Singapore unveils plans to designate second marine park at Lazarus South, Kusu Reef

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s southern islands - Kusu and Lazarus - have been picked as the proposed site for the country's second marine park, announced Minister for National Development Desmond Lee on Thursday (May 9). 

The location encompasses the southern part of Lazarus Island and reef off Kusu Island, according to the National Parks Board (NParks) in a media factsheet.

The actual boundaries of the proposed marine park are still being determined and are targeted to be finalised in 2025. 

The announcement came after NParks completed an ecological profiling exercise in 2022, which identified areas of biodiversity in Singapore and the ecological connectivity between such hotspots. 

Ecological connectivity refers to the unimpeded movement of species and the flow of natural processes that sustain life on earth, according to the International Union for Conservation of Union. 

Both Lazarus South and the coral reefs off Kusu Island were found to be especially rich in coral biodiversity, which led to the chosen site, said Mr Lee.

Having two marine parks will enable Singapore to strengthen marine and terrestrial conservation, provide opportunities for education and research and offer spaces for nature-based recreation, he said. 

“This is also very important in an era where climate change and its impact are more keenly felt.”

RICH BIODIVERSITY

Around 250 species of hard corals have been documented in Singapore’s waters out of over 800 species found worldwide.

The reefs of Lazarus Island and Kusu Island are home to 97 and 141 coral species respectively, including certain rare ones, said NParks. 

The reefs at Lazarus Island were identified to be a sink for coral larvae from the Sisters’ Islands, while the reefs at Kusu Island were found to have high potential in seeding other reefs in Singapore's southern waters with coral larvae.

Kusu Island’s reefs have also been deemed ideal for coral transplantation and restoration which could help expand Singapore’s overall coral cover. 

Additionally, Lazarus South holds one of the Southern Islands’ largest native-dominated mature secondary coastal forests with rare species such as the Nicker Bean and Brown Scrufy Fig. 

It also has one of Singapore’s few remaining natural rocky shores. 

HABITATS COMPLEMENTARY TO FIRST MARINE PARK

Singapore’s first marine park was established in 2014 and spans 40ha around the Sisters’ Islands as well as along the western reefs of St John’s Island and Pulau Tekukor. 

The site was chosen due to the variety of habitats there, including sandy shores, seagrass meadows and coral reefs. 

NParks said the habitats at Lazarus Island and Kusu Island have been identified to be complementary to those at Sisters’ Islands Marine Park. 

Therefore, “designating these areas as Singapore’s second marine park will allow NParks to better conserve and manage both the terrestrial and marine habitats, and enhance ecological connectivity”, it said. 

This will help to safeguard Singapore’s core biodiversity areas and strengthen their climate and ecological resilience, it added. 

NParks said that a second marine park is part of its holistic conservation approach and is also in line with the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) plans to retain the Southern Islands' character while making them more inclusive and accessible for recreation.

The statutory board added that it would work closely with the relevant agencies and stakeholders, such as URA and Friends of Marine Park, over the second half of 2024 to study and determine the proposed marine park’s boundaries.