Sat 04 Aug 2012: Join us on our pre-National Day coastal cleanup @ Lim Chu Kang mangrove!

Celebrate our National Day with a mangrove cleanup on Saturday, 4th August 2012! Sign up here by Thursday!

The Mission:

Lim Chu Kang mangrove is a beautiful and unique patch of unprotected mangrove in Singapore, facing the Western Straits of Johor. It is adjacent to a Police Coast Guard base and offshore, kelongs and fish farms unload their produce at the jetty for delivery to markets in Singapore.

Scientists have worked in this mangrove for decades and though it is but a small patch that remains, it is scientifically interesting and holds many stories about animal and plant life and heritage in Singapore. In 2008, the Sungei Buloh Master Plan revealed it would link up with the Lim Chu Kang mangroves.

The famous mud lobster mounds of Lim Chu Kang mangrove

Trash from the Johor Straits is regularly deposited on Lim Chu Kang beach and mangrove and since this is state land, and not used recreationally, the impact on marine life is battled through the efforts of various groups who take to the beach and mangrove during cleanups throughout the year.

A typical scene at Lim Chu Kang beach

The removal of trash is tackled sensitively through the actions of small groups. To contribute to this exercise, I organise a pre-National Day cleanup annually in celebration of Singapore’s birthday and invite anyone who might want to come – last year sixty-four of us removed more than a tonne of trash in just over an hour! All you have to do is sign up here by Thu 02 Aug 2012 to be part of a happy bunch!

The pre-national Day Coastal Cleanup 2011 cleared more than one tonne of trash!

Itinerary:

• 0745 – bus pick-up at Dover MRT and one bus-stop after Clementi MRT, along Commonwealth Avenue West Road
• 0830 – reach LCK, distribute into sub-groups, apply insect repellent, collect gloves and trash bags.
• 0845 – Briefing, identification of Trash Loading Point (TLP) and bus shelter, wet weather plan (carry on unless lightning threat)
• 0900 – cleanup begins.
• 1000 – Loading teams start moving trash out to TLP
• 1030 – clean-up ends, weigh trash and discussion; Q&A
• 1045 – participants clean up – note: no washing point, so bring small amount of water to wipe down.
• 1100 – Bus returns to Clementi MRT then NUS – Note: help needed to wash gloves in NUS.

 

Click for map of pickup points

The Clementi pick up point, one bus stop after Clementi MRT

Provided:

1. Transport to site.
2. Gloves.
3. Trash bags.
4. Weighing scales.

Be prepared!

• Sleep early the night before and hydrate – this will affect your performance and enjoyment of the morning,
• set your alarm to wake up on time – we can’t wait for latecomers (time and tide critical) and
• have a decent breakfast – it will be a workout, last year 42 of us cleared >800kg of trash!

What you should bring:

1. Covered shoes with hard soles – hard-soled booties are fine.
2. Water bottle (at least one litre of water).
3. Hat and/or sun block.
4. Raincoat/ponco (we’ll carry on working in rain)
5. Towel in a bag – to wipe off any sand and mud off you.
6. Suggestion – dry fit clothes are suitable for this work. If you prefer cotton, a change of t-shirt will come in handy after a sweaty workout.
7. Light pants will help protect your legs from insect bites (if you tend to get bitten!) as well as from the debris, but bermudas are fine.
8. Water-proof your belongings.
9. Some water to wipe yourself down with

Transport:

Registered participants who require transport can be picked up at these timings/locations (click for maps):

1. 0740 – Bus stop at Dover MRT along Commonwealth Ave West (Bus stop no. 19031)
2. 0745 – Bus Stop after Clementi Interchange (Bus stop no. 17171; note you must walk some 100m from Clementi MRT Station)

Note that the bus cannot wait at these locations so do come early.

Driving?
Meet us at Lim Chu Kang Road end (click for map) at 0830 where parking space is available.

Cleanup site at Lim Chu Kang mangrove

Happy National Day!