Nature Society (Singapore)

The Nature Society (Singapore) (abbreviated NSS) is a non-government, non-profit organisation centered towards the preservation and appreciation of Singapore's natural heritage, as well as that of the surrounding region. Run by volunteers, the NSS depends financially on its members' contributions as well as companies, institutions and individuals.

History

NSS has its origin in 1940 when a handful of colonial civil servants got together to form the Malayan Nature Society(MNS). Its activities were mainly educational - organising talks by visiting scientists, conducting nature walks, etc. Headquartered in today's Malaysia, the Singapore group became known as the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch). It had its headquarters in the National University of Singapore as most office holders were from the then Departments of Botany and Zoology, now merged into the Department of Biological Sciences.^[1] As such, there were always close collaborations with academics, who had the necessary scientific background. In 1991 the society split from MNS and re-registered itself as NSS. Following the re-registration, NSS moved its base from NUS leading to a decline in the number of academic members of the society. The society has recently reinforced its links with academics.

The Patron of the Nature Society is Prof. Tommy Koh. The current President is Dr. Shawn Lum.

Major Conservation Issues

Activities had always been education-related until about the 1980s when members found themselves thrust into the role of environmental activists.^[2] The Serangoon estuary, home to tens of thousands of migratory birds, had just been reclaimed for development. Members were yet to be sensitised to conservation and only journalist Ilsa Sharp wrote a piece in The Straits Times protesting its demise.

The society only got seriously involved in conservation soon after when its Conservation Committee led by Richard Hale successfully persuaded government to develop a piece of degraded mangrove in Sungei Buloh into a bird sanctuary.^[3] Flushed with success, the Conservation Committee began documenting various nature areas to eventually publish "A Master Plan for the Conservation of Nature in Singapore" ^[4] that was enthusiastically received by government. Subsequently led by locals who had enthusiasm but no behind-the-scene contacts, the exercise to get these areas protected turned into a series of media confrontations.^[5] Eventually, every one of the newly documented areas were rejected.

In 1991 the society was presented with the Green Leaf Award by government when the former was still the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch). This complemented the previous year's award when Richard Hale won the individual category. These awards were given to organisations and individuals for outstanding contributions to environmental protection and preservation.^[6]

To date, the NSS can boast of only two conservation successes: Sungei Buloh, in persuading government to conserve an area, and Lower Peirce, in persuading government not to destroy a piece of mature forest for a golf course.

Sungei Buloh

In 1986, Richard Hale, a banker-birder, stumbled on a degraded mangrove area rich in migratory birds when out birdwatching.^[7] Unfortunately the area was also scheduled for development. Undeterred, Hale led a group of members documenting the richness of the birdlife and setting out suggestions for its conservation.^[8]

This was the first conservation proposal by the newly formed Conservation Committee headed by Hale. Key government officials like the late President, Mr Wee Kim Wee, then Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong and then Minister of National Development, Mr S. Dhanabalan were personally escorted to the site. This convinced government and so in 1989 the Sungei Buloh Nature Park came into being, now Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.^[5][9][10]

Lower Peirce

NSS's other success was in persuading government not to destroy a patch of mature forest in the Lower Peirce water catchment for a golf course. Unlike the Sungei Buloh affair which Francesch-Huidobro refers to as "the power of persuasion", the Lower Peirce was "the power of protestation".^[11] This catchment has always been a legally protected nature reserve and the announcement to clear a 142-ha area of forest for a golf course saw members up in arms. A report was hastily put together in 1992 detailing the biodiversity and the damage a golf course could do to the water quality in particular and the environment in general.^[12] When this 80-page "environmental impact assessment" failed to get any response from government, a signature campaign was organised that resulted in thousands of signatures. The almost daily media confrontations led to increasing public support against the construction of the golf course. Eventually government shelved the proposal.^[5]

Chek Jawa

The controversy of Chek Jawa surfaced in 2001 when the discovery of its rich marine biodiversity coincided with the planned reclamation of this intertidal area. The NSS was by then working closely with government and as the reclamation was already decided, it kept a low profile ^[13]. However, individuals like Joseph Lai, Ria Tan and N. Sivasothi organised a team of volunteers to help document the biodiversity of the area. Among the volunteers were many NSS members, but they came as individuals. And the NSS's Conservation Committee declined to participate - after all, its strong point is birds, not marine organisms and the NSS had already decided not to officially get involved in the controversy.

