点评:Review of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore
The review focuses upon the trail to the summit of Bukit Timah Hill within the context of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (‘BTNR’) and the socio-economic value of open green spaces for local communities – everywhere.
Head for the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (‘BTNR’) and you’re in the centre of the island and about 10 km from the country’s commercial district and the popular tourist heartlands of Marina Bay, the heritage buildings in the ex-colonial administrative area and, of course, the Gardens by the Bay. This is where short-term visitors can typically be found – at those well-known international destinations. And why not – this is a comfortable, well-managed and interesting country.
Want to explore the back blocks of the country? Here you’re far more likely to meet the locals; to escape the traffic, high rise, noise, etc. and to enjoy the relative tranquillity of the native rainforest with the flora and fauna that has been carefully encouraged, re-introduced, nurtured and more; to catch a glimpse of the island as-it-once-was before the modern era? That will mean taking a relative subjective view of what you can see and do in the wilderness areas that have been (re-)established over the years.
The parks, reserves, wet-lands and water catchment areas available across the island represent an asset beyond measure to the country – in the preservation of what once was, but also in the way that these lands/forests have been made available to local people – for recreation, access to nature and the personal health/well-being that comes from escaping the built environment.
The lands/forests are well-used by local people. Of a weekend, for example the trails, stairways, tracks and surfaced access roads are the domain of bikes, scooters and walkers – many in family groups with kids in pushchairs or in backpacks. Exercise people can be found everywhere. And why not. We had a couple of hours enjoying the trail in the BTNR – from the enormous Visitor Centre at the base of the summit trail to the rock on the summit that proudly promote it as the highest point in the island at 163.63 m. Stand on the summit rock – as many people were doing for a photo shot – and, for a few minutes, you’re the highest girl/boy/woman/man in the country.
Start with the BTNR then. Well, it’s small at just 1.7 km2. It runs consecutively with the Dairy Farm Nature Park and a couple of quarries to the north and, to the south, two smaller nature reserves and wetlands.
Next to the BTNR, and separated by the Bukit Timah Expressway, is the Central Catchment Area – comprising a mix of nature reserves, lakes, open lands and forestlands with a core area estimated >40 km2. There are additional green lands linking the core with the northern and western coasts of the island. So, lots of walking/biking opportunities.
The history of the island’s timber/land resources during the colonial years has always been one of exploitation – extracting timber and working the land for minerals. Fortuitously, the island’s authorities had sufficient to vision – late 19th century remember – to evaluate land cover/forests and then to establish a series of nature reserves. BTNR was the first in 1883. This did not halt exploitation, but it subsequently led to further protective measures and resulted in the 28 km2 reserves island-wide available today - under the control of the National Parks Board.
Of course, none of this was clear at the time we chose to walk to the top of Bukit Timah Hill. We estimated the walk at 2.50 km one way. It took us about 45 minutes following the tar seal track – four adults and three little kids – the three-year-old with a push chair in reserve. Apart from the first 250 m which were steep, it was an easy shallow gradient for most of the way. The alternative 150 m steps that provide a shorter route to the summit were closed off.
Round the final bend and there’s this surprisingly open platform of land – no point, of course, but simply level/rounded land with a public shelter. Take a seat and look around you. There were an estimated 50 people doing just that when we were there. Perhaps, one of the most interesting features was the historical ‘Summit’ board which described the hill – in words and photos - during the 19th C. The hill was largely denuded of cover. Everything you see today >120 years later is new. There used to be a ‘rest house’ here for the selected few to escape the colony for a few days … at a cost of S$2/day in 1892. (It was not clear if this was in 1890’s or today’s money.) Whatever, it attracted limited interest by that time and, in the early 1900s, it was replaced by a telecommunication tower. Now there’s a choice.
Gorgeous, lush green foliage and endless trees envelope the trail to the summit. Eighty years of protected management? Tropic rainforests grow fast when encouraged. Of the wildlife there we saw a handful of monkeys, some distant/noisy birds; and the people - the majority were middle- to vintage-age, and there were fewer younger people/families. It was decidedly easier when descending, but the addition of more strategically spaced benches would have made the walking easier both ways. At the beginning of the trail the Visitor’s Centre was still closed.
For those interested getting to the trail is easy. Head for the Beauty World MRT station. Through the Mall behind, cross the Upper Bukit Timah Road bridge, then 400 m along Hindhede Road is the Visitor’s Centre. Make sure you get there before it closes.
