The 138 hectares Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve was gazetted as a nature reserve on January 1, 2002 and was also recognised as a site of international importance
for migratory birds. It is located in the northwest part of Singapore and dominated by tidal mudflats and mangrove systems. The area now houses a variety of flora and fauna, with more than 220 species of birds. the migratory birds are attracted to the exposed mudflats in the abandoned prawn ponds and water levels in the mudflats are regulated by sluice gates so as to maintain some exposed mudflats at all times to attract waders and shorebirds. As 140,000 visitors visited the area in 2009, there have been concerns as to protect the site from excessive public exposure. In order to reduce the crowd entering the area and maintain the balance of the ecosystems, the authorities are planning to cap the entrance of visitors to the area at 100,000 by diverting the crowd to a new 38 hectares park that would surround the reserve. Sungei Pulai spans 9
hectares and is the second largest mangrove site in the Johor state and gazetted by the government in 1923. It houses a rich diversity of flora and fauna such as the Avicennia lacenta, smooth otter and flat headed cat. It also houses the threatened bird species such as the mangrove pitta. It is home to about 24 ‘true’ mangrove plant species as well as 21 more mangrove-associated species, which demonstrates a high species richness in the area. It plays important ecological functions such as the retention of sediments and nutrients and the removal of toxicants. Furthermore, it harbours economically viable timber resources and fisheries and acts as a form of coastal protection against strong wind and sea currents. Areas of concern would include the entrance of illegal loggers in the area, clearance of natural vegetation and land reclamation. It is estimated that between 1980 and 1990, 12% of the country’s mangrove forests disappeared. Hence, there is a need to step up efforts to protect the mangrove areas and concomitantly preserve the diversity of flora and fauna species in these areas.Tanjung Piai is seated at the
southern tip of Malaysia and the Tanjung Piai National Park is home to more than half of the 40 known freshwater mangrove species of the world. It supports many threatened species such as the pig tailed macaque and mangrove pitta. Tanjung Piai covers 526 hectares of mangroves and another 400 hectares of inter tidal mudflats. Mudflats are soft and muddy soil with high salt content and low oxygen levels. However, they are subject to hot and dry conditions. It forms the only mangrove corridor connecting Pulau Kukup and Sungei Pulai wetlands. The site was conferred the status of a state park for eco-tourism by the Johor government, such that it would be funded by S$2.15 million annual budget that is shared with 4 other such parks. In 2002, the park was open to the public. The park was declared a Ramsar Site on 31 Jan 2003. and gazetted as a Johor National Park on 26 Feb 2004. Bunds were created along the west and east coasts of Tanjung Piai to protect farmlands from inundation by salt waters. Tanjung Piai is subject to erosion from the tidal currents, with the coastal mangrove fringes being reduced to 50m at certain stretches.Pulau Kukup is an uninhabited island located at the south-western region
of the Johor state and about 1 kilometre offshore from the mainland town known as Kukup Laut. The island is about 647 ha in size with an 800 ha intertidal mudflat srurounding the island. The island was gazetted as a State Park in 1997 and designated as a Ramsar site of Malaysia in 2003. Pulau Kukup is a popular tourism site seeing high flow of tourists from neighbouring countries like Singapore and Indonesia visiting Kukup town for its famous seafood annually. Pulau Kukup is endowed with a rich diversity of flora and fauna species as there are 30 species of true mangrove and associated species, 12 wildlife species, 11 waterbird species include the Vulnerable Lesser Adjutant Stork. Pulau Kukup was officially gazetted as a State Park under the jurisdiction of the Johor State Park Corporation on March 27, 1997. In order to be declared as a Ramsar site, there are several guiding criteria which include high biodiversity of mangrove species in small areas, important bird areas and the presence of unique ecological wetlands. The objective of turning this island into a state park was to promote preservation of this habitat in Peninsular Malaysia, promote the eco-tourism sector and to serve as avenues for the conducting of researches and field studies.With the talks of developing a cross border tourist attraction involving the Sungei Buloh wetlands and the 3 other gazetted nature sites in the Johor state of Malaysia, researchers and nature enthusiasts welcome such a move as they see that it is feasible economically and ecologically. Protecting wetlands that are divided by small stretches of water could also slow down the rate at which mangroves are lost and enable birds to migrate periodically. Despite the interest to promote eco-tourism, there must be care and attention to the number of visitors to these nature sites so as to avoid upsetting the balance of such ecosystems,
References:
- The Straits Times (September 27, 2010). ‘Eco-tourism package deal’.
- http://www.tourism.gov.my/en/destinations/item.asp?item=pulaukukup
- http://malaysia.wetlands.org/WHATWEDO/WetlandsandWaterManagement/PulauKukup/tabid/1078/Default.aspx
- http://bm.johorparks.com.my/rd/ramsar-sites/sungai-pulai/
- http://johorparks.com.my/the-parks/tanjung-piai/
- http://www.ecologyasia.com/html-loc/sungei-buloh.htm
