Garden City Under the Sea Diving into Singapore's Coral Reefs
by Jennifer Williams Lee Kuan Yew imagined mainland Singapore as a Garden City in 1967, and today we see the legacy of his vision. But Singapore also includes 64 off-shore islands and a large marine area. A quick glance from the shoreline reveals an extended city of ocean-going vessels, container shipping ports and off-shore oil facilities — hardly an ideal marine life environment.
Sisters’ Islands Marine Park Established in 2014, the Sisters’ Islands comprise Singapore’s first protected marine park. Singapore’s waters are home to 250 species of hard coral (35% of hard coral species found worldwide) as well as 100 species of reef fish, 200 species of sponges and 12 seagrass species.
City Reef - Marina at Keppel Bay A closer look reveals that Singapore’s efforts at conservation aren't just on land but also happening out of sight and under the waves. Marina at Keppel Bay is an excellent example of a conservation project that is happening right underfoot. Or rather, under dock. Above water, the Marina is home to luxury yachts, including the White Rabbit which is touted as the world’s largest tri-hull superyacht. But below the surface lives a diverse range of hard and soft corals, sea fans, anemone, reef fish and even visiting sea turtles. The marina was purposely structured to support a coral reef. Water flows through the marina during tide changes, bringing the nutrients and plankton essential to
Ships anchored outside Singapore
Sea Turtle Hatchling
nurture marine life. Marina at Keppel Bay has partnered with the Experimental Marine Ecology Laboratory of NUS to improve marine life on the many vertical seawalls around the marina. They also teamed with International SeaKeepers Society to introduce youth to marine life and conservation. This successful blending of luxury marina and coral reef is proof that efforts to protect our natural environment can make a real difference. 12
AWA Magazine March/April 2022
Coral Nursery Along with protecting existing coral, the marine park runs a coral nursery. Coral nubbins are planted and grown in the nursery until they are large enough to be transplanted to Reef Enhancement Units (REU). As the corals grow in the REUs, fish find refuge within them and the diversity of the Marine Park’s coral reefs expands.