Peter Steele
04October2023
翻译:新加坡武吉知马自然保护区的点评
该审查重点关注武吉知马自然保护区(“BTNR”)背景下通往武吉知马山顶的步道,以及开放绿地对各地社区的社会经济价值。
前往武吉知马自然保护区 (BTNR),您就位于岛屿中心,距离该国的商业区和滨海湾热门旅游中心、前殖民行政区的遗产建筑约 10 公里当然还有滨海湾花园。这是短期游客通常能找到的地方——在那些著名的国际目的地。为什么不呢——这是一个舒适、管理良好且有趣的国家。
想要探索这个国家的偏僻街区吗?在这里您更有可能遇到当地人;逃离交通、高楼、噪音等,享受原生雨林的相对宁静,享受经过精心鼓励、重新引入、培育等的动植物群;想要一睹这座岛屿进入现代之前的样子吗?这意味着对多年来(重新)建立的荒野地区所看到的和所做的事情采取相对主观的看法。
岛上的公园、保护区、湿地和集水区对这个国家来说是一笔无法估量的资产——既保护了曾经的面貌,又将这些土地/森林提供给当地人– 休闲、亲近自然以及逃离建筑环境带来的个人健康/福祉。
土地/森林被当地人充分利用。例如,在周末,小径、楼梯、轨道和路面道路都是自行车、踏板车和步行器的区域——许多都是家庭团体,孩子们坐在婴儿车或背包里。锻炼身体的人随处可见。那么为何不。我们花了几个小时享受 BTNR 的步道——从山顶步道底部巨大的游客中心到山顶的岩石,这块岩石自豪地将其宣传为岛上最高点(海拔 163.63 m)。站在山顶岩石上——就像很多人拍照时所做的那样——有几分钟的时间,你就是这个国家最高的女孩/男孩/女人/男人。
然后从 BTNR 开始。嗯,它很小,只有 1.7 平方公里。它的北边是奶牛场自然公园和几个采石场,南边是两个较小的自然保护区和湿地。
BTNR 旁边,由武吉知马高速公路隔开的是中央集水区,包括自然保护区、湖泊、开阔地和林地,核心面积估计超过 40 平方公里。还有额外的绿地将核心区与岛屿的北部和西部海岸连接起来。因此,有很多步行/骑自行车的机会。
殖民时期岛上木材/土地资源的历史一直是一种剥削——开采木材和在土地上开采矿物。幸运的是,该岛当局有足够的远见(记得在 19 世纪末)评估土地覆盖/森林,然后建立一系列自然保护区。 BTNR 是 1883 年的第一个保护区。这并没有阻止开采,但随后采取了进一步的保护措施,并在国家公园委员会的控制下形成了今天全岛 28 平方公里的保护区。
当然,当我们选择步行到武吉知马山顶时,这一切都还不清楚。我们估计单程步行 2.50 公里。我们沿着焦油海豹轨道走了大约 45 分钟——四个成年人和三个小孩——其中一个三岁的孩子带着备用的婴儿车。除了前 250 米的坡度较陡外,大部分路程都是轻松的浅坡度。另一条 150 m 的台阶(提供更短的通往山顶的路线)已被关闭。
在最后一个弯道处,有一个令人惊讶的开放平台——当然,这没有任何意义,只是平坦/圆形的土地,有一个公共避难所。坐下来看看周围。当我们在那里时,估计有 50 人正在这样做。也许,最有趣的特征之一是历史上的“峰会”牌,它在 19 世纪用文字和照片描述了这座山。这座山基本上没有任何遮盖物。 120 年后你今天看到的一切都是新的。这里曾经有一个“休息所”,供被选中的少数人逃离殖民地几天……在 1892 年,费用为每天 2 新元。(不清楚这是 1890 年代的钱还是今天的钱。) 不管怎样,当时它引起的兴趣有限,在 1900 年代初期,它被一座电信塔所取代。现在有一个选择。
华丽、郁郁葱葱的绿叶和无尽的树木包围着通往山顶的小路。八十年的保护管理? 当受到鼓励时,热带雨林会快速生长。那里的野生动物中,我们看到了一些猴子,一些远处/吵闹的鸟;人群——大多数是中老年,年轻人/家庭较少。下降时显然更容易,但增加更具策略性间隔的长凳将使双向行走变得更容易。在步道的起点处,游客中心仍然关闭。
对于那些有兴趣的人来说,走这条路很容易。前往美丽世界地铁站。穿过后面的购物中心,穿过上武吉知马路大桥,然后沿 Hindhede 路 400 m 就是游客中心。确保在关门之前到达那里。
彼得·斯蒂尔
2023 年 10 月 4 日