Singapore to establish first marine park

SINGAPORE - Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee announced today that Singapore will establish its first Marine Park.

Progress is underway for this latest conservation initiative by the National Parks Board (NParks), which was unveiled this morning at the Festival of Biodiversity 2014, launched by President Tony Tan Keng Yam.

The Sisters' Islands Marine Park, which will span about 40 hectares around Sisters' Islands and along the western reefs of both St John's Island and Pulau Tekukor, serves as a platform for outreach, educational, conservation and research activities related to our native marine biodiversity.

The location was chosen due to its variety of habitats including coral reefs, sandy shores and seagrass areas.

A number of nature groups have come on board to offer outreach activities like intertidal walks and guided dives to encourage greater appreciation of Singapore's native marine biodiversity.

Following the introductory guided walks held this year, more activities are being planned for roll out next year. These include workshops, seminars, camps and talks at the outreach and education centre on St John's Island. School groups can also be involved in monitoring programmes which will contribute to data collected for marine biodiversity research.

Minister of State for National Development, Desmond Lee said, "Much work has been done over the years to conserve our biodiversity. The Singapore we know today is one that is not only replete with greenery but one that is also teeming with various species of wildlife and marine life. Of course, more can be done and I am heartened to know that the public agencies, NGOs and the community are all working together to further conserve our rich biodiversity. The new Sisters' Islands Marine Park will strengthen this partnership and allow people to make a real difference to the environment by ensuring the survival of our precious native species."

Kenneth Er, NParks CEO shared, "The annual Festival of Biodiversity celebrates our rich natural heritage, and also the joint efforts between the National Parks Board and partners like universities and NGOs to encourage appreciation of our local flora and fauna. With the Sisters' Islands Marine Park, we hope to provide a wider range of opportunities for the community to contribute to citizen science by documenting biodiversity data which will support our conservation efforts."

As visibility of the marine life is subjected to tidal patterns, visitors interested to join the guided walks are encouraged to register early at www.nparks.gov.sg/sistersislandsmarinepark from today onwards.

Introductory guided walks next month will be held on Aug 14 and 15, 2014.

Festival of Biodiversity 2014

Guest-of-Honour, President Tony Tan, launched the two-day festival which gathered 37 partners comprising nature groups, research bodies and corporate organisations to raise awareness on Singapore's local biodiversity.

In its third year, the Festival of Biodiversity is held on Jul 12 and 13 at VivoCity. Jointly organised by NParks and the Biodiversity Roundtable, a group of 20 key representatives from various sectors of the biodiversity community, it is an annual celebration of the community's efforts to conserve Singapore's natural heritage.

37 partners have come forward to contribute to this year's Festival, an increase from 33 last year. Among the partners are nine schools including Singapore Polytechnic, Northbrooks Secondary School and Nanyang Girls' High School.

The two-day Festival is sponsored by energy, water and urban development company Sembcorp Industries under its Sembcorp Education and Conservation Fund, established with National Parks Board in 2010 as part of the company's sustained support for biodiversity and environmental conservation. In addition, corporations including VivoCity, Toshiba and Ikea have also lent their support to the event.

Tang Kin Fei, Group President & CEO of Sembcorp, shared, "Sembcorp's support for the Festival of Biodiversity is in line with our strong commitment to the environment and to making a positive impact on our community. Through this and our other initiatives such as the establishment of the Sembcorp Forest of Giants, we hope to play a small part in the conservation of Singapore's rich natural heritage for future generations to enjoy."

Highlights of this year's Festival include:

- Island biodiversity exhibition showcasing the diverse flora and fauna in the various ecosystems found in Singapore

- Free art and craft workshops for children to learn more about Singapore's biodiversity

- Pulau Ubin exhibition where the public can share memories of the island and give suggestions to sensitively enhance the island's natural environment.

spanaech@sph.com.sg