EIA Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat available for public feedback

The EIA report on proposed Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat Nature Park is available for public feedback from 7 February 2025 to 6 March 2025.

Also note that that are plans to reclaim about 44ha nearby to expand the Woodlands Checkpoint. Reclamation is tentatively scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2024 and slated to be completed by 2029. JTC and ICA said they will review feedback received from the public before finalising the report and starting reclamation works.

Planned reclamation at Mandai Mangroves

About 44ha of land will be reclaimed as part of works to expand the Woodlands Checkpoint.

Reclamation is tentatively scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2024 and slated to be completed by 2029. JTC and ICA said they will review feedback received from the public before finalising the report and starting reclamation works. 

JTC Feedback form
ICA Feedback form

Kranji and Mandai shores in the 2019 Draft Master Plan

Good to see that the Plan reflects new extended Park area from Sungei Buloh to Lim Chu Kang. It also highlights the importance of Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve, the impending launch of Cashin House, as part of plans for the northern coastline to remain rustic: from Sungei Buloh to Changi.

Illustrative panel of the Greater Rustic Coast
at the Draft Master Plan exhibition. 

But the reclamation profile for Kranji and Mandai mudflats and mangroves remain unchanged.

Mandai mangrove and mudflats to be Nature Park in mid-2022

Great news! NParks announced yesterday the Mandai mangroves and mudflats will be designated as a Nature Park.

These are  an important feeding and resting area for shorebirds, and home to many rare plants and animals. The shorebirds we see at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve depends on Mandai mangroves and mudflats (infographics by NParks).

Update on mass fish deaths: West Johor Strait

I've been checking our northwest hores every day from the last 5 days (since 11 Mar). I continue to see small numbers of large dead fishes: mostly market-sized farmed mullet, and some tamban and tilapia.

Is the risk of plankton bloom in the West Johor Strait over?

Return to Mandai mangroves

Beautiful Mandai mangroves! I'm back for the first time since I broke my foot, and my first attempt to try to survey in soft mud.

Thanks to Sivasothi and Delicia for letting me join the Marine trash sampling exercise at Mandai today. Kwan Siong also checked on the Berembang at Woodlands Town Park, and it's crown had fallen over. Oh dear.

Mandai and Kranji mangroves to be fenced

Fences will be built on the landward side of Mandai and Kranji mangroves. Probably similar to the ones built along northern Pulau Ubin.

Tall fence that rings Pulau Ubin's northern shoreline

Why are the fences being built? What will be impact on the mangroves and shores there?

Mandai mangroves in the Draft Master Plan 2013

An exciting development is the plan for Cashin House to become "a new visitor gateway to the western part of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve". The creation of Sungei Buloh Wetland Park has also turned  adjacent olive green space ('Open Space) into bright green ('Park') under NParks care.

While it's great to see an extension of area covered under the umbrella of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Park, Mandai mangroves and mudflats remains designated a 'Reserve Site'.

More Beccari hunting from Kranji

Rare seagrasses are still there, on the other side of Sungei Mandai Besar!

Along the way, I checked on the narrow strip of mangroves growing behind the heavy industries located near the shore.

Beccari hunting at Mandai mangroves: Success!

Hurray, we found lots of the rare seagrass at Mandai mangroves, just overlooking the skyscrapers at Johor Baru!

I'm doing the hunt to prepare for the upcoming Mandai mangrove and mudflat workshop on 31 Aug (Sat), which will bring together lots of people who care about Mandai mangroves.

Inspiration at Mandai mangroves

I've been feeling down since the 7 million population Land Use Plan came out. The best cure for this, I thought, would be go on a field trip!

So this morning, I joined Rick and Wei Kit at the beautiful Mandai mangroves. And regained some perspective and enthusiasm for the work ahead of us.

Finlaysonia fun at Mandai

Funny furry Finalysonia blossoms! With strange curly things in the middle.

I saw several of these on the Critically Endangered climbing Kalak kambing (Finlaysonia obovata) climbers at Mandai mangroves this evening. A quick mizzly trip (miserable drizzle) and yet we saw interesting stuff in this special mangrove.

Rick shares about Mandai mangroves

Today, I learnt a lot about Mandai mangroves from Rick's talk about his work there.

Rick's talk on "The creation of a whole-mangrove species distribution inventory for a threatened mangrove in Singapore" shared some of his findings from the hard work he and his team put into Mandai mangroves.

Mandai mangroves: Lessons for Southeast Asia’s mangroves

What can we learn from Mandai mangroves? Lots!

There were communities living at Mandai until until the late 1980s

A fascinating paper "Mandai mangrove, Singapore: Lessons for the conservation of Southeast Asia’s mangroves" has just been published in the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology that is packed with information about Mandai's past, present and future. And how lessons from Mandai can help us understand threats to mangroves in Singapore and beyond. PLUS find out how you can make a difference for Mandai and other mangroves!

Another side of Mandai mangroves

This morning, I finally made the stream crossing to get to another part of Mandai that I've long wanted to explore.

Here I am on the other side, looking at the rest of Mandai mangroves. The area turned out to be larger than I expected!

Volunteers needed for Mandai mangrove surveys with Rick

Volunteers are needed to help Rick map and measure the thousands of trees at Mandai mangroves.

This study is important to better understand and thus protect this amazingly diverse mangrove forest! It's also lots of fun, and a great way to get a glimpse of a special mangrove forest.

Volunteers needed at Mandai mangroves!

Volunteers are needed to help Rick and Wei Kit map and measure 5,000 trees at Mandai mangroves! Today I was back out with them.

This study is important to better understand and thus protect this amazingly diverse mangrove forest! It's also lots of fun, and a great way to get a glimpse of a special mangrove forest.

Learning about Mandai mangroves from Dr Yong

It's a treasure to spend time with Dr John Yong as I always learn so much from him. Today, he took time from his busy schedule to share astonishing insights into Mandai mangroves with Rick and I.

Dr Yong starts teaching us even before we enter the mangroves. Pointing out the signs of where the back mangroves used to be before they were cleared for kampungs and the railway.

Mandai mangrove meanders with Rick

How delightful to explore with fellow mangrove addicts! Two days ago, I was kindly included in a trip by Rick and Dan Friess as they did a recce for Rick's study of Mandai mangroves.

I had great fun finding interesting mangrove trees, and learning more about what goes into studying a mangrove.

Elevating the mangroves with Rick

I learnt a lot of new things about mangroves from Rick! He's doing an important study of  Mandai mangroves and I was thrilled to have a chance to 'help' out yesterday.

I also had little outings to some other mangrove spots during this period of no-low-spring-tides.