By Audrey Tan, The Straits Times, 3 Jun 2014
SINGAPORE's most loved rainforest will, for the first time, be getting a much-needed reprieve from the hordes of people who traipse through it each day.
Come Sept 15, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve will close its doors to the public for six months. This is the first phase of a two-year plan to repair the 22-year-old reserve, which is showing signs of damage in some areas.
After this,visitors can enter the reserve, but access will be limited for the next 18 months or so. It will be open only on weekends, and people will be allowed only on the Main Road stretching from the Visitor Centre to the summit of Bukit Timah Hill.
The National Parks Board (NParks) announced these plans yesterday, adding that the arrangements were made for the safety of visitors during ongoing works. The phased approach was also being taken to "minimise inconvenience to visitors", it said.
Works are expected to be completed by the end of 2016.
Home to more than 40 per cent of Singapore's native flora and fauna, the 163ha nature reserve is one of the nation's most popular nature spots, drawing more than 400,000 visitors last year.
"We seek the understanding of the public for the need to limit access... so extensive enhancements can be carried out to stabilise slopes, repair trails, upgrade the Visitor Centre and restore the forest environment," said Dr Leong Chee Chiew, commissioner of parks and recreation and deputy chief executive of NParks.
The restoration comes after about five years of observations and discussions with external consultants, NParks said. It will be done in three main areas:
The restoration comes after about five years of observations and discussions with external consultants, NParks said. It will be done in three main areas:
- Three stretches of weakened slopes bordering pathways will be stabilised to prevent landslides, by piling concrete or wooden beams into the pathway to help prevent soil movement.
- Amenities such as an exhibition hall for outreach and educational activities will be upgraded. More washrooms will be built.
- About 4.5km of trails damaged by constant visitor footfall will be restored. A 1.3km stretch of this will be replaced by boardwalks - elevated platforms that prevent visitors from trampling on forest litter and top soil.Dr Shawn Lum, president of the Nature Society (Singapore), a group NParks consulted, said the works would boost the forest ecosystem's long-term health.
"Decreased erosion from slope and trail restoration, better protection of tree roots from boardwalks, and limiting future soil compaction will help tree survival and regeneration," he said.
NParks said a tender for the works will be called this month.
Teacher Balasupramaniam Krishna, 68, a frequent visitor, strongly supports the renovation works. "I think it's very important that we do not compromise the safety of the park," he said.
"Within two years, we will have a very different heritage, a national park that everyone can be even more proud of."
Repairs 'good for Bukit Timah Nature Reserve'
They protect the forest in the long term, say experts
By Audrey Tan, The Straits Times, 5 Jun 2014
CONSTRUCTION work in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve will affect the forest but will have long-term benefits for the ecosystem, say experts.
They were reacting to a National Parks Board (NParks) announcement on Monday that repair works would be carried out from Sept 15 onwards, and that public access would be limited for the next two years or so.
The works include piling to stabilise weakened slopes and upgrading of amenities such as the exhibition hall. Elevated walkways will also be built to replace damaged portions of the existing trail.
Mr Joseph Koh, chairman of the Nature Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee, said the works will "not necessarily" worsen the damage in the ecologically sensitive area, provided they are "done right".
Pointing to plans to install 1.3km of elevated walkways, he said at the NParks event on Monday: "Superficially, this sounds intrusive. But from the scientific point of view, boardwalks are useful to protect forest litter."
Noting that the walkways allow small organisms to live underneath, he said: "By building more boardwalks, we actually safeguard the soil, the forest litter and plants and animals that live there."
Mr Chan Ewe Jin, a council member of The Institution of Engineers, Singapore, said the dust and noise from construction could be minimised by measures such as using manual labour instead of heavy vehicles.
Other experts such as Dr Shawn Lum, head of the Nature Society (Singapore), say the upcoming repairs will be "beneficial for the long-term health" of the forest ecosystem.
Measures such as slope and trail restoration, which decreases erosion, and the protection of tree roots using boardwalks, he said, will help trees survive and regenerate. "This in turn will provide a more stable environment for the diverse animal life."
Strix Wildlife Consultancy director Subaraj Rajathurai said the while the works might pose an inconvenience to wildlife, it was only temporary.
