Nature reserves by Rong Yan

I think that considering how land scarce Singapore is, we should still set aside land for nature reserves because nature reserves raise awareness of environmental values and it can serve as a tool to finance protection of natural areas and increase their economic importance. Tourism can contribute directly to the conservation of sensitive areas and habitat. For example, the tour operator Discovery Initiatives, which is a member of the Tour Operators Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development, makes an annual financial contribution to the Orangutan Foundation of some US$ 45,000. The money is earned from only 5 tour groups of 10 people each visiting the Tanjing Putting National Park in Central Kalimantan. The park is under huge pressures from deforestation and river pollution from unrestricted gold mining. This money directly funds park staff and rangers, rehabilitation efforts for young orangutans, and the care center. It provides almost the only economic support for saving this park, where the park fees are officially only the equivalent of 12 pence a day.