1. 1
Ecosystem Services: a future tool to conserve Singapore’s threatened mangroves?
Dan Friess, Dan Richards, Shermaine Wong, Jharyathri Thiagarajah, Val Phang
The Mangrove Lab
Department of Geography
National University of Singapore 1

2. The project What are ecosystem services? What are the issues?
“The direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human wellbeing”
What are the issues?
Mangroves are under threat now and in the future
Mangroves are not properly valued
Mangroves could be better incorporated into the planning process
What are the aims of this project?
Quantify the most important mangrove ecosystem services in Singapore
Estimate how ecosystem services will change in the future
Promote ecosystem services as a tool to communicate the importance of mangroves, and to strengthen the role of mangroves in land use planning
(aka show why mangroves are AWESOME)

3. 1. Quantifying ecosystem services
Service? Carbon storage
Why important? Mangroves take CO2 out of the atmosphere, reduce our national carbon footprint and contribution to climate change
Chek Jawa
Primary
forest
Secondary
forest
Ngo et al. (2013)
Phang, Chou & Friess. in press. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms

4. 1. Quantifying ecosystem services
Service? Carbon storage
Why important? Mangroves take CO2 out of the atmosphere, reduce our national carbon footprint and contribution to climate change
= tonnes of CO2-e
= annual emissions of cars
= gallons of gasoline
= annual energy use of homes
= annual emissions of Singaporeans

5. 1. Quantifying ecosystem services
Service? Cultural value, spiritual value, aesthetic value, recreation
Why important? Bring money into the economy, green spaces for health and relaxation, contributes to the “City in a Garden”

6. 1. Quantifying ecosystem services
Service? Cultural value, spiritual value, aesthetic value, recreation
Why important? Bring money into the economy, green spaces for health and relaxation, contributes to the “City in a Garden”
Other ecosystem services we are studying:
Coastal protection
Climate (urban heat island)
Fisheries
Do you have biodiversity data? Other ideas? Join us!
Take selfies, save the environment!
Richards & Friess Ecological Indicators 53,

7. NOTE: WE DO NOT THINK WE SHOULD SACRIFICE ANY MANGROVES!
2. Ecosystem services in the future
Mangroves will be lost under the 2013 URA Land Use Plan/ 2014 URA Master Plan
Is there a balance between land development and mangrove ecosystem services?
NOTE: WE DO NOT THINK WE SHOULD SACRIFICE ANY MANGROVES!

8. Take home messages
Singapore’s mangroves provide lot’s of important ecosystem services!
Tradeoffs exist between ecosystem services and development, but balances can be found
Ecosystem services are a tool to communicate the importance of mangroves to the public and decision makers
Ecosystem services could be an umbrella with which to conserve biodiversity
Ecosystem services give ecosystems “a voice” in land planning
For more info, check out: