Central Catchment Nature Reserve

This article is about the nature reserve located within the North Region of Singapore. For the water catchment that it is located in, see Central Water Catchment.

Central Catchment Nature Reserve
Central Catchment Nature Reserve is located in Singapore
Central Catchment Nature Reserve
Typenature reserve
LocationSingapore
Coordinates01°22′N 103°48′E / 1.367°N 103.800°E / 1.367; 103.800
Area2,880 hectares (28,800,000 m2)
StatusOpen

The Central Catchment Nature Reserve (Chinese: 中央集水区自然保护区; Malay: Hutan Simpanan Kawasan Tadahan Air Tengah; Tamil: மத்திய நீர்ப்பிடிப்பு இயற்கை வனப்பகுதி, romanized: Mattiya nīrppiṭippu iyaṟkai vaṉappakuti)[1] is the largest nature reserve in Singapore, occupying 2880 hectares.[2] Forming a large green lung in the geographical centre of the city, it houses several recreational sites, including the Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari and the River Safari, as well as several newer facilities built to encourage public appreciation of the reserve, such as the HSBC TreeTop Walk. The reserve sits within the boundaries of the Central Water Catchment.[3] It is one of the four gazetted nature reserves in Singapore. The other three are the Labrador Nature Reserve[4] which was gazetted since 1 January 2002, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve[5] and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.[6] All four nature reserves along with the parks are protected under the Parks & Trees Act 2005.

The nature reserve acts as a catchment area for the surrounding reservoirs. The country's main reservoirs – MacRitchie, Upper Seletar, Upper Peirce and Lower Peirce are located within the reserve.[7][8]

Most forests in the CCNR were cleared for logging and cultivation unlike Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, which remain relatively undisturbed. The CCNR now consists of a mixture of young and mature secondary forests with virgin primary forest surrounding the reservoirs.[9]

  1. ^ "மத்திய நீர்ப்பிடிப்பு இயற்கை வனப்பகுதியில் காடுகளை ஆய்வு செய்யும் பணி தொடக்கம்". www.tamilmurasu.com.sg. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  2. ^ 'Nature Reserves' Archived 22 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine, National Parks Board, retrieved 5 June 2009.
  3. ^ "URA Maps". Urban Redevelopment Authority. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  4. ^ Labrador Nature Reserve Archived 18 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine, National Parks Board Website, retrieved 4 June 2009.
  5. ^ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Archived 9 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine, National Parks Board Website, retrieved 4 June 2009.
  6. ^ Protecting Our Natural Heritage: Gazette of Nature Reserves, Convention on Biological Diversity, retrieved 4 June 2009.
  7. ^ "Upper Peirce Reservoir Park". National Parks Board. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  8. ^ Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Archived 22 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine, National Parks Board, retrieved 4 June 2009.
  9. ^ Singapore Parks Archived 23 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Wild Life Asia, retrieved 4 June 2009.