, Pandan mangroves and more.

Coastal Cleanup is not just about picking up litter. It is about collecting data about marine litter.

This is the data collected in 2007 by more than 2,000 volunteers on 9 tonnes of trash.

The source of the trash is also recorded.

Data from 2007 reveals 49% of the trash is a result of "Shoreline and Recreational Activities", 7% from "Ocean/Waterway Activities", 12% from "Smoking-Related Activities" with 28% categorised as "Debris of Local Concern".

For "Shoreline and Recreational Activities" the main types of debris were Bags (13%), Food Wrappers/Containers (10%), Straws, Stirrers (10%), Plastic Beverage Bottles under 2 litres (4%), Cups, Plates, Forks, Knives, Spoons (3%), Caps, Lids (3%).

The Cleanup in Singapore is part of International Coastal Cleanup run by the Ocean Conservancy. It is the world’s largest volunteer event of its kind. Last year, 378,000 volunteers from 76 countries and 45 states cleared six million pounds of trash from oceans and waterways and recorded every piece of trash collected.

In Singapore between 2001 - 2005, volunteers removed 33 tonnes of marine trash from our beaches and mangroves and recorded all aspects of this trash.

Killer Litter! Discarded drift nets kill countless marine creatures constantly. Called ghost nets, these cause unnecessary painful deaths for our marine life.Plastic litter is particularly insidious as these last for a long time, choking and killing marine life that accidentally eat them. Plastic litter breakdown into smaller and smaller pieces and end up in the food chain and thus eventually, in humans.

Links to more information

• International Coastal Cleanup Singapore website
• The News from International Coastal Cleanup blog
• Ocean Conservancy page on International Coastal Cleanup
• Latest media reports on the threats of marine litter
• Is there any point to doing this only once a year? on the wild shores of singapore blog

Prof Leo Tan on our shores and bringing science to the masses

Living Classroom: Students on Labrador shore.

Understanding science will help people realise its impact on their lives
Leo W.H. Tan, Straits Times 13 Sep 08;

I TAUGHT biology when I began my scientific career, and I had a favourite living laboratory, a 300m stretch of seemingly barren beach called Labrador.

Every freshman in my class made a compulsory field visit.

Their typical first reaction was: 'Why did you bring us here? There is no marine life to observe.'

Using the 'learning science through inquiry' method, I'd take them on a journey of discovery about the wonders of nature and, three hours later, they would be asking if they could stay longer.

They had discovered the rocks were alive with algae, snails, barnacles, anemones, corals, crabs and a host of other creatures, and realised how rich the biodiversity was.

One striking impression they took away was not to make assumptions about anything until they tested out their hypotheses.

I would like to believe that first encounter had a stimulating influence on many generations of my students, including several now in key positions in academia and research, the school system and corporations.

Singapore prides itself on having a science and technology-based economy.

Everyone encounters science and technology in daily life.

I wonder though how many are actually aware of, and understand, the scientific content, principles or benefits that relate to their lives.

Only when people see how a light bulb is linked to power generation and climate change, or how losing a beach means the loss of biodiversity and bioactive products such as potential anti-cancer drugs from marine species, can they appreciate how science improves their economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being.

In a globalised, knowledge-based economy that is increasingly dependent on knowledge creation and innovation rather than merely on the goods and services of an industrial age, it is necessary to develop a science-literate society that is adaptable to change and able to make informed decisions.

This is where science communication can play a critical role.

Newtonian science was about scientific discovery and knowledge for its own sake, but after the deployment of atomic power as a weapon of destruction in the last world war, science must now be answerable to the public.

The public should exercise its right to be informed not only of the benefits of science but also about possible downsides and areas of concern.

There are so many interesting and contemporary issues to keep the public engaged - climate change and global warming; genetic engineering and stem cell research; health and disease; biodiversity and conservation; biotechnology and nanotechnology.

Unfortunately for many scientists, communicating their work to the layman does not come naturally, most notably because of their propensity to talk and write in jargon.

There is also a reticence to write or talk to the media, which undeniably is the major vehicle for stimulating public debate and shaping public opinion on scientific issues.

There are two other influential groups of professionals who need to communicate science - the teacher and the health professional.

The former has to engage students in thinking critically about how science works and why it matters to society. Students have to be excited about science as a possible career choice and not merely as a study option.

The latter has to communicate effectively on health and related issues and in a timely manner. The 2003 Sars outbreak, for example, demonstrated the vital importance of reaching out to the masses.

The National University of Singapore, in partnership with the Australian National University, is introducing a joint Master of Science degree programme in science communication.

The participation of the Science Centre Singapore in this programme, with its hands-on approach to learning, enhances the value of the degree. Both theory and practical aspects will be emphasised.

