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1. Chairman of the Residents’ Committee

2. Singapore is a very small and land-scarce country, and reclamation is necessary for its survival and prosperity . The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a nature reserve located in the Northwest area of Singapore. It is globally important as ..

3. ..a stop-over for migratory birds

4. And has an area of 1.30 square kilometers .

6. The land reclamation will benefit residents in a way such that they have been promised that they will be employed by the resort developer. How will it benefit the residents?

7. However, there are some detriments *detriments - disadvantages

8. Residents would have to move out of their houses

9. meaning losing close friendships fostered there

10. and some may not be used to the environments of their new houses

11. Impacts POSITIVE

12. Buyers of the new ‘wetland houses’ could enjoy fresh air at no cost

13. New investments will be created in lieu of the development project

14. New urban developments will be established

15. Housing shortage will be eased ..

16. .. as living space increases

17. NEGATIVE

18. Habitat destruction

19. Air pollution

20. Noise pollution

21. Health hazards ..

22. ..due to dusts produced by the construction works

24. Groundwater contamination and/or aquifers by leakage & residual soil contamination

25. Increased turbidity will contribute to the pollution.

26. What is Turbidity? Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality. Turbidity in open water may be caused by growth of phytoplankton . Human activities that disturb land , such as construction , can lead to high sediment levels entering water bodies during rain storms , due to stormwater runoff , and create turbid conditions . Urbanized areas contribute large amounts of turbidity to nearby waters, through stormwater pollution from paved surfaces such as roads, bridges and parking lots.

27. Marine vegetation will not be able to survive due to high turbidity.

28. Water contamination , particularly from landfills that are poorly constructed and operated

29. There will be more waste pollution because of the development.

31. I strongly oppose to the land reclamation. The nature reserve ecosystem benefits many different organisms in numerous ways. It acts as a nursery for many species such as cicadas, otters, mudskippers, migratory birds, monitor lizards and many more.

32. It preserves the coast line as mangroves prevent erosion caused by strong waves during storms and by rivers during floods. They not only prevent erosion but also reclaim land by trapping silt , sediment and debris .

33. Furthermore, the nature reserve is well maintained and unpolluted . If there would be a land reclamation, there would be many constructions works carrying out.

34. Thus, there will be a lot of noise and dust produced which will become pollution to the residents. This reclamation will cause pollution to people and the ecosystem as it creates deafening noises . This might disturb the nature reserve ecosystem. Animals might very soon stray away from the area or migrate to another place and not come back due to the disturbance created. Construction works operating might affect the animals’ health due to the dust produced.

35. Sungei Buloh is Singapore’s first and only protected wetland Nature Park. If reclaimed, unoriginal as it is and many parts of it will be affected . Besides, other generations might also want to experience the originality of the wetland reserve.

36. Moreover, it is risky and expensive to reclaim land as it costs $10 billion .

37. Nevertheless there are also gains to building a resort. The resort built in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve would be unique as it will be surrounded by wetlands . For those who are nature-lovers , probably, it will be a paradise for them. Also, the residents will be employed once the resort is being built. Next, they can make a lucrative business over there since Johor Bahru is just a stone’s throw away . Consequently, residents may consider this beneficial .

39. Initially, we can setup public amenities inside the reserve, like restaurants and/or some shops, with boardwalks across the water and a waterside village to attract tourists to observe Singapore's wildlife. 1

40. Subsequently, we can mix of large, modern malls and low-rise shops in a village setting with a reserve as the backdrop to make the area look like an authentic fishing village . 2

41. Besides, it can also be represented as a second Bird park which can provide facilities like Jurong Bird Parks’ feeding time but leave the reserve open to public without restricting the animals through bird shows or cages. 3

42. Ultimately, a sponsorship for endangered species or animals or have people volunteers to take care of the animals' well-being and provide tour services for tourists . 4

43. BEST SOLUTION ! Majority of the reserve (80%) can remain intact and the remaining area (20%) becomes a resort . At the same time, The reserve acts as a habitat for flora and fauna while resort acts as a bota nic garden that reclaims only part of the vicinity and we can use that for such occasions like open-air performances, organized eve nts or picnics in a natural atmosphere for observing and learning about Sing apore's ecosystem while in the comfort of different observation points situated around the reserve. As a tou rist attraction , it has many facilities to cater to tourists’ needs.

45. Sun, Yee-Fan. &quot;Shacking Up.&quot; Digs Magazine.com . 2005. 5 Sept. 2005 < http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sungei_Buloh_Wetland_Reserve >. http:// www.sbwr.org.sg / http://mangrove.nus.edu.sg/guidebooks/text/1019.htm