Topic 1

• what is the relationship between people and nature ?

  they are dependent and mutually affect each other
• how do local communities and nearby nature area mutually affect each other ?

  both can bring about benefits to each other
• how are local communities dependent on the nearby nature areas ?

  • nature provides essentials like air and water for humans to survive
  • pollinators like bees help pollinate crops for continuous supply of food
  • nature provides spaces for recreation and leisure activities which allows people to bond with their family and friends, hence maintaining the physical and mental well-being of humans

  eg. NParks' therapeutic garden to connect people with nature and reduce stress
• how do nature areas benefit people ?

  lowers air temperature, removes pollutants, provisions of recreation spaces
• how does nature areas lower air temperatures ?

  • provides shade and reduces the amount of direct sunlight
  • cools the surrounding air through evapotranspiration as the water that plants absorb through their roots is released into the air
• how does nature areas remove pollutants ?

  during photosynthesis, vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide and other air pollutants and releases oxygen
• how does nature areas provide recreational space ?

  direct and frequent interactions with nature can bring about health and wellbeing benefits to people, reduces severity and occurrence of health conditions
• how do people bring benefits to nature ?

  • local communities can collectively raise awareness about the value of nature areas through encouraging positive behaviour that does not damage nature

  eg. NParks citizen science initiative, dragonfly watch, trains participants to identify different species, resulting in greater protection of the species

  • local communities can also organise or participate in conservation efforts, like clean- up programmes to remove pollutants

  eg. Waterways clean- up programme organised by the waterways watch society to pick up trash from the marina reservoir
• how do people bring disadvantages to nature ?

  cause soil erosion and damaging vegetation, worsening pollution and disturbing wildlife
• how do people cause soil erosion ?

  • people hiking along non- designated trails in nature areas may cause soil compaction which prevents rainwater from infiltrating the surface, leading to surface runoff and soil erosion as the flowing water washes away the soil particles
  • they may trample on the vegetation, damaging plants and affecting their growth

  eg. in 2014, bukit timah nature reserve had to limit public access for 2 years due to the severe environmental damage
• how do people worsen pollution and disturb wildlife ?

  • people may litter, causing land pollution, and animals may get cut by metal cans or become entangled with plastic waste
  • some animals may mistake the litter for food and consume them, causing animals to get hurt, and may eventually lead to their death
  • people may feed wild animals, causing changes in the habits and behaviours of wildlife, and human- wildlife conflict can increase when animals associate food with people
• how do nature bring disadvantages to people as wildlife ?

  increased human- wildlife conflict, environmental protection may be limiting
• how is human- wildlife conflict increased ?

  urban expansion

  • as sg urbanise and develops, leading to natural habitats shrinking. wildlife may venture out of the nature areas in search for food or shelter

  growing interest in outdoor recreation

  • people are spending more time in nature areas

  people may unintentionally provoke them, and animals feeling confused and fearful, may attack them
• how is environmental protection limiting development ?

  some feel that protection of nature is done at the expense of their needs

  eg. cross island mrt was proposed to be built around instead of under the central catchment nature reserve to protect our largest primary rainforest

  • may bring inconvenience
  • may damage their property

  however, this nature reserve is home to numerous critically endangered species so construction of this mrt line may damage their habitat, affecting their survival
• what is a sense of place ?

  • it is developed when people associate meanings and memories with location
  • sense of place helps to build our identity, enabling us to understand ourselves and others better
  • it is highly personal and subjective as we derive meanings from our personal experiences and memories so one location may hold different meanings for different people depending on our needs and lifestyle

  eg. homemakers associate hawker centres with convenience as they frequently buy meals there while retirees associate it with leisure as they regularly meet friends there
• how do people acquire a sense of place in their neighbourhood ?

  repeated encounters with objects and people and memorable events at local landmarks
• how does repeated encounters with objects and people allow one to acquire a sense of place ?

  helps us recall the character and features of places we come across and create meanings and memories of them

  eg. many residents in sg have vivid memories of the scenic journeys along east coast parkway as they would pass by it when returning home from overseas
• how does memorable events at local landmarks allow people to acquire a sense of place ?

  
  

  • landmarks are highly visible and easy for most people to remember
  • they serve symbolic or historic purposes

  eg. truss bridges in bukit timah were built in 1932 as part of a railway line and due to their unique design, people associate them with sg's railway history. Many families take pictures there, hence creating memories and developing a sense of place
• how is sense of place represented ?

  • through different forms of media by individuals or organisations to reflect people's ideas, memories and significance of the locations
  • individuals can express their personal sense of place in different forms like text, audio, graphics
  • this can be shared through print media, broadcast media and internet- based media

  eg. using #sgmemory, users on Instagram can share photographs of their memorable experiences in sg
• how may representation of sense of place enhance an individual's sense of place ?

