ICCS Pandan Mangrove Recce, 27 May 2013 by South Zone Captain Kelly Ong.
In support of our work at ICCS, my colleague Eric Kong has kindly offered to drive me all the way to the site again for the recce this year – thanks Eric!
We reached the mangrove around 3pm where there was a receding tide at 1.5m. The first thing which caught our attention was the clearing of the back mangrove vegetation behind bus-stop 25. What was the reason for that, I wondered?
Stumps and fallen branches of the trees were found in patches alongside the mangroves (see the photo below). This has made it easier to access the mangrove.
The trash load was medium-low – a great improvement since we first started cleaning up this mangrove patch some six years ago. But still an eyesore! We felt the itch to cleanup right away!
Items that we dispose of irresponsibly will end up in our waterways!
Lots of plastic bottles, food wrappers and containers, most likely washed in from the rising tide could be seen as usual.
A nice view of the mangrove if not for the trash!
Pandan mangrove will still be a good site for Organisers who want to present their participants with the added challenge of wading into the mud. Participants will have to walk mindfully to reduce impact to mangrove plant roots while removing the scattered trash.
A final recce nearer to the cleanup date with those who have chosen the site will be necessary to identity respective entry points.
Lets get ready for the action the 21st of September!
News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore 