Maju Forest and the value of simply being there
Maju Forest, Gillman Barracks and Tan Boon Liat Building have little in common. Yet the public reaction to all three points to a changing way of thinking about land.
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Public reaction to changes for (clockwise from left) Maju Forest, Gillman Barracks and Tan Boon Liat Building reveals a broader shift in how Singaporeans think about land and its value.
ST PHOTOS: LIM YAOHUI, NG SOR LUAN, GAVIN FOO
Economists have a term for it: “existence value”. It describes the value people place on simply knowing that something continues to exist, even if they never visit it or make use of it themselves.
You might donate to save whales or protect rainforests because you believe they matter, even if you never see or enjoy them.
