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Habitatnews 2002-23: Friday, 22nd November 2002
The Habitat Group's Nature Information List
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Nature-related news that the busy Singaporean might otherwise miss. More
information and archives at: <http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg>
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Changi’s heritage – here today, gone tomorrow?
Attempts to reflect some part of this heritage begins, and
hopefully we are not to late...
21 Nov 2002 Update: The rare and grand old Hopea sangal (Chengal pasir)
tree has been felled. See <http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/news/changi>
When the Urban Renewal Authority published a draft plan called Rustic
Coasts, that included the Changi area. I was perturbed. You see, prior to
this, the 2001 Focus Group had raised the issue of identity. Singaporeans
were struggling for an identity in this rapidly changing landscape of ours.
I was uncomfortable by the fact that the Rustic Coast proposal ignored the
indigenous heritage of the area. Not that the plan lacked any merit but it
was oblivious to the very rich heritage of Changi.
So I struggled (and still am struggling) to reflect some part of the
heritage of Changi in one easily accessible webpage:
<http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/news/changi>
Luckily, many people came to the rescue.
Changi is peppered with World War II scars - battles and decoy landings,
large guns of the coastal defense, languishing prisoners, and summary
executions of civilians on the beach, but hardly a marker exists. I know
nothing of the social history of the area. But I have been privy to the bays
that hide a variety of marine life. Bumboat drivers are an unexplored
reservoir of oral history, know of many secrets including large Green
Turtles and dugongs. Offshore, a rock bears the strange name of Squance
Rock. Host to a species of sea bird, the Black-naped tern, for more than
half a century at least, Loke Wan Tho took a photo of the nesting birds on
the rock in the 50’s. It is this photo that we believe led to the image of
the Black-naped tern on the dollar note of the bird series. 50 years later,
local naturalists are still taking photos of this seasonally nesting bird,
in the same pose, on the same rock!
Changi has very special wayside trees. Old trees that predate the colonial
era speak of a primary rainforest that once covered the area - the Changi
Jungle. Large primary trees, many more than 100 years old, are nestled along
footpaths and shade present day bus stops along the small roads that
interlace the area behind the Village. A Changi speciality! Changi is
believed to have inherited its name from a tree. While the Chengal tree is a
strong contender, the case remains open. The most famous Changi tree
(pre-war), however, is not the species Changi, but rather, what had been the
tallest tree in the area, for such a long time that it defined the area from
the pre-1900’s. A tree so tall, it was a marker for aircraft and listed on
maps.
In order to deny the Japanese this blatant topographical clue, the British
blew up the tree in 1942, all 76m of it! Ironically, legend had it that
Singapore would fall when it did, and the rest as they say, is history.
I mused about the lack of easily available information about the heritage
trees of Changi with Joseph Lai. Within days or it seemed like hours, he
rounded up a small team, and began documenting the Changi trees for
submission to the authorities. They mapped the heritage trees of Changi in
September 2002. A comprehensive map, located all the trees, and notes were
added. Soon, they completed the survey and submitted a proposal.
And they heralded an amazing find – Hopea sangal, also known as Chengal
pasir, and possibly the Changi tree that gave the area its name. Listed in
the Red Data Book as extinct, a very old tree had survived the ravages of
time including lightning strikes! Situated at Halthon Road, off Loyang
Avenue, it towered above some charming old colonial houses that characterise
Changi.
And in October, Joseph and friends began the over-subscribed Changi trees
tours.
On Wed afternoon, 20th November 2002, I was on my way to Changi Village. I
decided to finally stop by to see the wonderful Hopea sangal. However, all I
saw was a stump. A lorry was parked nearby and there were two trunks of
large diameter and heavily fissured bark lying on the ground. I called
Joseph and received a precise description of the exact spot of the tree.
There was no mistake. The rare Hopea sangal was no more. I was too late to
see it in all its glory, but was instead witness to the disposal of the once
towering trunk. See photos at <http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/news/changi>
I looked at the healthy stump and wondered, why had this happened? We had
celebrated its rebirth so recently, and now it was gone. In a blink of an eye.
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The slowly growing webpage on Changi’s heritage owes thanks for Joseph Lai &
friends who surveyed, wrote up and submitted a comprehensive proposals for
the Changi heritage trees, Adrian Loo & Hugh Tan who penned the legend of
Changi tree, Subaraj Rajathurai, Morten Strange & Chua Ee Kiam for the
account, comments and photos of the Black-naped tern, Ang Kai Yang & his
cousin for photos of coastal areas, and Karl Hack & Kevin Blackburn (NIE,
NTU) for the war history and allowing me to put on the web a map from their
upcoming 2003 book, “Did Singapore have to fall?”.
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