I live near Bukit Batok Nature Park, and am saddened by the roadworks in the vicinity (Part of wildlife corridor in Bukit Batok cleared for roadworks, Oct 26).

I am a fan of Malayan colugos, and have enjoyed searching for, observing and filming them in the neighbourhood. When the roadworks started and I saw many trees being felled, I felt sorry for these creatures which depend on tall trees for survival.

The roadworks may be necessary, but it seems the road is being made unnecessarily wide, considering that the traffic jam occurs at only certain hours of the day. If we want to coexist with nature, we need to learn to be patient and bear with a small inconvenience like a short jam.

I hope experts will investigate the natural habitat in the area after the roadworks are done, and study what reconstructive actions can be taken to ensure forest connectivity, which is so critical for not only the arboreal Malayan colugos but also the whole ecosystem and biodiversity.

The forested areas are already isolated because of the roads constructed earlier. We should now try to minimise further irreversible damage.

Singapore is blessed to have forests and such fascinating eco-diversity near our homes.

Of course, it is a challenge to balance our comfortable life and economic development with the preservation of nature. But we must learn lessons from past mistakes and the mistakes of other countries.

I hope road and residential developments will continue to be considered carefully, and Singapore will make a wise choice for future generations.

Michiko Hayashi