The resulting media and internet publicity attracted thousands of visitors, many unaware that such rich marine life could still be seen in a highly urbanised Singapore.^[14][15] The Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan visited the area and was surprised at the number of Singaporeans visiting it. The groundswell of public opinion was obviously too strong for government to proceed with the reclamation and at the last moment it agreed to give the area a reprieve. The decision took everyone by surprise. It was only then that the NSS was roped in, together with other NGOs, to assist in developing the area for public visits.

Special Interest Groups

Activities of the society have always been generated by Special Interest Groups. Such groups arise spontaneously as and when enthusiastic members come forward to lead and organise activities for other members to participate. Through the years these groups may form and disband, depending on the enthusiasm and willingness of leaders to continue leading.

Bird Ecology Study Group (BESG)

The BESG was formed in 2005 to encourage the study of birds and their links with all aspects of the natural environment. Under the leadership of Dr. Wee Yeow Chin, R. Subaraj and Richard Hale, the group was to complement the existing Bird Group, whose activities had by then become totally recreational.^[16] Local birdwatchers had already acquired the necessary skills to identify birds in the field but knowledge of bird ecology and behaviour was sadly lacking.^[17] Through close collaboration with the many photographers that were then seeking out birds as their subjects, new insights into bird behaviour, from food birds take to nesting habits and interspecific relations, were showcased through crisp digital images and scientific interpretation in the group’s website.^{[18] [19][20]}

In 1988, when a Javan Myna Acridotheres javanicus was observed picking up ants and placing them on its feathers, no one knew what was going on. But the use of ants to rid the feathers of ectoparasites, known as anting, was well known among western birdwatchers. It was only 17 years later, when the phenomenon was posted on the website that local birdwatchers understood the significance of this behaviour.^[21] Similarly, birdwatchers were made aware through the website that species other than raptors and owls regularly cast pellets.^[22] These were only two of the many aspects of behaviour that the website made birdwatchers aware of.

Citizen science, then in its doldrums after more than a decade of recreational birding, saw a revival as a result of the many interesting postings. Citizen scientists began contributing snippets of bird behaviour they encountered in the field.^[23] With such contributions, postings have been increasing ever since, with more than 2,500 available by late 2011. The website is currently a valuable database on regional bird behaviour, consulted by birdwatchers, ornithologists and naturalists throughout the world.

Contributions by citizen scientists are not always casual observations. There were instances of quality observations that resulted in papers published in peer-reviewed journals, like the case of courtship rituals exhibited by a pair of female hornbills of different species.^[24]. The incident of Black-necked Terns Sterna sumatrana mobbing a Grey Heron Ardea cinerea that strayed into the former's colony using projectile-vomiting was another interesting study^[25] Another example was the courtship display by a male Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis showing off its seldom seen colourful pectoral tuft feathers.^[26] Citizen scientists also documented the inflating of the gular sac by the male Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis during courtship, not previously reported,^[27] and added to our knowledge of the breeding behaviour of the Mangrove Pitta Pitta megarhyncha^[28]

Bird Group

The Bird Group was formed in 1984 by the late Clive Briffett. Under his leadership, guided walks, bird race, bird surveys, water bird census and bird counts were introduced. ^[29] A monthly in-house newsletter, Singapore Avifauna, was started to record bird sightings and an updated checklist of birds was published.

In 1990, the Master Plan for the Conservation of Nature in Singapore was published. A major conservation document then, it was immediately accepted by Government as a guideline to the national conservation policy. Next, a conservation group was initiated with Richard Hale as Chairman and Dr. Rexon Ngim, Dr Ho Hua Chew and R. Subaraj as members. It successfully lobbied for the conservation of Sungei Buloh mangrove and the subsequent media and government attention led to locals aspiring for leadership roles. Clive graciously stepped down as Chairman in 1991, giving way to Lim Kim Keang.

