A lagoon on St John's Island will be opened to the public for research, education and conservation activities from early next year.
The 3.9ha Bendera Bay, which was previously inaccessible to the public, consists of a lagoon with a variety of mangrove, coral, seagrass, sandy shore and rocky shore habitats.
Access to the fenced-up area will be allowed only via scheduled programmes, as part of efforts to safeguard it.
Bendera Bay was launched by National Development Minister Desmond Lee, Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Nadia Ahmad Samdin yesterday morning.
Its name was inspired by Pulau Sekijang Bendera, the indigenous Malay name for St John's Island.
The Friends of Marine Park community, which comprises stakeholders and volunteers such as anglers, boat owners, academics and government agencies, will schedule programmes that will take place there.
The activities, supported by the National Parks Board (NParks), are centred on four themes: research, education, recreation and heritage.
For instance, researchers from the St John's Island National Marine Laboratory are conducting research on seagrass.
Other research opportunities in the works involve the connected mangrove, seagrass and coral areas at Bendera Bay.
Beach clean-up activities will be held to educate the public about the impact of marine trash on the environment. More educators will be encouraged to develop and conduct activities there.
Recreation programmes include workshops for the community to learn about the importance of sustainable fishing. Citizen science dives will also be organised for people to understand and experience what researchers do underwater and how they can help.
On heritage, visitors can learn more about the colourful history of St John's Island through stories by former islanders.
At the launch of Bendera Bay, the community held some activities as a trial for future events to come, including an intertidal walk to showcase the seagrass and marine biodiversity there.
Participants will be providing feedback to refine the activities before they are opened to the public.
Mr Tan said: "Community stewardship is integral in Singapore's marine conservation and outreach efforts."
He added that the bay's variety of habitats makes it an excellent location for the public to learn about and appreciate the country's rich biodiversity, and for researchers to carry out studies.
When asked about the use of planned programmes to control public access to the area, Mr Stephen Beng, chairman of the Friends of Marine Park community, said it is "not a destination we are trying to promote for tourism".
"The intent is more for the public to have an idea of how to interact responsibly with the environment," he added.
Calvin Yang