The 51-year-old, who has explored Bukit Timah for more than 33 years, said: "Over the years, the reserve has suffered from the impact of the construction of the Bukit Timah Expressway, the increase in human traffic and developments in the area - parts of the forest have been eroded.
"The works will help repair some of the damage and minimise future impact."
The number of visitors to the 163ha reserve has increased from 80,000 in 1992, when it opened, to 400,000 last year.
Others also noted that NParks is talking to external consultants to see how to limit the adverse effects of the works on the reserve.
Mr Koh said: "In our discussions with NParks, it became very obvious to us that they were acutely aware of not just what should be done, but how it will be done."
For instance, piling works to stabilise the slopes will be done only on tarmac roads, and not on nature trails, to prevent trees from being uprooted.
A lot of thought was put into the piling project, which will be done in a way to avoid damage to the forest, said NSS council member Tony O'Dempsey. "If stabilisation work is not done, slope failures could result in loss of valuable forest."
NParks said it would carry out the works manually as much as possible. If machines are needed, only small ones will be used.
The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is one of four reserves here. It has the largest patch of primary rainforest and is popular among nature enthusiasts.
An orchid species thought to be extinct in Singapore was found here after more than 80 years, according to online journal Nature In Singapore.
Where possible, slopes have been allowed to recover naturally through the accumulation of leaf litter and natural regrowth.
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Reopens after Completion of Restoration Works
Repairs 'good for Bukit Timah Nature Reserve'
They protect the forest in the long term, say experts
By Audrey Tan, The Straits Times, 5 Jun 2014
CONSTRUCTION work in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve will affect the forest but will have long-term benefits for the ecosystem, say experts.
They were reacting to a National Parks Board (NParks) announcement on Monday that repair works would be carried out from Sept 15 onwards, and that public access would be limited for the next two years or so.
The works include piling to stabilise weakened slopes and upgrading of amenities such as the exhibition hall. Elevated walkways will also be built to replace damaged portions of the existing trail.
Mr Joseph Koh, chairman of the Nature Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee, said the works will "not necessarily" worsen the damage in the ecologically sensitive area, provided they are "done right".
Pointing to plans to install 1.3km of elevated walkways, he said at the NParks event on Monday: "Superficially, this sounds intrusive. But from the scientific point of view, boardwalks are useful to protect forest litter."
Noting that the walkways allow small organisms to live underneath, he said: "By building more boardwalks, we actually safeguard the soil, the forest litter and plants and animals that live there."
Mr Chan Ewe Jin, a council member of The Institution of Engineers, Singapore, said the dust and noise from construction could be minimised by measures such as using manual labour instead of heavy vehicles.
Other experts such as Dr Shawn Lum, head of the Nature Society (Singapore), say the upcoming repairs will be "beneficial for the long-term health" of the forest ecosystem.
Measures such as slope and trail restoration, which decreases erosion, and the protection of tree roots using boardwalks, he said, will help trees survive and regenerate. "This in turn will provide a more stable environment for the diverse animal life."
Strix Wildlife Consultancy director Subaraj Rajathurai said the while the works might pose an inconvenience to wildlife, it was only temporary.
The 51-year-old, who has explored Bukit Timah for more than 33 years, said: "Over the years, the reserve has suffered from the impact of the construction of the Bukit Timah Expressway, the increase in human traffic and developments in the area - parts of the forest have been eroded.
"The works will help repair some of the damage and minimise future impact."
The number of visitors to the 163ha reserve has increased from 80,000 in 1992, when it opened, to 400,000 last year.
Others also noted that NParks is talking to external consultants to see how to limit the adverse effects of the works on the reserve.
Mr Koh said: "In our discussions with NParks, it became very obvious to us that they were acutely aware of not just what should be done, but how it will be done."
For instance, piling works to stabilise the slopes will be done only on tarmac roads, and not on nature trails, to prevent trees from being uprooted.
A lot of thought was put into the piling project, which will be done in a way to avoid damage to the forest, said NSS council member Tony O'Dempsey. "If stabilisation work is not done, slope failures could result in loss of valuable forest."
NParks said it would carry out the works manually as much as possible. If machines are needed, only small ones will be used.
The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is one of four reserves here. It has the largest patch of primary rainforest and is popular among nature enthusiasts.