Unfortunately, in the absence Clive who had international experience, the group became more and more recreational centered.^[30][31] Contributions to the Singapore Avifauna dried up somewhat, resulting in quarterly issues instead of monthly, with some years seeing no issues at all.^[32] The leadership became inward looking with minimum participation from the scientific and expatriate birding community. When ornithologist Dr David R. Wells was drafting his monographs on the Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular from his base in the United Kingdom and needed research materials,^[33][34] he depended on surreptiously sent post-1990s issues, even though he was a former advisor to the newsletter.^[35][36]

In the field of publications, the group did well in the post-1991 period, with the publication of a slim volume on the locally extinct birds in 1992,^[37], a field guide in 1997,^[38], followed by a pocket checklist in 2007.^[39] In 2004 the group participated in BirdLife International’s Important Bird Areas project for Asia, contributing a piece on Singapore.^[40] By then the society had become an affiliate of BirdLife.

In 2009 the group published The Avifauna of Singapore^[41] a non-peer reviewed book,^[42][43] although two years earlier the scientifically-reviewed Annotated Checklist of Birds of Singapore, written by ornithologists Wang Luan Keng and Chris Hails, featured all records and sightings of all species ever found in Singapore.^[44] Another non-reviewed compilation of nine years of bird census data was also published that same year.^[45]

Currently, the Bird Group is struggling to rid itself of the reputation of a recreational group under the new leadership of Alan Owyong.^[46] And it is trying hard to infuse scientific birdwatching into its many recreational activities.