School teachers, in particular, will find this programme relevant as it helps them upgrade communication skills and scientific content knowledge, so they can engage students in creative ways as well as being confident of supervising them in project work.

In the 1980s, as director of the Singapore Science Centre, I had to seek funding to bring the famous Royal Institution of Great Britain's lecture and demonstration series to Singapore.

I was introduced to the head of a well-known chemical corporation, and he agreed without hesitation to sponsor the series. As an A-level student in London, he had attended a Royal Institution lecture given by a Nobel laureate in chemistry, Professor George Porter. He was so awed by the simplicity of the explanations that he decided to become a scientist. He went on to do a PhD in chemistry, joined the industry and rose to top management.

An effective science communicator had influenced his career.

Prof Porter was the director of the Royal Institution and a reputable researcher. He chose to communicate science not only to his peers but to the public too, and schoolchildren in particular.

As a result of the three-year sponsorship here, thousands of our students benefited from the lecture series.

The story does not end there.

A disciple of Prof Porter, Professor David Phillips, now an Emeritus Professor at Imperial College, London, had similarly influenced one of my students through his science communication lectures. That young man recently obtained his PhD from an Ivy League institution.

It is time this discipline took its rightful place in our society.

As for Labrador Beach, there is one clear benefit from introducing it to the students.

Some were instrumental in quietly proposing over three decades its conservation, and this became reality in 2001 when Labrador became a nature reserve.

Here was a tangible result of communicating science to my students.

They and other Singaporeans saw the value of keeping a living heritage that mattered to them.

The writer is president of the Singapore National Academy of Science and immediate past director of the National Institute of Education. He also chairs the advisory board for NUS-SCS Science Communication Programmes.

More about Prof Leo Tan and his influence on the shores and shore volunteers on the wild shores of singapore blog.

Master plan for Pulau Semakau at end 2009

The National Environment Agency (NEA) is seeking ideas to turn Pulau Semakau green: test-bed for renewable energy and recreational and educational activities. NEA has posted a call to tender for consultancy services to a concept plan to this effect. The final masterplan is expected to be unveiled end of next year.

Plans for eco-park on Semakau landfill
It may be a test bed for energy studies and a place for 'green' recreation
Ang Yiying, Straits Times 10 Sep 08;
FROM the ashes of Semakau landfill, a new eco-park will rise.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) is seeking ideas for its brainwave to turn Singapore's first offshore landfill into a test bed for renewable energy technologies and a place for 'green' recreational and educational activities.

Eventually, Pulau Semakau will be self-sustaining, meeting all its own water and energy needs, according to a document posted on the Government Electronic Business website.

An NEA spokesman said it was 'premature' to reveal further information as the agency is still evaluating tenders for consultancy services to the concept plan.

The area proposed for development would be about 90ha of the 350ha Pulau Semakau.

Created by connecting two small islands, Pulau Semakau started operating as a landfill in 1999 and contains ash transported there from Singapore's incineration plants. It is clean and scenic, and has been open to the public for recreational activities since 2005.

Energy researchers welcome its use as a test platform not always possible - especially for the private sector - on limited and expensive land in Singapore.

Being near the sea, one possible use would be the creation of biofuels by cultivating marine algae as seed stock, suggested Mr David Liang, vice-president of technology and commercialisation at the Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering.

Another renewable energy source which could be researched and developed on the island is solar energy, said Dr Jiang Fan, manager of the Technology Centre for Clean Energy at Singapore Polytechnic.

Building and testing systems for solar energy can take up a chunk of space.

For example, a new 46.8 kilowatt- peak solar photovoltaic system that the polytechnic is planning to install will consist of 12 different types of photovoltaic modules and will take up 480 sq m.

Zero-emission vehicles, like electrical cars and fuel-cell cars, could also be tested in the eco-park where charging stations based on renewable energy sources can be set up at lower cost.

Singapore Environment Council executive director Howard Shaw welcomed the idea of turning a landfill into a productive showcase for the environment.

Mr Shaw said: 'I think it will be a gem for Singapore to show not just its commitment to being clean and green but also to provide education facilities for new generations.'

But he added that monitoring and adequate measures would need to be continued to minimise risk of leakages from the landfill site.

Dr Ho Hua Chew, who chairs the Nature Society of Singapore's conservation committee, also noted that the plan 'must include ways and means to protect or enhance the habitat of the natural biodiversity'.

Pulau Semakau is home to rare tape seagrass, which grows along its shores, and replanted mangroves. It is also a favoured spot for birdwatching. The proposal states that care should be taken to minimise impact on the existing eco-system.

Based on the schedule in the document, the final masterplan for the development is likely to be rolled out by the end of next year.

More links

• More about Pulau Semakau and current activities there on the wildsingapore website.
• Photos of Pulau Semakau's living shores on wildsingapore flickr.