Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Where can we find mangroves in Singapore?Sungei Buloh Wetland ReserveIn 1986, a group of avid birdwatchers from the then Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch) stumbled upon this ecological jewel, and subsequently wrote a proposal to the government for its conservation. The 87 ha wetland site was consequently designated as a nature park in 1989. The then Parks & Recreation Department, a precursor to the National Parks Board, undertook the development of Sungei Buloh, in consultation with experts in the field, notably, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust from the United Kingdom and Worldwide Fund for Nature. On 6 Dec 1993, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong officially opened the Nature Park.
The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve covers an area of 130 hectares, and is an important stop-over point for migratory birds during the winter months. The reserve is named after the river which flows through it. "sungei" means "river", while "buloh" means bamboo. However, no native bamboo species were recorded from the area so far.
The area was discovered by a a group of birdwatchers from the then Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch) in 1986. They subsequently proposed to the government to conserve the area, and eventually 87 hectares of wetlands was designated as a nature park in 1989, and officially opened on 6 Dec 1993 by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.
It was officially gazetted as a nature reserve on 1 Jan 2002. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve was also recognised as a site of international importance for migratory birds with Wetlands International, and was included into the East Asian Australasian Shorebird Site Network.Dos & Don'tsBefore you make your way into the reserve, please ensure that you take steps to minimise damage to the reserve and its inhabitants. You are advised to:1. Stay on the trail! Wandering off the trail may result in trampling of the flora and fauna.2. Keep your volume down, or you may disturb the very animals you want to see, and they may hide away from you.3. Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but foot prints.
Bring your litter out with you, and never take anything from the forest. Poaching has resulted in severe reduction in the population of many wildlife in many places.4. Do not feed any animals, as they may become very dependent on human to feed them, and forget how to find food on their own. Some animals, such as the macaques, may even learn to snatch food from human.Getting StartedThe reserve has several trails, shelters and boardwalks to allow you to have a good view of the various organisms living there.
A good place to start your journey into Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve will be the nature gallery, where there are exhibitions and descriptions of the various things you can expect to see during your trip. It also has a huge model of a mud lobster mound, which is very popular with kids.If you follow the guided walk provided by the volunteers at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, you will usually be given a tour around the mangrove boardwalk, the bridge and the main hide.
Over the years, the unique place that is Sungei Buloh charmed people from all strata of society to support its cause. It welcomed its 100,000th visitor in 1994. In 1997, the Park found its corporate sponsor in HSBC, which set up the Sungei Buloh Education Fund in support of its nature outreach programmes. In 1999, Woodlands Secondary School became the first school to adopt the park. It was followed by Commonwealth Secondary School in 2001 and Hillgrove Secondary in 2002.
On 10 November, 2001, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan announced that Sungei Buloh would be one of two parks to be gazetted as Nature Reserves. On 1 Jan 2002, 130-ha of Sungei Buloh was officially gazetted as a nature reserve and renamed as Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve to better reflect its status.
In the same year, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve was recognized as a site of international importance for migratory birds with :
Wetlands International presenting the reserve a certificate to mark its formal entry into the East Asian Australasian Shorebird Site Network, which include Australia's Kakadu National Park, China's Mai Po and Japan's Yatsu Tidal Flats.
Sungei Buloh became Singapore’s first ASEAN Heritage Park in 2003.
Sungei Mandai MangrovesMandai Mangroves lead to Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve and are often considered part of it. This is a popular location for bird-watching, fishing and crab-catching. The Mandai Mangroves are located in the vicinity of Sungei Mandai, the river that began the story of the Mandai district. Today, the area is one of the habitats of rare flora, fauna and animals in Singapore.
Pasir Ris ParkAt the North-eastern part of Singapore Island, Pasir Ris Park is dissected into three parts by the rivers, Sungei Api Api and Sungei Tampines. Work on this 70.52 hectare park began in 1988 on land reclaimed between 1978 to 1979.
A 5-hectare patch of mature mangrove forest was preserved during reclamation and development by maintaining tidal inundation—rivulet was dug to connect the patch with Sungei Tampines. An additional one hectare of levelled vacant ground was also subjected to the inundation in 1989.The park, administered by the National Parks Board, is mostly for recreation with lawns and planted ornamental trees, a tower, various landscaped features, besides the mangrove area which has boardwalks and educational sign boards to describe the biology of mangrove organisms.