References

1. ^ Wee, Y.C. & R. Hale, 2008. The Nature Society (Singapore) and the struggle to conserve Singapore’s nature areas. Nature in Singapore 1: 41-49.
2. ^ George, C., 2003. The nature of politics and the politics of nature. In: George, C., Singapore the air-conditioned nation. Landmark Books, Singapore. Pp. 139-143.
3. ^ Francesch-Huidobro, M. (2006). Statutory Bodies, Land Use Planning and Conservation in Singapore: Issues and Challenges for Governability. Public Organization Review 6(3):277-288.
4. ^ Avadhani, P.N., Y. C. Wee, L. M. Chou, C. Briffett, R. Hale, H. C. Ho, K. Lim, K. K. Lim & R. Subaraj, 1990. Master Plan for the Conservation of Nature in Singapore. Malayan Nature Society, Singapore Branch.
5. ^ ^{a b c} Wee, Y.C. & R. Hale, 2008. The Nature Society (Singapore) and the struggle to conserve Singapore’s nature areas. Nature in Singapore 1: 41-49.
6. ^ Anon. (1992). The Singapore Green Plan: towards a model green city. Ministry of the Environment, Singapore. 48 pp.
7. ^ Briffett, C., 2004. The genesis of Sungei Buloh. Nature Watch 12(5):5-9.
8. ^ Hale, R., S. Subharaj, R. Ngim, H. C. Ho, C. Briffett & C. Hails, 1987. A proposal for a nature conservation area at Sungei Buloh. Malayan Nature Society (Singapore).
9. ^ Hale, R., 2004. From backwater to nature reserve. Nature Watch. 12(1):2-4.
10. ^ Francesch-Huidobro, M., 2008. Governance, Politics and the Environment: A Singapore Study. ISEA, Singapore. 395 pp.
11. ^ Francesch-Huidobro, 2008
12. ^ Wee, Y. C. (ed.) (1992). Proposed golf course at Lower Peirce Reservoir - An environmental impact assessment. Nature Society (Singapore). 80 pp.
13. ^ Wee & Hale, 2008
14. ^ Tan, C. M., 2001. Chek Jawa and Pulau Ubin, what does your heart tell you? An open letter to the media and Nature Society (Singapore). 6th August.
15. ^ Sivasothi, N., 2001. Chek Jawa – lost forever? Asian Geographic 10: 12-25.
16. ^ Anon., 2006. Announcement of a new bird group affiliated to the Nature Society (Singapore). BirdingAsia 5: 5.
17. ^ Wee, Y. C., 2006. Forty years of birding and ornithological research in Singapore. Birding Asia 5:12-15.
18. ^ Wee, Y.C. & Subaraj, R. 2006. The Bird Ecology Study Group, Nature Society (Singapore): one year on. BirdingAsia 6: 6.
19. ^ Wee, Y. C. & K. C. Tsang, 2008. The changing face of birding in Singapore. Nature in Singapore 1: 97-102.
20. ^ Tsang, K. C., R. Subaraj & Y.C. Wee. 2009. The role of the camera in birdwatching in Singapore. Nature in Singapore 2: 183-191.
21. ^ Wee, Y. C., 2008. Anting in Singapore birds. Nature in Singapore 1:23-25.
22. ^ Wang, L.K., M. Chan, Y.M. Chan, G.C. Tan & Y.C. Wee, 2009. Pellet casting by non-raptorial birds of Singapore. Nature in Singapore 2: 97-106.
23. ^ Wee, Y.C. & R. Subaraj, 2009. Citizen science and the gathering of ornithological data in Singapore. Nature in Singapore 2: 27-30
24. ^ Chan, Y.M., M. Chan, & Y.C. Wee, 2008. Aberrant behaviour of a female Great Hornbill and a female Rhinoceros Hornbill. Nature in Singapore 1:31-34.
25. ^ Deng, S.H., T.K. Lee & Y.C. Wee, 2008. Black-naped terns (Sterna sumatrana Raffles, 1822) mobbing a grey heron (Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758). Nature in Singapore 1: 117-127.
26. ^ Tsang, K.C., L.K. Wang & Y.C. Wee, 2008. The olive-backed sunbird, Cinnyris jugularis Linnaeus, 1766 and its pectoral tufts. Nature in Singapore 1: 207-210.
27. ^ Lim, A. T. H., L. K. Wang & Y. C. Wee, 2009. The Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis and its gular sac. BirdingASIA 11: 98-101,
28. ^ Choy, W. M. & Y. C. Wee (2010). Observations at a mangrove Pitta Pitta megarhyncha nest in peninsular Malaysia. BirdingAsia 14: 30-33.
29. ^ Wee, Y. C., 2006.
30. ^ Wee & Tsang, 2008
31. ^ Wee & Subaraj, 2009
32. ^ Wee, 2006
33. ^ Wells, D.R., 1999. The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. I, Non-passerines. Academic Press, London.
34. ^ Wells, D.R., 2007. The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. II, Passerines. Christopher Helm, London.
35. ^ Wee, 2006
36. ^ Wee & Subaraj, 2009.
37. ^ Lim, K. S., 1992. Vanishing birds of Singapore. Nature Society (Singapore).
38. ^ Lim, K. S. & D. Gardner, 1997. Birds - An illustrated field guide to the birds of Singapore. Sun Tree, Singapore.
39. ^ Lim, K.. S., 2007. Pocket checklist of the birds of the Republic of Singapore. Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Group Records Committee.
40. ^ Ho, H. C., K. K. Lim, K. S. Lim & S. Yeo, 2004. Important Bird Areas in Asia - Singapore. In: BirdLife International (ed.), Important Bird Areas in Asia: key sites for conservation. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. (BirdLife Conservation Series No. 13.). Pp. 241-242.
41. ^ Lim, K. S., 2009. The avifauna of Singapore. Nature Society (Singapore),
42. ^ Wee, Y.C., 2009. Of blogs, newsletters, magazine, journals and books… http://www.besgroup.org/2009/09/13/of-blogs-newsletters-magazines-journals-and-books/. (Accessed 16th Nov.2011),
43. ^ Wee, Y. C., K. C. Tsang & R. Subaraj, 2010. Birding in Singapore and the challenges of the 21st century. Nature in Singapore 3: 53-58.
44. ^ Wang, L.K. & C. J. Hails, 2007. An annotated checklist of birds of Singapore. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Supplement 15: 1-179.
45. ^ Lim, K. C. & K. S. Lim, 2009. State of Singapore’s wild birds and bird habitats: A review of the Annual Bird Census 1996-2005. Bird Group, Nature Society (Singapore).
46. ^ Wee, Tsang & Subaraj, 2010.

External links

• Official site

See also

• National Biodiversity Centre, Singapore