The Singapore Democratic Party’s (SDP) youth wing, the Young Democrats, took to Facebook on Monday (18 January) to advocate against the redevelopment of Dover Forest for residential projects.
“We, the Young Democrats, have been advocating against the development of Bukit Batok Hillside Park (BBHP) and Clementi Forest for residential use. We now found Dover Forest, a 33-hectare plot that is home to many critically endangered species, is similarly zoned,” it said.
It recently came to light that 33 hectares of expansive forest, south of Clementi Forest, Dover Forest is now slated for residential development and would most probably be cut down to make way for new flats in the coming years.
This comes after several weeks of public outcry over the reclassification of the Clementi Forest for redevelopment.
“The planned development is deplorable and inconsistent with the Government’s expressed commitment to sustainable population growth and to protect our green space,” the youth wing noted.
In the post, it It also reiterated the importance of conserving greenery in Singapore in order to preserve flora and fauna, as well as to improve citizens’ physical and mental health.
“The Young Democrats reiterate the importance of green space for the preservation of flora and fauna. Furthermore, there is growing evidence from scientific studies that greenspace facilitates both physical & mental health,” the party noted.
It added, “We are deeply concerned that our societal mental health is under threat from institutional and environmental factors.”
As such, the Young Democrats called for the Government to pay attention in conserving nature in Singapore as well as to protect the limited greenery that still exist in the country.
“We call on the Government to not only recognise the role that nature conservation plays but to be the protector of what precious pockets of green space we have left in our little island,” it concluded.