Google translate of the original article
滨海东填海地自然长出红树林 为长岛生态规划提供参考
by Huang Yinchuan Lianhe Zaobao June 1, 2026, 18:00
AI summary
- Mangroves have naturally grown on the reclaimed land in Binhai East, providing a reference for the ecological planning of Changdao Island.
- Mangroves have naturally grown on the reclaimed land east of the coast, including the critically endangered *Avicennia marina* and the rare *Avicennia galbana*.
- These mangroves have formed a complete ecosystem without human intervention, providing habitat for mud lobsters, hermit crabs, and other organisms.
- Environmentalists believe this phenomenon provides an ecological reference for the Long Island Project, demonstrating that artificial coastlines can become natural regeneration hotbeds.
- The mud lobster mounds confirm the mangroves' maturity, and experts are calling for engineering plans to consider both biodiversity and shoreline protection functions.
- The National Parks Board has inspected the area and will collaborate on assessing the feasibility of mangrove conservation in its development planning.
Mangroves, including critically endangered species, have naturally grown on the reclaimed land of Marina East, a surprising development. Environmentalists believe this offers valuable insights for the Long Island Reclamation Project on the east coast, demonstrating that with the right conditions, a vibrant mangrove forest can be created.
Ria Tan, 65, founder of the conservation website WildSingapore, told Lianhe Zaobao that the area was a sandy, vegetation-free beach after reclamation, but now it's different. Tan said, "After reclamation, no one planted anything, no one fertilized it, no one deliberately landscaped it, yet the mangroves grew on their own and developed into an ecosystem."
For the past 20 years, Chen Liya has frequently patrolled the local coastline during low tide. She speculates that the heat- and drought-resistant casuarina trees were the first to grow on this sandy land. However, as seawater continued to seep in, the casuarina trees, which could not withstand the salinity of the seawater, gradually withered away, while mangrove plants, which could adapt to the brackish water environment, took root and expanded, forming the scene of casuarina trees surrounding mangroves that we see today.
Chen Liya said that last December, a friend who also cares about nature discovered this newly formed mangrove forest on Binhai East, which delighted other environmentalists, who flocked to explore it.
Although the mangrove forest is not large, its ecosystem is complete, and it is home to animals such as mud lobsters, hermit crabs, and other crabs.
Chen Liya said that this newly formed ecosystem, created naturally without human intervention, is precious, conveying an important message: "Given the right conditions, artificial coastlines can become a breeding ground for mangroves to re-establish themselves; nature will find its own way to return."
"This provides a reference for Singapore's future Long Island plan. If space for biological growth is consciously reserved during the planning stage, we may see mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass coexisting on the coastline in the future."
The artificial island "Long Island" will be built on reclaimed land off the coast of East Coast Park. According to the plan, Long Island will consist of three reclaimed areas, with a higher elevation than the existing coastal area. It will extend from the Marina Barrage to the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, parallel to East Coast Park, with a total length of approximately 18 kilometers and an area of approximately 800 hectares, equivalent to two Marina Bays.
Rare mangrove species and mud lobsters confirm a mature ecological environment. The Lianhe Zaobao recently accompanied the environmental organization "Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity" to this newly formed mangrove forest on Marina East.
It is said that this area is home to critically endangered mangrove species, such as the ovary-leaved mangrove (Sonneratia ovata, Malay: Gedabu), previously found only in a few locations such as Pulau Ubin and the Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve. These trees can grow up to 20 meters tall, with large, petalless flowers composed of numerous white stamens clustered into a powderpuff shape. The ovary-leaved mangrove's flowers bloom for only one night, emitting a yogurt-like scent that attracts bats and nectarbirds.
Another rare species is the sea lily (Bruguiera sexangula, Malay: Tumu Berau) with orange flowers. This plant was once thought to be extinct in the area until it was rediscovered in 2005. Two wild sea lilies are found each on Pulau Tekong and the Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve, while others have been replanted on Pulau Ubin in Che Java and Pasir Ris Park. These plants can grow to 12 to 30 meters tall, with thick, opposite leaves, and rely on birds for pollination.
Here you can also find the water daphne (Pemphis acidula, Malay: Mentigi), a small, multi-branched shrub that is relatively rare locally. It usually grows in rocky or coral debris areas, is extremely tolerant of harsh environments, and has been found in Changi and St. John's Island.
Muhd Nasry, Executive Director of the Singapore Youth Biodiversity Voice, said, “While this mangrove forest is smaller compared to the vast mangroves of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, it’s truly amazing to see it like this after so many years of neglect and oblivion. Hermit crabs, snails, and mudskippers also inhabit the mangroves.”
Here you can see mud towers built by mud lobsters, a feature typically found only in mature mangroves. After building their towers from mud and silt, the mud lobsters dig underground, creating burrows; these underground tunnels and burrows resemble “HDB flats,” with each level potentially becoming a habitat for other small creatures such as snakes, crabs, and fish.
Nasry explained, “The presence and size of the mud lobster towers are one indicator of mangrove maturity. The towers here are relatively small, but just their presence here is remarkable.”
Nasri said that with the upcoming development of coastal protection facilities, it is crucial to arrange for engineers to conduct on-site inspections to understand whether the mangroves will damage the seawall, and whether the mangroves extending into the seawall will cause it to crack. "How to strike a balance between construction projects and maintaining biodiversity, and even fulfilling the function of seawall protection, are all issues that need to be discussed."
In response to inquiries from Lianhe Zaobao, Dr. Karen, Senior Director of the National Biodiversity Centre of the National Parks Board, said that the authorities are aware of the mangrove forest along the eastern coastline of Marina Bay and conducted an on-site inspection in March this year. The authorities will study the mangrove forest in conjunction with relevant agencies when assessing development plans for the area.
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We surveyed this larger patch of mangroves at Marina East in Apr 2025, which Arjun Sai Krishnan first explored in Dec 2025. I was excited to share with them what we saw on our survey in Feb 2026.
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The area we surveyed is in the yellow circle.
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What is the fate of this shore?
Massive reclamation is planned near the area we surveyed today as outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review. From Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Marina Bay.
