No plans to designate Tagore forest as a nature reserve: Chee Hong Tat
He set out the Government's approach to prioritising what to conserve and how it does so.
Singapore's Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat stated on September 8 that there are currently no plans to designate the Tagore forest as a nature reserve. The forest in the Lentor area, zoned for residential development, was proposed for consideration as a nature reserve in 2024 by a group of scientists and conservationists due to its rare wildlife, including the critically endangered Raffles' banded langur and Sunda pangolin.
Chee emphasized that the designation of a nature reserve involves considering its biodiversity, ecological value, and importance to Singapore's native wildlife, while also taking into account Singapore's other land-use needs. Singapore currently has four nature reserves, with the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves being the most biodiverse areas in the country.
The minister noted that Singapore has set aside over 7,800 hectares of green spaces, with plans to increase this to 8,800 hectares by 2035. The government plans to utilize brownfield sites and intensify land usage to meet the housing needs and aspirations of Singaporeans, while taking a comprehensive approach in planning new housing supply by accounting for demographic and socio-economic trends, market conditions, and the supply of resale flats.
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