Singapore does not plan to grant Tagore Forest nature reserve status
Singapore currently has no plans to grant Tagore Forest nature reserve status. Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat stated this in a written parliamentary reply to a question about the assessment of land parcels important for ecology.
As Channel NewsAsia reports, the forest is located southeast of the junction of the Seletar Expressway and Upper Thomson Road. Under the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Master Plan, the area is designated for residential development.
Ecological value of the area
In 2024, more than 40 scientists and conservationists proposed in the Singapore Terrestrial Conservation Plan document that the possibility of protecting Tagore Forest as a nature park be studied. The document describes the forest as a buffer zone around the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and a habitat for rare animals, including the Raffles’ banded langur.
According to Chee Hong Tat, the government uses a science-based approach to determine which areas should be protected and how. When considering whether to grant a site nature reserve status, authorities assess its biodiversity, ecological value and importance to local biodiversity, while also taking other land-use needs into account.
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Development and conservation plans
Singapore has four nature reserves protected under the Parks and Trees Act: Bukit Timah, Central Catchment, Labrador and the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. According to the minister, these areas are considered the richest in biodiversity and representative of the country’s natural landscapes.
The minister also said that Singapore has set aside more than 7,800 hectares of green spaces, with their area expected to increase to 8,800 hectares by 2035. Nature areas and nature parks serve as buffers for reserves. Government agencies use ecological profiling to identify key ecological corridors between major natural habitats and fauna-critical corridors that require monitoring.
Where possible, authorities will prioritize more efficient use of developed or underused sites over areas with greenery or heritage assets. If development could have a potentially significant environmental impact, an environmental impact assessment will be conducted and measures to reduce harm will be developed.
