Speech by SMS Desmond Lee at "Celebrating Ubin's Shores"

May 22, 2016

Good morning. Welcome to the Ubin Living Lab. Some of you were with us when we opened the first phase of this living laboratory in February.

This year is an exciting year for Pulau Ubin. 
a.    We have lined up a year-long series of activities to “Celebrate Ubin”. 
b.    Just last weekend, the Singapore Heritage Festival had an Ubin weekend, where almost all tickets were sold out. 
c.    Pesta Ubin also kicked off last weekend. It will be a month-long celebration organised by Ubin volunteers and the Friends of Ubin Network (FUN) members. 

Celebrating Ubin’s shores 

Today, we are here to celebrate Ubin’s shores. 
a.    Ubin, with its 46km of shoreline, harbours rich coastal biodiversity such as otters and mangrove tree species. 
b.    However this rich biodiversity is sensitive to environmental threats such as coastal erosion. 
c.    I recall that at our very first Friends of Ubin Network (FUN) meeting on 9 May 2014, Dr Chua Ee Kiam highlighted that Ubin’s shoreline was eroding, particularly severe in the north, at the mangroves and along the low cliff faces at Noordin Beach. 
d.    The erosion of the shoreline has led to a loss of coastal and mangrove habitats and vegetation, threatening critically endangered species like the Eye of the Crocodile tree. 
e.    In fact, the erosion has exposed the foundation of the old buildings and undermined the structural integrity of two shelters. 
f.    The erosion was so severe that Noordin Beach, which used to be a popular site for outdoor camping, had to be closed in 2013 to ensure public safety. 
g.    The Friends of Ubin Network (FUN) then decided that shoreline restoration study would be an important priority for our work on this island. We announced this on 30 Nov 2014. 

Therefore, in the past year, NParks has worked hard to restore Ubin’s shoreline. 
a.    We started feasibility studies in mid-2015. 
b.    The shoreline restoration work is ongoing. 
c.    At the same time, we will provide a coastal boardwalk which will extend into the sea, so that visitors can enjoy vistas of the sea and coastal forests. 
d.    In time to come, Noordin Beach will be reopened for outdoor recreational use. 

Raising awareness of biodiversity

Today is also the International day for Biological Diversity as declared by the United Nations. 
a.    It is celebrated worldwide to raise awareness about nature conservation. 
b.    As part of the celebration, NParks has been hosting a series of activities over the past week such as photo exhibition, guided tours and the Biodiversity Week for Schools. 

Here on Ubin, we will be planting trees at the mangrove arboretum later to commemorate this occasion. 

Species recovery efforts in Ubin

To ensure the rich diversity of flora and fauna continues thriving on Ubin, we are embarking on species recovery efforts for some of the critically endangered species. 
a.    These species recovery efforts arose from discussions at Friends of Ubin (FUN) meetings. 
b.    One such species is the Oriental Small-clawed Otter found only on Ubin and Tekong. 
c.    We are designing homes for otters, also known as otter holts. This is the first time we are designing otter holts and installing them in Singapore. 

We are also making good progress on our other species recovery efforts. 
a.    A bat house was set up near Noordin Beach in early 2016. Prototypes of bat boxes, designed by students from Republic Polytechnic, will be installed across Ubin to help our native species grow. 

We are reintroducing our endangered native Singapore orchids across the island as part of the Orchid Conservation Programme. 
a.    One of these species is the Robiquetia spathulata, an orchid that was thought to have disappeared from Singapore until NParks colleagues discovered it here in 2006. 
b.    You can see some of these orchirds at Butterfly Hill and Sensory Trail. This species has also been successfully reintroduced at various locations on the mainland. 

Conclusion

The numerous positive developments at Ubin are possible because of your support. Thank you for all your dedication and commitment towards the project.

Lastly, the annual Ubin Day, which is part of Pesta Ubin, is just round the corner on 4 June. 
a.    There are a number of educational, recreational and conservation activities which you can still sign up for at the Pesta Ubin website, such as birdwatching, photo exhibitions nature and heritage walks. These are organised by our Friends of Ubin and other volunteers. 
b.    I hope to see everyone there! Do enjoy the rest of the morning.