The word “chope” in Singlish means to RESERVE a place.
The Parks & Trees Act has gazetted the Central Catchment Area (including MacRitche) as a nature reserve. It has been “choped” for nature to protect our natural heritage and safe from destruction through any human actions and development. (Singapore Statutes Online) “No person shall carry out any activity within any national park or nature reserve which he knows or ought reasonably to know causes or may cause alteration, damage or destruction to any property, tree or plant within the national park or nature reserve.”
Our nature reserve is under threat today.
This website hopes to shed light on the complex ecological concepts and conservation issues of our natural heritage in Singapore. We still have much richness in our forests that are easily access which many are unaware of. Others may have taken it for granted as it has always been there. Apparently protected… Information in this website is presented in bite-size format for ease of reading and understanding as far as possible. Detailed information is also available or referenced. Educational resources for teachers will be made available soon. Find out more about our remaining natural resources and the recent plans from the government that will threaten one of our most precious and delicate nature reserves in Singapore. We have reached almost a tipping point where we need to help to protect and support in order to ensure what little we have left is able to sustain and pass down to our future generations.
Only Zero Impact tolerated in Nature Reserve
Building an underground MRT line or carrying out soil investigations WILL have an impact no matter how minimum. We can’t afford any impact in an area that is already so small. Read on and hope you will take personal action to make a positive change. The trees in the Primary forest are relics. They are descendants of ancient trees from the last ice age possibly 11,000 years ago. The Primary forest in Singapore occupies less than 0.3% of our land area. The Central Catchment area still has patches of Primary forest.
Protect the Buffer Zones
Whilst waiting anxiously for the verdict on whether the CRL line will be re-routed to avoid the nature reserves or will cut through the Central Catchment Reserves as proposed, another announcement about the development of a 126 ha mega-attraction at Mandai was made. This development is slated to be built adjacent to the CCNR on its northern front. The EIA has been conducted and you can read the summary of this project and the appeal to relocate the Bird Park in this website.
If you think Mandai should be kept as an area with low human footprints, give your feedback quickly
The plans for these two major projects raise questions about Singapore’s commitment to protect our nature reserves. The CCNR takes up only about 4% of our total land area. It has a high density of endemic species and have undergone immense habitat loss through the years. We have lost more than 95% of our land and freshwater species. Despite this, we still have a healthy and diverse number of species that is rare in any built-up city and which need our protection.
Spread the word
Speak up
Visit Nature Reserves
Be informed
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall
“We don’t have to save the world. The world is big enough to look after itself. What we have to be concerned about is whether or not the world we live in will be capable of sustaining us in it.” – Douglas Adams
Graphic Designer: LL Tan, Yun Ting
Website Administrator: Tan Beng Chiak
Contributors: Chua Siew Chin, Albert Liu, Lim Cheng Puay
Materials from this website are adapted from Nature Society (Singapore)’s Position Paper on the Cross Island Line and various sources. Many friends and family members have contributed resources, talent and time to help build this website. If you would like to contribute educational materials please do contact us. Contact: Chope4nature@gmail.com