More green spaces would be able to support more wildlife and improve ecological connectivity, say some nature groups.
SINGAPORE: Some nature groups have welcomed the revised plans for Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks, although they maintained the need for environmental safeguards.
More green spaces would be able to support more wildlife and improve ecological connectivity, but development plans must be carried out according to environmental management and monitoring plans, they added.
Nature Society Singapore’s (NSS) Lester Tan said that while the group prefers to “conserve as much”, it also understands the need for balance between development and conservation.
NSS president Leong Kwok Peng had previously proposed conserving two-thirds of Maju Forest and leaving the third for housing.
On Wednesday (Oct 28), the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said housing plans for Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks have been revised to retain more greenery following public feedback.
Under the revised plans, the area retained as greenery at Maju Forest will increase from around 8ha to about 10ha. This accounts for about 45 per cent of the 23ha site, up from about 35 per cent under the original plans.
At Gillman Barracks, the area set aside for greenery will increase from around 8ha to about 12ha. This is about 60 per cent of the 20ha of existing greenery, up from about 40 per cent under the original plans.
It means 1,200 fewer homes than initially planned. Under revised plans, about 11,000 units could be built at both sites.
Mr Tan said the additional retained areas at both plots provide a “compromise”, as development stress is contained within the same areas, and not shifted to another patch of forest.
The enlarged areas will also be safeguarded as new nature parks, with opportunities for the community to participate in habitat enhancement efforts.
“Nature park means there will be trails. Residents can also go in and join the nature spaces. So basically, creating more green spaces for the residents around as well, on top of enhancing the connectivity that's already existing,” said Mr Tan.
Dr Shawn Lum, a lecturer at Nanyang Technological University’s Asian School of the Environment, said he was “pleasantly surprised” and “greatly heartened” to hear about the revised plans.
“There is still a considerable clearance, but by retaining roughly half, in theory, most of the diversity that was present in the original space can still be maintained in the slightly reduced ... space,” said Dr Lum, who is also an NSS member.
IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT REMAINS
However, nature experts cautioned that the impact on the environment remains.
The reduced forested area might increase competition for food and shelter, said Dr Lum.
“Because there's a smaller space, but the same number of animals, so there might be individual animals that won't compete as well,” he said.
Dr Lum added that many of these animals are active in the evenings and early mornings, so there would be a need to limit noise or light and adhere to a window of work that minimises disturbances to the animals.
Mr Ho Xiang Tian, the co-founder of LepakInSG, said that the additional area is “good enough as a connectivity corridor”, but not as a habitat.
“Essentially because there's less space for (animals) to live, so it’s like survival of the fittest. Whoever can fight and survive in the remaining 10ha is what will live. Then the rest will die or be forced out into the adjacent blocks,” he said.