Needless to say, the STB's intention is good, for increased tourism will mean more money for Singapore. However, the question as raised by the Nature Society is that such a project, involving removal of vegetation and construction of buildings, would affect the plant and animal ecology, not only of the subject site but also that of the Nature Reserve, although the subject site, covering some 30 ha in size, is not part of the Nature Reserve.

Based on the map appearing in The Straits Times in connection with Ms Lim Wei Chean's article on Dec 7, and from the relevant biodiversity information I could gather, I agree with the Nature Society that, for the STB's proposed development, it would be far better to make use of the adjacent alternative site (hugging close to the Bukit Timah Expressway) proposed by the society.

I am not worried about plants in the present case, but the various animal species still found in the reserve, especially rare and endangered ones. If the forest of the STB site is undisturbed, the area would act as a good link or fording area for these precious animals to go between the forest on one side of Mandai Lake Road and the other. If the two STB proposed sites are used, then the fording link would be lost, and this would lead to isolation of the animal populations.

The alternative site proposed by the Nature Society is quite close to the zoo and it would not be difficult for tourists to go from there to the zoo and the Night Safari, should this be a desirable consideration. Indeed, with some planning, one could build an aerial link between the alternative site and the zoo or Night Safari. With such a link, visitors would cause minimal disturbance to the animal populations, day or night, while going between the two areas.

The article, 'Mandai at risk?' (The Sunday Times, Nov 25) cautioned that Singapore is not a choice site for such tourism activities. If we wish to promote eco-tourism, it is better for tourists to have excursions from their hotels which are not far away rather than from new chalets set up at the edge of the reserves - so there will be minimal disturbance to the natural environment.

Wong Yew Kwan
Former Commissioner of Parks and Recreation