# General > Events, field trips and gatherings >  Singapore's coastal biodiversity  look before it's gone

## budak

If the authorities go ahead with their wonderful plan of developing the 'unspoilt' (whch begs the question, why go and spoil the unspoilt?) Southern Islands off Singapore, I suppose we can expect things like lush spas, luxury resorts and _white, sparkling sandy beaches almost devoid entirely devoid of life_. 

Yesterday's Sunday Times did an ok job of looking at what exists above the water at islands like Kusu, St John's and Sisters. What was missing are accounts of the immense diversity of animals and plants that live on the water's edge and the reefs fringing these islands. What appears to most people as dirty, muddy and messy tidal flats and rocky outcrops are in fact rich habitats for many sea creatures. Too bad, though, that the future development plans would mean dredging up the seabed to make way for clean and manicured artificial beaches and manmade gardens.... but what's nature worth compared to the satisfaction of a few rich tourists??

Before it all disappears under the waves for good, here's a quick look at what remains at local shores. You don't have to know how to dive, or even swim to see these creatures  just plan a trip at low tide, wear good shoes/dive booties to protect your feet and wander in the shallows to see the life that survives in this supposedly nature-less country. 

Sisters' Islands

Pulau Sekudu

Labrador Park

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve 

Many more pictures and information on the various islands and their biodiversity can be seen at: http://www.wildsingapore.com/beachfleas/index.html

For individuals and families wanting to explore the islands' marine life, there's no better way than the popular guided walks by the Blue Water Volunteers (http://www.bluewatervolunteers.org/) at:
Pulau Semakau: http://www.wildsingapore.com/places/semtour.htm, and 
Kusu Island: http://www.wildsingapore.com/sos/walks.htm

Why not go and have a look before it all potentially goes under for good? At least, the next time you hear people saying "Singapore where got nature one?" you can tell them, "Got la! only too bad we let the developers destroy it liao".

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## Quixotic

Haven't been catching up with the news. What are the future development plans? Building luxury resorts? Hmm... one Sentosa is already enough, do we actually need more?

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## sheng

Well, they are looking at $$$$, that all i can say. sigh  :Sad:

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## budak

Here's a sum-up of what's been reported: 
http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/index....rn_islands.txt

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## Jungle-mania

Face it, they don't care a damn. When's the last time you seen a grasshopper? In the words of a local scientist, "What local habitat? There's one?" Pisses me big time they cut a tree because it is too big. Being a geographer, it hurts even more.

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## ranmasatome

Budak.. dont even get me started on this man...

Every nation is the same...but because singapore is so small..i think we feel the effects more. i can understand the mindset of most of the people in singapore.. a comfortable life..money.. blah blah blah.. we all want that.. but you have no idea how much interest people have in nature in singapore.. of the 10 people i talk to.. 9 out of 10 of them dont REALLY give a Crap..The people that do care.. dont really have any power... they sit in their offices and try to be diplomatic about their findings out field to the people that actually run the show.. its bloody retarded because the "conservation department" in singapore is a part of a bigger angency that is monetarily minded. How can you conserve anything if your conservation department is not independant?? Bah.. what crap.. you do know that everything is face value yah? they will still leave a bit of "nature" just to say "hey..looky here.. we do care!!" but we all know the effects of fragmentation... oh well..
i guess when it comes to humans vs nature.. we would always choose ourselves because we are selfish creatures... that is the precise reason why we are still thriving...because if we ain't selfish.. we would have been dead a long time ago.

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## Jungle-mania

I second your opinion. Funny, there are so many disaster going around and people here are still unflinched about the bigger problem of global warming. Looks like Al Gore is still not reaching hard enough. The sucky thing about this when a super disaster strikes, people die, those that survive blame their government for no warning or not doing enough, the government point the finger at the scientists till the anger subsides and give alot of empty promise about this and that, and then poof! nothing else happens till the next big one. 

So where are the seismic bouys located again? Those promised after the last tsunamis?

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## Betta Almighty

its really sad to know that this kinda of thigs is happening. Maybe we should all come together and do something about it...... or maybe its a bad idea huh....

i mean what can we do anyway.....  :Sad:

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## CacaManiac

it's a lost battle... i dont think we can do anything about it... just appreciate what we have left for as long as we can... Sad

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## Jungle-mania

there is alot of things that can be done and must be done. No punts intended, but who wants to be an environmental martyr? Who here is willing to fight for the rights of a habitat at the expense of being ostracised by society and the government at large.

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## XnSdVd

So, the question now is, how do we complain loud enough about it that we're heard?

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## budak

It's been done before. That's how Chek Jawa (probably the richest marine habitat locally) got a reprieve. 

An example of what some people consider as 'green' is at Lazarus Island, where the original shore, with its rich fauna (see http://www.wildsingapore.com/beachfl...zarus/laz1.htm) gets converted into a supposedly ' 'natural' sandy beach that supports much less marine life. And the surrounding landscape gets plants like bouganvilleas in place of the lush native palms, ferns and coastal trees (e.g. sea hibiscus, sea almond) that grew at no cost.

Anyway, another outing to Sisters' Island was made this week: see here and here.

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## ranmasatome

Chek Jawa should not be made an example of... its not protected... its just put on hold of being destroyed... i think its bloody ironic... people celebrating when an area is not protected but just put on hold of being destroyed and then thinking they have done a good job. Our job is not to prolong nature in singapore...but it is to protect... they are very different things. Then again...it only goes to prove my point above that the government cannot put any guarantees on protecting areas in singapore since we are so land-shortaged...all they can do is to say..."for now... fow now we will spare u chek jawa..Let the hype cool in 3-5 years then we will try our luck on you again.."

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## budak

That's why i said it's 'just' a reprieve.

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## XnSdVd

The question still stands. How do we bitch loud enough to give it a reprieve?

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## budak

Ultimately, it's still individuals who choose to make a difference. In these parts, it may well be that by the time enough people care for it to matter to those who rule, it might be too late. But that's not a foregone conclusion either. Giving up and thinking nothing will make any difference now is premature surrender.

Somebody (in a US newspaper) put it thus:

"It is easy to feel impotent in the shadow of the political and corporate interests that exercise so much power over the environment. The questions that instinctively arise when we feel a sense of anger and urgency about human treatment of the natural worldWhat can I do? Can I effect change? Can I make my voice heard?seem so often to be answered with a resigned Nothing or No. What possible difference could my living habits make to the future healtheven survivalof the natural world?

But just as individual habits will remain an eccentric idealism without political and corporate change, so political and corporate change will remain superficial and inadequate without personal change. Indeed, without individual action these larger changes will not occur. Political change will only happen when large numbers of people practise what they believe in. When there is a big enough groundswell of opinion and enough action, then governments will be forced to bring in laws and structural transformations."

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## XnSdVd

On a side note, i'm going to pitch a "Life in the Southern Islands" doccumentary to my school. They've been bugging us for a doccu anyway. If it goes through, does anyone know of any conservation groups that could help us?

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## Jungle-mania

Green Volunteers network, look for Grant Pereira. Their office is at Duxton Place.

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