NParks to be Central Managing Agency for Pulau Ubin

New management model will allow NParks to manage the island more holistically

Singapore, 4 June 2016 — The National Parks Board (NParks) will take on the role of the central managing agency for Pulau Ubin. This was announced at Ubin Day 2016 by Minister Lawrence Wong, who was the Guest-of-Honour at the event.

As the central managing agency for the island, NParks will now oversee the maintenance of most aspects of Ubin, including earth tracks, roads, bridges, drains, quarry lakes and cemeteries, in addition to its current responsibilities of maintaining the greenery on Ubin. NParks will also oversee the use of the island by the public for recreation, education and research, and manage licenses issued to the local community.

The idea to designate NParks as the central managing agency for Pulau Ubin was first mooted by the Friends of Ubin Network (FUN). Pulau Ubin was managed by 12 agencies with technical and land ownership responsibilities. With the centralized management of the island, NParks will be able to respond more quickly and directly to queries and issues raised by residents and the public, instead of having to refer these queries to other agencies. The handover of the island will be done in phases and NParks is expected to fully take over as the central agency by mid-2017.

Ubin Day 2016

Today also marks the fifth time that Ubin Day is being organized. Supported by more than 10 community groups, including the Nature Society (Singapore), Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) initiative, Singapore Heritage Society and U Volunteers, a host of activities such as coastal cleanups, nature sketching, kampong games and tours, mangrove boat tours, and cycling and kayaking trips were organised in collaboration with NParks as part of Ubin Day 2016. There will also be educational booths to promote biodiversity conservation and cultural heritage.

At the event, two books on the island were also launched. The first, titled “Footprints on an Island – Rediscovering Pulau Ubin”, documents the precious heritage of the island through photographs and stories of its residents. The second book, “The Hunt for the Green Boomerang”, is a children’s book on the fascinating flora, fauna and heritage sites found on the island.

This year, Ubin Day is part of a month long series of event called Pesta Ubin to celebrate the island. For more information on Pesta Ubin, please visit http://pestaubin2016.blogspot.sg/.