We agree with Dr Geh and Ms Yap that our natural heritage is important.

In the 1992 Singapore Green Plan, we worked with other government agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs) to identify areas with valuable biodiversity.

Since then, we have gazetted two of these nature areas, Sungei Buloh and Labrador, as nature reserves, in addition to the existing Bukit Timah and Central Catchment nature reserves.

For the Concept Plan 2001 and the 2012 Singapore Green Plan, the Ministry of National Development and Ministry of the Environment have committed to keeping nature areas for as long as possible, even as we cater to a growing population.

For the current Draft Master Plan 2003, we have raised our level of commitment by giving added status in our land-use plans to nature reserves and also nature areas where we are certain there will be no development plans until the long term.

For the first time, the four nature reserves are now safeguarded in the Master Plan and 17 terrestrial and one marine nature areas are demarcated in the Special & Detailed Control Plan.

The nature areas that have been recognised in the Master Plan provide a good variety of ecosystems that can be found in Singapore. Where possible, we have integrated nature areas as part of parks, which will further buffer them from development.

But, understandably, we cannot safeguard all areas identified in the Green Plan. For those nature areas not included in the current Draft Master Plan 2003, our commitment to these areas has not changed. We will still keep these areas for as long as possible.

At the same time, we have to keep our options open so as not to commit future generations. Sungei Mandai was zoned as Reserve in the 1998 Master Plan and this remains for the current Master Plan. We also need to safeguard Pulau Semakau and other offshore islands for the development of infrastructure and industrial uses in future.

For Sungei Khatib Bongsu, there is now a strategic need to create a reservoir. This is critical to maximise our rainwater collection and further develop Singapore's water reserve.

Even then, for nature areas affected by development plans, we will be sensitive and find ways and means to mitigate the impact. PUB has engaged consultants to study the impact of the proposed reservoir on the biodiversity of the area and suggest ways to rehabilitate habitats where possible. PUB will also work with NGOs like the Nature Society to minimise the impact of the reservoir project on Khatib Bongsu.

We are glad that members of the public and NGOs like the Nature Society understand that both nature conservation and development are crucial to Singapore and that there is a need to balance both. Given our limited land, we have to continue to take a balanced approach to keeping nature and planning for development for our long-term survival.

We value the feedback and involvement of the public and NGOs to help seek win-win solutions and balance competing needs. The effort put in for the Green Plan has resulted in the identification of many nature areas, and the deliberate safeguarding of many of them.

But there will be instances when we cannot accede to all requests of different groups, many of whom have different priorities and concerns.

Despite differences that will arise from time to time, we maintain our commitment to build a constructive partnership between the people and public sector on the issue of nature conservation.

We would like to thank Dr Geh and Ms Yap for sharing their views.

JULIA HANG (MS)
Assistant Director
Public Affairs
Ministry of National Development
ANGELINE YAP (MS)
Assistant Director
Corporate Communications
Ministry of the Environment