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Mangrove conservation in Singapore: A physical or a psychological impossibility?

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Abstract

The coastal habitats in Singapore, in particular the mangrove and the adjacent wetland areas, are rapidly being destroyed and degraded due to development and its side effects. For successful securing of the future of the mangroves, public awareness of mangroves and politically and publicly supported, integrated conservation programmes are needed. However, due to the lack of public awareness about the pressing issue of nature conservation and the insufficiency in the understanding of the importance of mangroves by decision-makers, plans and actions for the conservation of the remaining mangroves have been scarce and inadequate. This manuscript will give a brief introduction to mangroves in Southeast Asia, and summarise the history of the development of mangrove areas in Singapore and the current situation pertaining to natural habitats and conservation in Singapore. It will point out the inadequacy of mangrove conservation thus far in Singapore, highlight the paucity of baseline data pertaining to mangroves in Southeast Asia, discuss the problems stemming from the lack of public awareness, argue for the conservation of Singapore's remaining mangroves and propose conservation strategies and local and regional research directions.

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Hsiang, L.L. Mangrove conservation in Singapore: A physical or a psychological impossibility?. Biodiversity and Conservation 9, 309–332 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008993417327

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