INSIGHT / THE BIOPHILIC CITY
One of Singapore’s leading conservationists Dr Lena Chan discusses what it means for cities to be biophilic and reminds us that the best way to live sustainably is to reconnect with nature.
Writer: Dawn Lim | Photographer: Chee Boon Pin
“We have actually been a biophilic city all these while,” says Dr Lena Chan, senior director, International Biodiversity Conservation Division, National Parks Board (NParks) on the shift in focus towards Singapore as a biophilic city in the recent years. “A city does not turn biophilic on a planned day. Like all things natural, it evolves. All the efforts moving Singapore from a garden city to a city in a garden were actually leading us up to a biophilic city. We always had the DNA in us to be green and the principles were already in place. We simply added elements as we went along and became more and more biophilic,” she says.
Lena has been working tirelessly behind the scenes for decades to protect and enable plants and animals to thrive in Singapore, managing a delicate balance between conservation and urban development. We catch up with her at the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Learning Forest on why cities need to embrace nature and why individuals need to relearn and understand what it means to see, feel and experience the rich nature all around us.
Dr. Lena Chan at the canopy web in the Singapore Botanic Garden's Learning Forest.
How are biophilic cities different from green cities?
Originating from the word 'biophilia' (which means 'loving living things'), biophilic cities live in harmony with nature. Multidimensional with multiple plant species that support other species of animals and living things, they are a rich mosaic of forests, gardens, streams and marine environments linked by ecological corridors. Even their built infrastructure and buildings are biodiversity-friendly.
As a result, these cities have more liveable, sustainable and resilient urban communities. They understand the benefits of connecting with nature, and what natural ecosystems bring to physical, mental and psychological health.
Will every biophilic city turn out looking the same?
Depending on the kind of species that thrive in the city, coupled with cultural factors, each city will have its own special connection with plants and animals, and therefore their own biophilic interpretation and expression. Singapore's biophilic narrative might be closely tied to our food culture, for example. Since biophilic cities also have an element of 'I'm involved and I want to make it work', it is very important that the general public connects with the narrative.
Achieving a successful biophilic city is a large-scale effort. In Singapore, who are the stakeholders and parties involved that are particularly important?
A biophilic city is extremely comprehensive so it is difficult to create a successful one if efforts are approached in a piecemeal manner. It is not a single purpose. Everyone is a major stakeholder. Every government agency should be involved, collaborating and cooperating synergistically with the private sector, academic institutions and the public to create, design and sustain a biophilic city.
NParks has introduced biophilic design typologies, such as the Learning Forest at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Why are these typologies important?
As Singapore becomes more urbanised, it is essential that our infrastructure (besides natural reserves, parks and roadsides) should also feature natural elements. These biophilic design typologies are important because they ensure the principles of biophilia and ecology are consciously and intentionally incorporated into our infrastructure and included right from the beginning.
The 10 ha Learning Forest is home to 120,000 plant species.
The Natural Capital Singapore study, which you are also involved, is an important project in our biophilic efforts. Why was there an incentive to formalise a study?
We need to move away from the mindset that Singapore does not have natural resources. Our rich biodiversity needs to be a part of our national assets and story. To identify what we have, the Natural Capital Singapore study was set up to quantify Singapore's natural assets, define our most important ecosystems and develop tools to aid biophilic design in urban planning.
Any biophilic urban planning and design need to incorporate the natural capital at the early decision-making stage. However, unlike economic benefits that are easier to calculate, we currently lack a comparable framework that systematically accounts for Singapore's natural capital.
Upon recognition that the natural environment is an important component of the economic performance and liveability of a city, a multidisciplinary research team – comprising principle investigators from different institutions and various science and social studies disciplines – was needed to assess the status of Singapore's major ecosystems and quantify the value of the services provided by these ecosystems.
In a way, putting a dollar value to something will make us more aware of its true value. This study will let us know the true functions and benefits of our ecosystems.
What is an interesting problem that the study is tackling?
The translation of biodiversity values into the language of economists and financiers. Several indicators in the Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity provide quantitative scores that can be innovatively converted into values that are understood by this group of stakeholders.
We have reached a stage of maturity where we have accumulated an immense amount of data and knowledge on Singapore's diverse ecosystems. But we now need to develop the vocabulary that will help connect our ecosystem services with the current economic system.
How much of Singapore's natural assets do we understand at this point?
We have much more to learn about our natural assets, the ecological interdependencies, as well as the genomics of our biodiversity. Our plants are rather well-documented. A reasonable amount of biodiversity data has been collected, especially on taxonomic groups like flora, mammals, freshwater fish and spiders. However, we know very little about our soil organisms.
We also need to understand the demand for ecosystem services specific to different groups of people. Natural Capital Singapore would be a first step in holistically consolidating and analysing all information for national assessment and analysis.
The public and schools are also encouraged to participate in research through citizen science programmes. What is the significance of extending research efforts into the larger community?
You cannot conserve what you do not care about. You cannot care about what you do not know. So, it is important for people to be more engaged in learning. Also, our researchers can't spend 24-hours a day doing biodiversity surveys, but people are everywhere – they can help by exploring and discovering the amazing biodiversity out there that is making a difference to the quality of their lives.
For our citizen scientists, NParks created the SGBioAtlas app, which connects to a biodiversity database that allows anyone to reference, document and contribute to the database.
Do we have to choose between urban development and green-and-blue conservation? Are they mutually exclusive?
Both conservation and development should be done for the human good, so I don't think they are incompatible if biodiversity conservation is incorporated into urban development. Biophilia should help merge conservation and development into a sustainable process.
Where do you hope our biophilic efforts will lead us?
It is very difficult to cast an eye on the crystal ball because of so many external factors that are beyond our control. However, I hope that by intensifying, strengthening and broadening our biophilic efforts, it will build up Singapore's adaptation, mitigation and resilience to climate change. I hope our communities relearn to live and reconnect with nature because that is the best way for humankind to live sustainably.
