Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

Conservation initiatives range from the establishment of nature reserves and creation of new buffer parks to the enhancement of ecological connections, whether through intensification of streetscape planting or the use of vertical and skyrise greenery [ ] 202 Biodiversity in a highly urbanized city-state Singapore launched its first National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) in 2009. As denser living conditions and the increasing rate of development make it more challeng- ing to maintain greenery and con- serve the remaining natural heritage, the Government decided to sys- tematically consolidate, coordinate, strengthen and intensify biodiversity conservation efforts initiated by the NBSAP through the National Parks Board (NParks) Nature Conservation Master Plan (NCMP). Launched in 2015, the NCMP has four priorities: the conservation of key habitats; habitat enhancement, restoration, and species recovery; ap- plied research in conservation biology and planning; and community stew- ardship and outreach in nature. All conservation initiatives of the NCMP encompass terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems and take into ac- count activity at the ecosystem, spe- cies and genetic levels. Conservation efforts that develop from the NCMP build ecological resilience through the strengthening of ecological link- ages that help in the conservation of native biodiversity and adaptation to the effects of climate change. Several conservation initiatives provide support and build on each of the four main thrusts of the NCMP. The first of these is a project titled The Conservation of Key Habi- tats, which aims to safeguard and strengthen core areas that harbour the majority of Singapore’s native biodiversity. Conservation initia- tives range from the establishment of nature reserves and creation of new buffer parks to the enhancement of ecological connections, whether through intensification of streetscape planting or the use of vertical and skyrise greenery. Conservation of core areas is an- other area of focus. Singapore’s four major nature reserves collectively cover the various ecosystem types found in Singapore, including low- land dipterocarp forests, secondary forests, freshwater swamps, streams, mangroves, rocky shores and inter-tidal mudflats. Nature parks have also been established on the margins of the nature reserves to act as green buffers as well as alternative venues for members of the public to enjoy recreational activities close to nature. Additionally, 20 Nature Areas have been created under the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Parks and Waterbodies Plan (Special and De- tailed Controls Plan), and these sites will be kept away from development for as long as possible. Another project is Singapore’s First Marine Park, which NParks estab- lished in 2014 as a platform for out- reach, education, conservation and research of Singapore’s native marine biodiversity. The park serves as a hard coral repository. S ingapore is a city-state with a population of approximately 5.61 million and a land area of 719 km 2 , located within the Sundaland biodiversity hotspot. Despite being one of the most densely populated, highly urbanized regions in the world, Singapore has a high level of biodiversity. While rapid industrialization and urbanization commenced following Singapore’s independence in 1965, the Government recognized the importance of parks and greenery and established a green infrastructure foundation through the ambitious Garden City vision. Singapore’s early greening efforts created a ‘green skeleton’ for biodiversity initiatives to be layered on seamlessly in the years that followed. Cloud tree building in Singapore Poh Wei Chuen on Unsplash Singapore