Speech by Minister Lawrence Wong at the Reopening of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Oct 22, 2016

A very good morning to all of you, and we are here today for a very special occasion. It is a very auspicious occasion and one that I know many of you have been waiting for, to launch the re-opening of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

The Reserve is the largest surviving primary rainforest in Singapore, so it is really something quite special for all of us, and it is a really cherished part of our island. It stands only at 163 hectares in size – it is not very big, and incidentally it also hosts the highest point in Singapore, which is also 163m in height!

This is a green refuge for many Singaporeans, but it is more than just a green place, it is also an important part of our natural heritage. That is why we have protected it as a forest reserve, and it is also designated as an ASEAN Heritage Park. As a forest reserve, it is small, but this is really quite unique in the world. It is one of the most productive pieces of nature anywhere in the world –  for such a small piece of land, we have one of the richest arrays of biodiversity. We host more than 1,000 plant species and more than 500 species of animals. In fact, we have more tree species here in this 163 hectares than the entire North American continent. In this little plot of nature, in little urban Singapore, we have more species of plants and trees than the entire North American continent – and that is why even the early biologists and botanists were very interested in this plot of nature.

Here, we also host almost half of our native plants and animals, whether you talk about the monkeys, the snakes, the crabs – they can be found here, and we continue to make new discoveries. Recently the NParks team found new sightings of rare and endangered animals like the Malayan Porcupine, and they have also found new species of spiders – we are continuing to find new plant and animal species. 

That is why we have taken great care to protect this place for so many years, this national treasure that we have. Over the years we have found that the Reserve has grown in popularity. We have seen more visitors coming, it is very good that we have so many people, but we have also seen, because of the increased usage, more damage done to the trails and also to the forest environment. This has caused even landslides in some areas and that is why there was a safety risk. We had to close the Reserve for the last two years to do some  and to do some repairs, and make sure that the safety risks are addressed. I know it has been a disruption to many regular users of the Reserve, some of you come here for walks almost every day – and you have had your regular walks impacted, you have to find new routes. But we thank you for your patience and your understanding during this period when the Reserve had to be closed. I think it was necessary, and if you walk around now, I am sure you will find that the wait has been worthwhile.

The NParks team has done a wonderful job repairing, restoring and enhancing this place. We have taken great care to doing these works so that we do not damage the Reserve even while they are restoring and enhancing it. They have re-planted about 1,000 native plants in the Reserve, we have now new elevated and raised boardwalks so that users can come and enjoy the Reserve while minimising the damage to some of the more sensitive areas, we have also repaired the existing trails and steps, and also enhanced about 5km of hiking trails. There is a lot more that you can enjoy.

NParks also enhanced the Visitor Centre to improve the learning experience on the Reserve. We now have not only a wonderful place for people to  but also more interactive exhibits for children. We encourage more Singaporeans to come here with their families, it will be a wonderful place for families to bond together and also get to learn more about nature, and to learn more about our Reserve together.

I encourage Singaporeans to come and see what the upgraded Reserve has to offer. But even as we enjoy the Reserve, let us remember that we also have responsibilities to this place. The Reserve, this wonderful slice of nature, belongs to all of us, and it also belongs to future generations. We are not just co-owners of this place, but we are also custodians and stewards of this precious place. Just as we enjoy the Reserve today, we must make sure that we protect it, preserve it, and have this wonderful slice of nature continuing for future generations of Singaporeans to enjoy.

On this note, I am very happy that NParks will be forming a “Friends of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve” community very soon. This is part of our “Friends of the Parks” initiative, we already have a “Friends of Ubin”, we have a “Friends of Sungei Buloh”, and now we will have a “Friends of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve”. We encourage you to sign up, be a “Friends of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve”. Anyone can sign up, whether you are a nature lover, a resident, a regular user, or sign up as an organisation – schools and grassroots organisations. We encourage all of you to come and sign up, and when you are part of this community you can propose and organise meaningful activities within the Reserve. If you would like to take on more active conservation roles you can also do your part, and NParks will guide you in this effort. We encourage more people to come forward.

And on that note, I hope every one of you will enjoy the rest of the morning exploring the Reserve and sharing this wonderful place with Singaporeans everywhere. Thank you very much and have a wonderful morning ahead.