Nature Society: The struggle for Singapore’s nature areas

The above paper has just been published. Nature in Singapore is a peer-reviewed, online journal that publishes articles on the flora and fauna (e.g., biology, botany, zoology, ecology and conservation biology) of Singapore. A PDF copy of the paper can be obtained from the website of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore, by clicking HERE.

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 degraged 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.

Coincidentally, the above publication is somewhat timed with the publication by Singapore’s ISEA of the book “Governance, Politics and the Environment: A Singapore Study” by Dr Maria Francesch-Huidobro of the University of Hongkong (click HERE). This book also looks into the Sungei Buloh success and the Peirce-golf course controversy.

Her article, “Statutory Bodies, Land Use Planning and Conservation in Singapore: Issues and Challenges for Governability” is mostly carried in her book (click HERE). Unfortunately, only an abstract is available in the link.

Maria’s book is based on her PhD research conducted in Singapore some years ago. Her thesis also details the intrigues within the Nature Society.

YC Wee
Singapore
August 2008