The sheer spectrum of flora and fauna in Seletar is simply breathtaking. Butterflies and birds are just the more obvious groups. It got us thinking about the status of biodiversity in this island. EarthTrends publishes an Environmental Information Portal and has comparative data for many countries. According to its profile of Singapore, protected areas as a percent of total land in Singapore is 5.5% versus … Continue reading Biodiversity in Singapore
Residents of Seletar Airbase have been assured tenancy until December 2008. Back in July 2006, the deadline seemed far away. Twelve months on, the ticking clock is getting louder. The window to capture this environment as we know and love it is narrowing. Despite the fact that no official masterplan for the Aerospace Hub has been published, construction work has begun. Hopefully we still have … Continue reading Just a few more months
We are seeing a rise in the level of activity by poachers. Despite calling the police, for the second weekend in a row, birds have been trapped. Here is a photo taken by one of the residents. Wild birds being snatched in Seletar Camp It could be due to the news that many residents will be moving out of the camp, and therefore less vigilant … Continue reading Poachers in the Camp
This is the ultra-short conclusion of the findings in a study by Dennis Hansen, Heine Kiesbüy, and Christine Müller from Zurich University, and Carl Jones from the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, who found that an endangered plant in Mauritius depends on a neighboring plant to provide a safe home for its pollinator, a day-active gecko. The admirable efforts to keep human residents up to date on … Continue reading Neighbors gone, sex gone, fruits gone, species gone
The BBC’s special report forecasting impact of climate change is sobering. As much as we in Singapore think we can insulate ourselves, inevitably we too will be impacted. On a happier note, the Camp continues to ignite imagination – The Governance Board was awarded a project last week, and as part of our deliverables, we will be commissioning sketches of nature at the camp – … Continue reading Postcards from Seletar
We have been busy these past 5 weeks, and so it seems, has JTC. In the letterbox yesterday was notice from Premas that the Aerospace Hub master plan will be published in the next month. Just how much of the heritage will be preserved remains to be seen. The Straits Times carried a piece on renovation work that had begun over at Birdcage Walk. Simon … Continue reading Long overdue
RAF Seletar, Singapore, was an RAF station from 1928 through to 1971. The RAF Seletar Association was formed in 1997 to help bring together anyone who have had any dealings with the base in any capacity service or civilian. Forces reunited has a long and growing list of ex-Seletar RAF personnel. Some background Chinese immigrants to Singapore established settlements in the 1840s, dotting the northern … Continue reading RAF visits the camp
Built in 1933, Clifford Pier was a landing point for immigrants and other sea passengers. A red oil lamp used to hang from the pier as a guide to seafarers, earning the pier the name Red Lamp Pier. The pier was later used as a terminal for tourists and day trippers who boarded small boats and ferries heading for the Southern Islands. Clifford Pier was … Continue reading Any lessons from the Clifford Pier experience?
For a slightly different version of London Tube stations, including those that gave us street names right here at the camp, see this masterpiece of anagrams. Can’t crack it? Just hold your cursor over the station name for 2 seconds and the real name will appear. Enjoy! Continue reading Familiar Names
The growing waste-lines in our society are the result of our incredible inventiveness and productivity in this century, which has made us forget that inextricably we belong to nature. Check out the full article by Brian Richards from BRR Thanks, Alison, for the link Continue reading Waste-lines
On 12 April 2006, Singapore acceded to the Kyoto protocol. The National Environment Agency has been designated as National Authority to deliver on this commitment. It’s website lists several campaigns to arrest greenhouse gas emissions. For many inhabitants at the camp, working from home is a choice we make, to reduce our individual carbon footprints. Many parents co-ordinate with each other to car-pool on school … Continue reading What does the Kyoto protocol mean to you?
Did you know that Singapore’s National Parks Board has listed 7 trees in Seletar Airbase in its Heritage Tree Register? They are all broad leafed mahoganies, entry numbers 143 through 150. When space was cleared for creation of an RAF base, some trees were obviously spared. Continue reading Heritage Trees
During 2006, a team from Really Architecture collated an online scrapbook, and a video analysis of life at the Airbase. Extract from culturepush: When it was announced that Clifford Pier would cease operations in March 2006 with plans to develop the landmark into the inevitable mall complex, there was public outcry against Singapore’s rapidly disappearing heritage. In a constant struggle between tradition and progress, iconic … Continue reading Singapore’s Secret Garden
One of the most memorable discoveries as we moved in was the Sunday ritual of exploring Garage Sales – we were thrilled to see this tradition alive and well in the Camp. It suggested there was a community of ready buyers, people who were happy to take on used goods. Quite the departure from the more common practice in Singapore of ‘on with the new … Continue reading Recycling
As updated on 19th January 2007 ” JTC will carry out master-planning and infrastructure improvements for the Seletar Aerospace Park, in consultation with other government agencies. The proposed aerospace park will take into account Seletar’s rich aviation heritage and character. It will support a new integrated aerospace industry cluster incorporating the following activities: aerospace MRO design and manufacturing of aircraft systems and components business and … Continue reading JTC’s web page on Seletar
Pete Biggadike’s collection of photos from 1958 paint a vivid picture of how business of the day (being an air force) mixed with life that ranged from walks along the beach (photo of 20-inch diameter starfish) and village life at Jalan Kayu. Enjoy! Continue reading A glimpse of the Camp in 1958
He may have lost his tail, but he seems to have all his spunk intact. Sunbathing on our pool deck. Sep 07 update – Isabelle has been indulgent, and fulfilled my wish to include a monitor lizard in our postcard series. They seem so self contained. And Mansoor was not the only one who fancied teak decking 😉 Continue reading Mansoor, our domesticated monitor lizard
Building an authoritative taxonomy of the Camp’s ecology will require many hands. We were fortunate to have the support of The Nature Society (NSS), a non-government, non-profit organisation dedicated to the appreciation, conservation, study and enjoyment of the natural heritage in Singapore and the surrounding region. Run by volunteers, the Society depends financially on contributions from its members as well as companies, institutions and individuals. … Continue reading Birds of Seletar Camp
Update: On 30th June 2007, The Golf Club closed its doors. According to SLA, the clubhouse and grounds are available for rental till 31st December 2007. Background (as narrated on Seletar Golf Club’s website) Seletar Base Golf Club came into existence on 1 January 2002 with the aim of placing golf within reach of anyone interested in playing and enjoying this great game. Formed to … Continue reading Seletar Base Golf Club
In May 2006, Singapore’s Economic Development Board announced plans to develop an aerospace hub in what is more commonly known as Seletar Camp. Since then, residents have reacted in a variety of ways. The purpose of this journal is to record developments as we progress through 2007 and 2008, and to review the history of the camp and its inhabitants. Continue reading Tribes matter
Strix seloputo These are fairly large predators, with body length of 25-35 cms, 1 meter wingspan, and weigh up to 1 kg. Their diet consists of small mammals like flying squirrels, wood rats, mice, voles and also some birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. They hunt mainly at night by swooping down from a higher perch. These owls usually nest in a cavity, old stick nest, … Continue reading Spotted Wood Owl
11. Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris WV 12. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea C/RB 13. Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis C/RB 14. Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri U/IRB 15. Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri C/IRB 16. Long-tailed Parakeet Psittacula longicauda C/RB </li> <li> Black-nest Swiftlet Collocalia maxima C/RB</li> <li> Edible-nest Swiftlet Collocalia fuciphaga C/RB</li> <li> House Swift Apus nipalensis C/RB</li> <li> Rock Pigeon Columba livia A/IRB</li> Continue reading Parakeets
Postcards from Seletar 