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Singapore did not care about the environment as the focus was on land revenue.

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Singapore did not care about the environment as the focus was on land revenue.

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Agricultural triviality is more important than environmental concerns because of the economic benefits it reaps.

The idea of clearance of land is further supported by the Government who encourages jungle clearance for land revenue even if it is known to affect the rainfall.

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We can argue that Singapore did care about the environment because we had a Colonial Forest Department. 

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We can argue that Singapore did care about the environment because we had a Colonial Forest Department. 

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Singapore's concern for the environment during colonial period was minimal.

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Singapore's concern for the environment during colonial period was minimal.

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Conservation efforts were more for

scientific purposes. Furthermore, the Forest Department lacked authority as compared to the Land

Department.

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The source provided a holistic view of the usage of land during the colonial period and how it impacted the environment as evident by the unusual rainfall patterns.

It was published on 15 June 1905 which is a few years later after the rise in plantation of cash crops such as rubber and pineapple during 1888 therefore it can discuss the detrimental effects of the result from clearing of forests.

The source also considered the Forest Department that was set up but criticized the authority it had compared to the Land Department. This perspective shows a balanced view however it does not give us any insight into why the Government started the Forest Department. Therefore, the views are still questionable as the rationale of the doings by the Government are not mentioned.

The source is by the Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser which is Singapore's second English-language newspaper. The paper may have been regulated by the British government and used as a platform to share their ideologies. Therefore, the impact on the environment by the Government could have been downplayed.

To have a wider perspective of the concern Singapore had for the environment we should consider other primary and secondary sources.

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Rainfall and deforestation. (1905, June 15). The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, Page 371. https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singfreepresswk19050615-1.2.20?ST=1&AT=search&k=destruction+forest+singapore&P=2&QT=destruction,forest,singapore&oref=article

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Reason why the Forestry Department was set up

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Reason why the Forestry Department was set up

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The purpose for setting up the Forestry Department is to attach

it to the Land Department so that Singapore is able to preserve our reserves and restore our forests by the establishment of nurseries for young tree. However, after it was set up in 1878, nothing was done until 1882 when the Superintendent of the Botanical Gardens at Singapore drew up a report on the Forests for better management. However, the summary measures did not seem to solve the root cause of the problem where the environment had already sustained a level of damage.

The Forests in the Straits Settlements. (1883, September 20). Straits Times Weekly Issue, Page 8. https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/stweekly18830920-1.2.7.25?ST=1&AT=search&k=forest%20department&QT=forest,department&oref=article

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What the Forestry Department contributed

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What the Forestry Department contributed

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Back in 1883, the Forest Department made recommendations that were effective in regulating the extent of deforestation therefore, it managed to conserve a few forest reserves as strict regulations were enacted. There was also the start of nurseries. However, the conservation efforts were towards scientific research and botanical

investigation that aims to cultivate more saleable vegetables that improved quality and quantity.

Forestry in 1886. (1887, August 3). Straits Times Weekly, page 6. Issuehttps://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/stweekly18870803-1.2.21?ST=1&AT=search&k=cultivation%20environment&SortBy=Oldest&filterS=0&Display=0&QT=cultivation,environment&oref=article

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Singapore cared about boosting the agricultural exports to position itself as a trading hub

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Singapore cared about boosting the agricultural exports to position itself as a trading hub

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Singapore placed a huge focus

on meeting global demand where the colonial government wanted to modernize the pineapple industry. Hence, Singapore was agriculturally focused and became the major

production center for canned pineapple. This led to soil depletion and temporary droughts because of irregular rainfall. The economic pragmatism as a trading hub far outweighed the concern the nation had for the environment and this was made worse by the limited land Singapore has.

Tan, I.Y.H., 2020. The Colonial Port as Contact Zone: Chinese Merchants and the Development of Godowns along Singapore River, 1827–1905. Architectural Histories, 8(1), p.20. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/ah.417

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Settlors chose to focus on agricultural enterprises and plantations for a living.

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Settlors chose to focus on agricultural enterprises and plantations for a living.

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The settlers believe that the

soil was rich and Singapore free port status and deep-water

harbor was ideal for agricultural trade. Therefore, this encouraged many people to take up plantation agriculture as a means of making a living. The expansion of their exploitation of the land continued where it 'reflected an understanding that nature and the environment could be dominated to achieve their

ends'. The destruction of the nature worsened with the support of the government. There was a lack of strict enforcement on the conservation of the forests.

Chou, C. (2014). Agriculture and the End of Farming in Singapore. In Barnard T. (Ed.), Nature Contained: Environmental Histories of Singapore (pp. 216-240). SINGAPORE: NUS Press. Retrieved March 4, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1nth2d.19

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There were early conservation efforts that were successful to a certain extent. However conservation efforts were limited.

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There were early conservation efforts that were successful to a certain extent. However conservation efforts were limited.

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There were evident concerns for the nature through efforts made by

Pioneer Conservation and Professional Forestry. The initiatives allowed the preservation of the forests we see today.

However, it was very difficult to enforce the regulations and conservation efforts could not keep pace with consumption. Furthermore, the main concern of the Government was to drive profits. Protection of the environment happens only when it is economically beneficial and not because Singapore cared about the environment. Rather, it is because the environmental damage will result in losses in revenue and by

advancing towards forest botany, it can radically alter the biological makeup of the reserved forests through scientific research to generate more profit.

Kathirithamby-Wells, J. (2005). Nature and Nation: Forests and Development in Peninsular Malaysia. NUS Press, 2005, 58-83.

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After analyzing both primary and secondary sources, there is

common consensus that the priority back in the colonial period

was to build Singapore as a trading hub therefore we were export driven and focused on agriculture as we cleared land for cash crops.

This was done even when the environmental damage such as the

irregular rainfall patterns were known but settlors were profit

driven and cared more about bringing in land revenue than

practicing conservation efforts. Furthermore, while there is

acknowledgement of the Government efforts to protect our

nature, they were minimal and in the interests of carrying out

botanical research to improve our agricultural that allowed higher generation of revenue.

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For Singapore to prosper it was important to build a strong economic foundation. The clearance of the forests resulted in a fall in rainfall that led to occasional  droughts but the economic benefits far outweighed the cons of harming the environment. Therefore, I believe that Singapore was at a stage it did not have the capacity to care for the environment as agriculture growth followed by urbanization and industrialization were key to

setting up the nation. If we were to consider current efforts, the Government is taking strong initiative to protect our existing nature reserves through Singapore Green Plan 2030 as we are now economically stable and have the capacity to care for our environment.

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Annabella Lee Yu Min
COR2202- Science, Environment and Empire G1

https://padlet.com/ymlee2017/2yvkfcbq4afaqnt3