Pasir Ris is Malay for 'beach bolt-rope', implying a narrow beach. The park is open 24 hrs, and there is no entrance fee. Bicycle rental is available at the park. Visitors can spend half a day travelling around wooden walkways, which reduce damage to the substrate and allow you a close but comfortable look at the forest without getting you muddy.The bulk of the mangrove area is a mature community with textbook features, especially the diverse number of tree species, unlike the managed mangrove forests in Malaysia where only a few commercially valuable species are found. The mangroves consist of the more common species such as trees of Avicennia alba, A. officinalis and A. rumphiana, Bruguiera cylindrica, B. gymnorhiza, Ceriops tagal, Rhizophora apiculata, R. mucronata, Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea, the ferns Acrostichum aureum, A. speciosum, and the shrubs Acanthus ebracteatus, and A. ilicifolius amongst others.
It also has rarer species such Aegiceras corniculatum, Bruguiera parviflora and Rhizophora stylosa, which are all considered endangered locally.You can observe mudskippers grazing, and displaying their territorial and mating behaviour in the canals that drain through the park during low tide. Fiddler crabs can be seen easily at the sandy areas at the eastern-most edge.This mangrove patch is under constant threat of having the salinity of the soil flushed out. The more aggressive freshwater species will invade the patch once the salinity declines so the tidal inundation is imperative for its maintenance. Most mangrove species can cope with freshwater but cannot compete with freshwater species in a primarily freshwater environment.
Chek Jawa, Pulau UbinWhat's so special about Chek Jawa?The beauty of Chek Jawa is that several different ecosystems can be seen in one small area. These ecosystems and the plants and animals found there are no longer common in Singapore. They are also fast disappearing elsewhere in the world.
Coastal Hill Forest
The hill overlooking Chek Jawa is covered with trees and plants that shelter and feed a variety of animals. Many of these plants and animals are no longer commonly seen on mainland Singapore. Some of the rare birds you may spot include the Oriental pied-hornbill and the Red junglefowl. Among the beautiful and unusual trees you may see is the Delek air tree. However, the star is 'Priscilla the Pig' a tame wild boar that often emerges from the forest to greet visitors.
Mangroves
The mangroves of Chek Jawa have many interesting plants and animals. Mangrove trees have unusual shapes and properties as they are adapted to being covered in seawater at high tide and to grow in soft mud. Mudskippers are the highlight of a visit to the mangroves.
Rocky shore
Chek Jawa is among the few places left with a natural rocky shore, gravel beach and other interesting rock formations. At low tide, we can have a closer look at some of the strange animals that live here, including barnacles, crabs and fierce shell-drilling snails. Under the rocks are even more amazing animals such as living cowries, sea stars and fast flat crabs.
Sandy shore and sand bar
The shore teems with tiny crabs which, if undisturbed, go about their amusing antics at low tide. The sand bar is the backbone of Chek Jawa and provides a home for all manner of intriguing creatures. The Common sea star is a must-see with visitors, and fortunately, it is plentiful on Chek Jawa. Sadly, it is no longer common elsewhere in Singapore. The sand dollar is another intriguing creature to examine. The sand bar is also a popular rest stop for shorebirds that fly in from as far away as Siberia. Overhead, majestic birds of prey hunt for fishes in the sea.
Seagrass lagoon
A calm, shallow lagoon lush with seagrasses and seaweeds form behind the sand bar. Here, a rich variety of marine creatures shelter during the low tide. First-time visitors are often stunned by the carpet anemones which are bigger than your face and come in a stunning variety of colours. At some times of the year, the seagrass may be dotted with colourful sea cucumbers. Other seagrass dwellers include secretive crabs and snails. A lucky visitor may also encounter sea hares, squids and mantis shrimp.
Coral Rubble Area
The coral rubble area is probably the richest part of Chek Jawa and also the most fragile. Rarely exposed, even at low tide, this area shelters delicate sea creatures that prefer to be submerged most of the time. These include sponges in bewildering shapes and colours, delicate fan worms and even living corals! Octopuses, seahorses, nudibranchs and colourful flatworms are some of the other amazing residents of this special part of Chek Jawa.
Special Thanks and Acknowledgements to:
http://www.sbwr.org.sg/aboutus/ourhistory/http://tidechaser.blogspot.com/2009/01/sungei-buloh-wetland-reserve.htmlhttp://mangrove.nus.edu.sg/guidebooks/text/1017.htmhttp://www.wildsingapore.com/chekjawa/text/a001.htmPosted by:
Abigail Lim, Nicole Lim and Angelyn Ong
living nature
3:18 AM
