Ecology Class at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
I wanted the ecology class visit Bukit Timah Nature Reserve for three reasons - firstly, to ensure you biology majors experience the reserve before you graduate (!), secondly to introduce you to tropical rainforest ecology (it used to be a course in NUS - T. C. Whitmore taught us and wrote his simplified book subsequently) and finally to understand the historical and present-day ecological impact to the forest.
Part of the field trip preparation included applying for permission - NParks replied the same day with a permit that restricted us to some areas and and a trail etiquette sheet, both of which I sent the class via IVLE. Trail etiquette was also highlighted by the Teaching Assistants (TAs) and we integrated the restrictions into the practical design as they contributed to the theme - "Bukit Timah Nature Reserve - A Patient Under Intensive Care."
Since the class is already organised into nine groups of about 12 each, and each led by a TAs (our Biodiversity Graduate Students), we simply distribted the entry of the class into the reserve and additionally, sent three groups via Rifle Range Road. Since you 3rd years were so quiet, even the bird life came up close!
I talked to Sunia an others in the NParks office and they say they have the group visit situation under better control these days (changes are gradually introduced). We could well understand this, for even on a weekday afternoon, there was a constant stream of people enjoying the reserve, and walking past us on the smaller trails. Bukit Timah is a well loved place but too small to handle the public's attention; and I am sure the ecology class appreciates this after today's practical!