What was the role of the Nature Society (Singapore) in efforts for our shores?
In particular, the effort for
Chek Jawa?
And what about
Project Noah?
Wee Yeow Chin and Richard Hale have published "The Nature Society (Singapore) and the struggle to conserve Singapore's nature areas" You can download the PDF file from Nature in Singapore, online journal by the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore.
Some comments about the article ...
from the Habitatnews blog
Wee Yeow Chin and Richard Hale reflect on the issues and approaches of nature conservation lobbying by the Nature Society (Singapore) back to its origins as the Singapore branch of the Malayan Nature Society. The authors were in the fray of the society's conservation activities in 80's and 90's and provide a very useful background to the Singapore's oldest nature NGO.
They also confirm the "courtesy call by the Internal Security Department in the early 1990s." This has been referred to with bated breath in conversations and is here clarified by the recipient of the conversation with relatively unremarkable comment.
The article is a critical element in the education of naturalists as it provides a well needed piece in the jigsaw-ed history of the nature conservation scene in Singapore. If anything, the article is too short, but that will encourage its reading!
From the Bird Ecology Study Group blog
Authored by two Nature Society’s insiders who were part of the early struggle for nature areas, the paper details how the society successfully persuaded government to develop a degraded mangrove area that has become the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore’s one and only ASEAN Heritage Park. The society also managed to dissuade government not to develop a golf course in a forested area within the Peirce Reservoir, a gazetted nature reserve.
To date, these are the only two successes of the society.
from the nature-singapore mailing list, a comment by Victor Yue.
If you have yet to read this paper, do so now. Tells us a lot about what we the nature lovers have done, especially the few dedicated ones who worked very hard. And yes, there was so much learnt. My conclusion is, it is not enough to have what you know, but also who you know. (^^) An Asian world, but of course. (^^)
And therefore, more public awareness work, at all levels, is important. The children of today are the movers of tomorrow. If they don't know or understand, they will not know what to do, and probably learn from it too late. We should do a survey of the school children to see how many of them have been to any of our nature spots. (^^)
A new world with many taking to the cyberspace, the Nature Society must take another look to see how it could be an umbrella of these groups. All have the same interests, perhaps, taking different approaches. And well, some routes would be wrought with dangers. (^^)
I personally feel the authors have highlighted many key issues and I whole heartedly agree with their conclusions:
More than ever before, nature conservation needs a strong and united voice, now that there are far fewer nature areas left in Singapore than in years gone by.
The experience of Chek Jawa should not be forgotten. Chek Jawa’s success came from the groundswell of public opinion that was garnered through outreach programmes, where the public was totally convinced of the value of the habitat.
The effectiveness of the internet was instrumental in garnering this support and this modern medium of communication should be used to the fullest. What this means is that younger activist volunteers should, more than ever, be at the forefront, as these are the people who are net-savvy and most conversant with this new medium.
Finally, there is still a need to be professional in conservation work. Many, if not most, volunteer conservationists nowadays are non-scientists who, although passionate about the cause, are not always well versed with the technicalities
of the habitat and its associated flora and fauna.
Also, the need to work closely with the government agencies and those in academia is crucial.
Links to more
- The Chek Jawa effort before deferment of reclamation: media articles, efforts, articles and more.
- Chek Jawa today information for visitors, later media articles
- Project Noah media articles, blog entries and other comments on the wildsingapore website
In particular, the effort for Chek Jawa?
And what about Project Noah?
Wee Yeow Chin and Richard Hale have published "The Nature Society (Singapore) and the struggle to conserve Singapore's nature areas" You can download the PDF file from Nature in Singapore, online journal by the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore.
Some comments about the article ...
from the Habitatnews blog
