International Symposium on Conserving Intertidal Areas held in Singapore

Government representatives, academics and NGOs raise awareness on mangrove and mudflats conservation at site of international importance

A two-day “Symposium on Intertidal Conservation in Southeast Asia” will be held on 12 and 13 June at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Singapore. The symposium is co-hosted by BirdLife International, the National Parks Board, the National University of Singapore Law Faculty’s Asia Pacific Centre for Environmental Law (APCEL) and the Nature Society (Singapore). It brings together over 60 government representatives, site managers and thought leaders from eleven countries to raise awareness and share strategies on the conservation of intertidal areas in the region.

Intertidal areas such as mudflats and mangroves are of critical importance to people and wildlife. One such example is the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. It is recognised as a site of international importance for migratory birds and is a feeding area for millions of migratory birds to rest and refuel before flying on the next leg of their journey. In January 2014, a Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) believed to be about 20 years old was spotted again at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, nineteen years after it was first ringed in Singapore in 1995. Another significant record for Singapore was the ringing of a Common Redshank (Tringa tetanus) in 1990, which was later sighted again here in 2011, about 21 years apart.

Singapore is among 22 countries such as China, Korea, Australia and Russia which are situated along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, an annual migration path for 50 million birds which spans 10,000 km. This flyway is used by more species than any of the other eight global flyways, but is also home to the most threatened species of any of the flyways. Other countries along this flyway include Japan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Thailand, some of whom will be represented among the academics and expert speakers at this symposium.

Dr Shawn Lum, Lecturer at the National Institute of Education and President of the Nature Society (Singapore) said, “These coastal sites are irreplaceable and invaluable. Preserving them is not just for wildlife. They support over 50 million birds on their annual migration, and also many millions of people through providing nurseries for fish, shrimp and crabs. Without these areas our fisheries would be severely impacted. All people of Asia would suffer as a result.”

Cristi Nozawa, Asia Regional Director at BirdLife International, added that, “It is critically important that we find a path for the sustainable development of the coastal areas of Southeast Asia. We need to raise greater appreciation for these seemingly unproductive and muddy areas to ensure they can continue to provide for birds, fish and people.”

Professor Lye Lin Heng, Director of APCEL, thinks that this Symposium comes at a critical time. “Pressures on our coasts are increasing but there is a lack of effective coastal zone management. All countries along the Flyway need Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). This was endorsed in Chapter 17 of Agenda 21 (Earth's Action Plan) in 1992. This requires a strong institutional and legal framework and must include the adoption of a sound National Wetland Policy and effective integrated management. There is also a need for International and regional cooperation and coordination. This Symposium will provide an excellent opportunity for government representatives, site managers, NGOs and experts in ICZM to work together on a common platform, to ensure the sustainability of our coastal resources.”

Sharon Chan, Deputy Director, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, highlighted the need for the region to work closely together as a network of migratory sites. “Birds from Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve like the Mongolian Plover have made stopovers in Thailand and Malaysia to feed during the migratory season. What happens at one site along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway affects the rest. Only through constant communication and sharing among countries along the flyway can protection of the migratory birds become effective”.