  • sense of place shapes our identity hence, we respond well to representations that agree with how we feel
  • such representation adds new layers of meanings to these places by sharing interesting information about them

  eg. websites which feature the interesting history of beaulieu house in sebawang may develop a greater appreciation in people, enhancing their attachment
• how may representations of sense of place contradict sense of place?

  • sense of place shapes our identity hence we may respond defensively to media that challenges our sense of place, causing us to dismiss these content, perceiving them as distortions

  eg. negative media portrayal of yishun after occurrence of rat problems and other crimes cause the nee soon town council and residents to share official statistics to show that yishun is just like any other towns in sg
• what are regions ?

  • they are areas with similar physical and/ or human characteristics
  • they can vary in size
  • be classified according to environmental, human and geographical characteristics
  • they can be the sphere of influence of services, events and objects on other locations in the area
• how can a region be classified according to environmental characteristics ?

  nature or built- up areas
• how can a region be classified according to human characteristics ?

  commercial or residential areas
• how can a region be classified according to geographical characteristics ?

  east or west
• what are spatial patterns ?

  • they reflect non- random arrangements that are recognisable as shapes, clusters, geometry or repeated occurrences at regular intervals
  • there is often a reason why particular services, events and objects are located in particular spaces
  • recognising spatial patterns helps us understand the world around us better

  eg. public bus stops are located at regular intervals of about 400m, increasing accessibility and convenience, enabling most people to use the public bus services
• what are spatial associations ?

  • they refer to the tendency for a pair of services, events and objects to be located near each other
  • they suggest connections between services, events and objects
  • understanding spatial associations enhances our everyday lives

  eg. train stations and bus interchanges are often located near each other to increase convenience of switching from one mode of transport to another. understanding this can help residents plan their trips to decrease their travelling time
• what are spatial scales ?

  • they refer to the extent of an area in which a phenomenon takes place
  • they can be at different hierarchies including global, regional and local
  • knowing spatial scales helps us understand how events and processes at one spatial scale may affect people and nature at other spatial scales
• what are the spatial scales in sg ?

  • in sg, there are more than 20 towns that are spread across
  • in each town, there is a town centre with a concentration of activities, serving as the commercial and social hub for residents
  • town centres may have integrated transport hubs where bus interchanges and train stations are near shopping malls
  • the convenience of such town centres may attract visitors from other towns to visit, and businesses to locate their offices there to take advantage of lower costs and reduce travelling time for their workers
• what spatial hierarchies can we observe in Singapore ?

  residential unit < precinct < neighbourhood < town
• characteristics of precinct

  • between 400 and 800 residential units
  • facilities are often within close proximity, serving residents' everyday needs

  eg. children's playgrounds, community gardens and covered walkways are always located near to each other, enhancing convenience and accessibility

  • some other facilities are spread throughout the precinct to meet the residents' needs

  eg. bus stops are spread out in regular intervals such that there is a bus stop near every apartment block, ensuring residents have easy access
• characteristics of neighbourhood

  • has between 4000 and 6000 residents
  • it comprises a few precincts
  • neighbourhoods surrounds the town centres, enabling residents to travel to and from the town centre conveniently
• characteristics of town

  • each town has a wide range of facilities and features that enhance residents' convenience and meet their everyday needs
  • for instance, extensive roads, cycling and pedestrian networks in each town that enable residents to travel easily from one precinct to another or from one neighbourhood to the town centre
  • they also have shops and schools that serve residents

  eg. tampines bus int is located next to a train station and it also has community spaces, childcare centres, food outlets and medical centres at nearby malls
• describe how sg's town planning serves residents and provide for nature at precinct, neighbourhood and town levels

  • land in each town is mostly allocated for housing, industrial and commercial development
  • remaining land is set aside for roads, schools and parks and other essential facilities
  • facilities at the different levels often complement each other and enable each town to be self- sufficient and provide employment opportunities
• describe how sg's town planning creates connections and synergies across precincts, neighbourhoods and towns

  • connections and synergies are created to help achieve sustainability
  • long term plans at the national level seek to achieve this by optimising scarce land resources to cater to the diverse needs of the current and future generations
  • as a city state, sg needs to accommodate other uses that are typically not located in cities so urban planners in sg have to consider planning for military facilities, waste treatmnent plants, power stations, seaports and airports
• how is town planning done in sg ?


  • to serve residents and provide for nature at distinct levels of the precinct, neighbourhood and town
  • creates connection and synergies across precincts, neighbourhoods and towns