An orchid species thought to be extinct in Singapore was found here after more than 80 years, according to online journal Nature In Singapore.
* Bukit Timah Nature Reserve reopens fully after two-year restoration
Bukit Timah reserve reopens after $14m revamp
Non-slip hiking trails, boardwalks part of makeover that better protects flora, fauna
By Lin Yangchen, The Sunday Times, 23 Oct 2016
After a two-year reconstruction that cost $14.25 million, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) is open daily again - this time offering a better experience to the public and more protection for the plants and animals there.
Hiking trails have a non-slip, erosion-resistant surface that makes them easier to walk on, but also allows rainwater to seep through to the roots beneath. Boardwalks now straddle swampy areas, so visitors no longer have to go off-path and disturb the flora and fauna.
Rope handrails have also been installed to help people negotiate steeper slopes and prevent them from straying off the path. Weak slopes have been reinforced to ensure that they do not give way.
The visitor centre in Hindhede Drive also has a new exhibition about the 163ha reserve, ranked as an Asean Heritage Park known for its exceptional biodiversity.
But its popularity, which has seen annual visitorship increase from fewer than 100,000 in 1990 to 400,000 prior to its closure in 2014, has led to erosion and habitat degradation from years of heavy use.
Wildlife consultant Subaraj Rajathurai said studies showed it "needed a break", and that the deteriorating trails had become a safety risk.
He added: "Since the 1990s, we've been trying to close the reserve, but it took about 20 years because the reserve was so popular."
Added Mr Joseph Koh, chairman of the Nature Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee: "This closure was very important in rehabilitating the reserve.
Bukit Timah reserve reopens after $14m revamp
Non-slip hiking trails, boardwalks part of makeover that better protects flora, fauna
By Lin Yangchen, The Sunday Times, 23 Oct 2016
After a two-year reconstruction that cost $14.25 million, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) is open daily again - this time offering a better experience to the public and more protection for the plants and animals there.
Hiking trails have a non-slip, erosion-resistant surface that makes them easier to walk on, but also allows rainwater to seep through to the roots beneath. Boardwalks now straddle swampy areas, so visitors no longer have to go off-path and disturb the flora and fauna.
Rope handrails have also been installed to help people negotiate steeper slopes and prevent them from straying off the path. Weak slopes have been reinforced to ensure that they do not give way.
The visitor centre in Hindhede Drive also has a new exhibition about the 163ha reserve, ranked as an Asean Heritage Park known for its exceptional biodiversity.
But its popularity, which has seen annual visitorship increase from fewer than 100,000 in 1990 to 400,000 prior to its closure in 2014, has led to erosion and habitat degradation from years of heavy use.
Wildlife consultant Subaraj Rajathurai said studies showed it "needed a break", and that the deteriorating trails had become a safety risk.
He added: "Since the 1990s, we've been trying to close the reserve, but it took about 20 years because the reserve was so popular."
Added Mr Joseph Koh, chairman of the Nature Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee: "This closure was very important in rehabilitating the reserve.
"If we had allowed the status quo to continue, it would have degenerated not just as a refuge for wildlife, but also in recreational value."
Where possible, slopes have been allowed to recover naturally through the accumulation of leaf litter and natural regrowth.
The recovery process is helped along in other places by planting saplings of native species salvaged from other parts of the reserve.
In April, some sections of the reserve were opened again, but only for the weekends. With its complete reopening yesterday, National Parks Board's director of Central Nature Reserve Sharon Chan urged visitors to be more mindful about staying on trails.
Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong, who marked the occasion by inserting a wooden block to complete a wall-mounted wooden map of the reserve, said everyone has a part to play in maintaining the reserve, which was established in 1883.
"Just as we enjoy the reserve today, we must make sure that we protect it... for future generations of Singaporeans to enjoy," he said.
A two-year biodiversity survey of the reserve is also under way.
The data will help the authorities conserve the flora and fauna.
A new community group called Friends of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve has also been set up for the public to share ideas. Anyone - nature lovers, residents and even organisations - can join.
Mr Subaraj, stressing the need to preserve the reserve, likened it to the iconic Raffles Hotel, known as the grand old dame of Singapore.
Pointing to the reserve, he said: "This is the grand old lady of biodiversity."
Pointing to the reserve, he said: "This is the grand old lady of biodiversity."
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